The Scales of Justice: (a very silly cozy fantasy featuring a dragon detective)

by Tammie Painter

A crime boss with a secret A swoon-inducing thief A heist that leads to murder It might be the perfect case for Duncan, but he's really just in town for the omelets.

Zin's Circus of Unusual Creatures is gearing up for a lengthy run in Chesterwood, a town run by the infamous crime boss, Rochester McCleary, aka “The Goblin King".

No one knows why Rochester invited them to town, why he's letting them set up on a recently demolished city block for free, or why he keeps lurking around the circus grounds, but no one is stupid enough to ask McCleary to divulge his suspicious secrets.

Meanwhile, Duncan's performances have been drastically cut, and he's bored off his scales. Bored, that is, until someone breaks into and empties Rochester's vault.

The boredom is especially lifted when, soon after the heist, a body is found. The only trouble is that the most obvious suspects are a kind-hearted sculptor and Duncan's favorite omelet chef, Pepper.

Although eager to take the case, Duncan is reluctant to tangle with The Goblin King. After all, he's pretty sure he'd look terrible in cement shoes.

Can Duncan (along with his fellow amateur sleuths Boris and Cordelia) discover who the real culprit is before Rochester McCleary makes good on his threats? Can they uncover Chesterwood’s secrets without ending up in pine boxes?

Or will they get too distracted by cute co-workers, skimpy outfits, "modern" dating advice, and a certain dragon's omelet goals to survive this confounding case?

Find out in The Scales of Justice , the latest addition to the Circus of Unusual Creatures Mysteries — a cozy fantasy series that mixes in laughs with murderous mayhem and mythical beasts.

* * *

Although it's the sixth book in the series, The Scales of Justice is a great place to jump into the humor-filled mysteries of The Circus of Unusual Creatures series.

Set in a 1930s that's just a tad different than what you're used to, The Circus of Unusual Creatures is a delightfully humorous cozy fantasy series that features a detecting dragon, an aura-spotting centaur, a chain-smoking unicorn, and plenty of other quirky characters getting into all kinds of trouble as they stumble their way through clues, crimes, and perfectly cooked omelets.

If you like comic fantasy whodunits that combine laughs with murderous mayhem and mythical beasts you'll love, not only this silly story, but also the other five books in the Hoard It All Before, Tipping the Scales, Fangs a Million, Beast or Famine, and Too Claws for Comfort .

Story While this lighthearted, humorous series is mostly clean, it does have a lusty, chain-smoking unicorn who makes more than a few naughty innuendos, a dragon who drinks, a tiny bit of mild swearing, and (obviously) there's a murder or two along the way.

376 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 25, 2025

About the author

THE RAMBLING BIO AND OFFER OF FREE STUFF
Many moons ago I was a scientist in a neuroscience lab where I got to play with brains and illegal drugs. Now, I take wickedly strong tea and turn it into comic fantasy whodunits full of mythical misfits and magical mishaps that I hope give you a giggle.

My tales run the gamut from the ever-expanding  Cassie Black Trilogy with its wryly humorous paranormal mysteries to the comical fantasy whodunits in The Circus of Unusual Creatures , and from light-hearted novellas celebrating my love of books to short fiction in which I really flex my myth-loving and humor-craving muscles!

When I’m not creating worlds or killing off characters, I can be found gardening, planning my next travel adventure, concocting some sort of mess in the kitchen, or working as an unpaid servant to three cats and a guinea pig.

Want to learn more and get free stuff? Then be sure to pop by TammiePainter.com to see everything I'm up to and to grab your free copy of "Mrs. Morris Meets Death," a humorous tale of mortality, time management, cruise ships, and romance novels.



THE QUICK AS YOU CAN STORY BEHIND MY BOOKS...
My fascination for myths, history, and how they interweave inspired my two historical fantasy series, The Osteria Chronicles and my second series, Domna (you can grab your free series starters for those HERE and HERE).

But all those ancient myths and angst-ridden heroes got a bit too serious for someone with a strange sense of humor and odd way of looking at the world. 

So, while sitting at my grandmother’s funeral, my brain came up with an idea for a contemporary fantasy trilogy that’s filled with magic, mystery, snarky humor, and the dead who just won’t stay dead. That idea turned into The Cassie Black Trilogy, which has turned into a fan favorite.

Then, because writer brains are weird, a simple elephant story I had in mind somehow morphed into a "hilarious" cozy fantasy series featuring a detecting dragon. So, if you like comic fantasy whodunits that mix in laughs with murderous mayhem, mythical beasts, and a staggering variety of omelets, you’ll want to check out my Circus of Unusual Creatures mysteries!


IF ALL THAT WASN"T ENOUGH, YOU CAN...
* Sign up for my monthly newsletter to get free stuff, exclusive bargains, and insights into my writing world,
* Head over to my Payhip Bookstore to shop directly through me and truly support an indie author.
* Browse this BookFunnel page to check out all my currently available books.
* Follow me on Bookbub to see my top book recommendations and get notified about most of my new releases.

Reviews

[Jonathan Pongratz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the heck out of this humorous whodunit!

Zin's Circus of Unusual Creatures has arrived in Chesterwood, a small town run by Rochester McCleary aka the Goblin King. Despite staying free of charge, the Goblin King's demands gets worse and worse until an even worse thing happens. A murder! Can Duncan the dragon and his trusty friends detectivate this one, or have their investigafying days ended once and for all?

When I read any of Painter's works, I've come to expect whimsy, humor, and lots of plot twists I can't get enough of, and this novel marked all the boxes and then some! They say lightning doesn't strike twice, but Painter has struck lightning, what ... 3, 5, 6 ... oh heck, I don't know how many times, but she's knocked it out of the ballpark all over again.

The cast of characters really made this story hop right off the page. I don't know how Painter manages to keep progression going for so many characters in each novel, but it was great to see them all struggle and overcome their dilemmas. Duncan's heartsick for his girlfriend Viola, Cordelia's tackles a dangerous turn in her performing career, and I loved Molly's developments too. And that's not even counting the new characters in this town.

Ryu, Kawa, and Gloria resonated with me the strongest, and they all had their part to play in the mystery at hand.

Speaking of mystery, I was really happy with how unpredictable things went this time. I failed to identify the killer, which was refreshing, and each chapter had lots of developments that kept me guessing. What else can I say? If you like whimsical vibes, daring feats of dragonly proportions, and a masterfully executed mystery, this is the series for you!

[Abbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Scales of Justice, the sixth installment in the beloved series about a traveling circus of unusual creatures, is an absolute delight from the first page to the last. Somehow, this series keeps getting better, and this book may be its most charming, clever, and laugh-out-loud funny entry yet.

At the heart of the story is Duncan, a dragon whose ongoing quest to sample every omelet imaginable adds a running gag that never gets old and gives the book an extra layer of warmth and whimsy. Duncan is a wonderfully endearing protagonist, and watching him balance his fears, his appetite, and his unexpected knack for detective work is endlessly entertaining.

As the circus rolls into yet another town with trouble brewing, the mystery unfolds with just the right mix of intrigue and absurdity. A murder, plenty of mischief, and a constant stream of odd clues keep Duncan and his circus friends “investigating” at a frantic pace. The plot is brisk and cleverly constructed, with twists around every corner that make it impossible to put the book down.

Longtime readers will be thrilled to reunite with familiar faces from earlier books, while the introduction of new characters keeps the world feeling fresh and unpredictable. Every member of the cast is quirky, hilarious, and full of personality, making even the smallest interactions sparkle.

Lighthearted, funny, and surprisingly clever, The Scales of Justice is a joyful read that proves this traveling circus still has plenty of magic—and mayhem—left to share. Fans of the series will adore it, and newcomers will find themselves eager to go back and read every book that came before.

[Kirsten Marion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Duncan and the gang do not disappoint!

The Scales of Justice is a delightfully silly cozy fantasy featuring Duncan, a dragon detective whose omelet priorities often outshine his investigative instincts. When the Circus of Unusual Creatures sets up in the crime-boss-run town of Chesterwood, a high-stakes vault heist soon escalates into murder — and Duncan finds himself pulled into a case he can’t resist (even though he suspects he’d look terrible in cement shoes).

Painter balances humour, mythical creatures, and mystery with her trademark flair for memorable details — dragon ear tassels set in curlers, Molly the mini-taur’s multi-purpose wig, and even a behemoth fiercely devoted to personal hygiene. While the first half ambles at a gentler pace, the final twist is smart, surprising, and worth the journey.

A great entry point to the series, especially if you enjoy comic fantasy whodunits with charm, chaos, and a cast of quirky creatures who feel like old friends.

[Lj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tammie Painter returns to the Circus of Unusual Creatures with another hilarious, charming and cosy who-dun-it. This time Duncan and friends have not only a murderer to catch, but also have a thief to catch while trying not to raise the ire of a local underworld king while trying not to get dropped from the circus' line-up of top talent. The story is packed full of wit, charm and omelettes along with warm and cosy bonds of friendship, mystery and mayhem.

I received an ARC and voluntarily leave an honest review.

[Lavelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

My go to series to break from reality, Scales of Justice is another fun filled whimsical mystery. Duncan and his omelet craze, Cordelia with her comments trying to keep Duncan in line to a point. The new mystery to be solved, there have also been a new characters added in which I found quite entertaining. The story line is very, very creative which kept my interest though out this book. The characters are well described, interesting, amusing.
The ending was very creative and surprising.
I hope there will be a #7 in this series..

[Wendy Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite of the Circus of Unusual Creatures series. It's got everything: interesting characters (new and old) with their own story lines; humor; and of course the cozy mystery. It's a fully realized community that happens to have a mystery in it. You'll appreciate it the most if you read the others first so you'll know all the regular characters; they're all such fun to get to know, and once you do you'll care even more about what happens to them in this book.

[Tsippi Jelingold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Duncan's 6th adventure starts with the excitement of a restaurant featuring 24 types of omelets and goes swiftly down from there. The circus is at a town ruled by a scary goblin and inhabited by, among other unsavoury unusual creatures, a gorgon and kelpie horses. But everything isn't as it looks, and there's never a dull moment. The next adventure is happily promised soon.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second “Duncan” book I’ve read. So if you want to jump in the middle of the series, that’s okay. The author gives you a description of the characters at the beginning which is very helpful. I enjoyed this fun and cozy circus adventure. I loved visiting all the characters again and meeting new ones. I loved the plot twists that I didn’t expect! No spoilers :).

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am finding this series so quirky and fun. A dragon with a true heart for fairness and friendship who stumbles his way through the story, gathering silly clues that make his friends look guilty. There are enough real clues scattered about but he tends to misinterpret them.
His friends and coworkers at the circus have their own stories and secrets and it’s fun discovering more about them.

[Linda Collister · Rating 5 out of 5]

They came because the Goblin King invited them but did he have ulterior motives. When death follows the gang is on the case. Trying to solve love lives, robberies and free a gorgon is just part of the story. A fun read you'll enjoy from start to finish. I received this ARC and read it straight through and this is my honest review.

[Ken Robson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Duncan and crew are back again, bumbling and detectifing a robbery this time.
Add in kelpies a boss Goblin with Griffin bodyguards, who was the person that was robbed you have a scared Duncan, who can only take pleasure in more omelettes.

[Karen E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished The Scales of Justice and Tammie Painter has done it again! Duncan and his merry band are just as funny and lovable as prior books. Loved the the storyline dived deeper into their back stories more as well. Can't wait for next book!

[Todd Glaeser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm hoping that this series continues indefinitely. I love spending time with all of the characters of the circus.
I will also read anything from Tammie Painter. I have been reading her books for almost a decade and have always been surprised, most pleasantly and pleasingly.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Tammie Painter books and this one is no different. The only reason for 4 stars and not 5 is because I struggle when a book has a whole lot of characters. Humorous and fun.

[Charlene Mattson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do so love this series!

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Duncan, the omelet loving dragon is back, along with Cordelia, and Boris (the "detectivating" trio) and with self-proclaimed Love Guru, Fergus and the rest of the characters of the Circus of Unusual Creatures in another silly, goofy, and exciting story.. The circus is set for a two week run (or maybe it's 4 weeks, I got a little confused there) rent-free on a piece of property owned by the Goblin King. Based on the Goblin King's reputation, this is an offer that Zin can't refuse.
First the trio tries to solve a series of burglaries by the blatantly obvious moniker of The Robber who seems more of a Robin Hood type character than a bad guy. But, when the Goblin King gets robbed he tells them they only have a few days to figure it out. Their first interview in the investigatation is with the griffin that was guarding the night of the theft. This being a Tammie Painter book, of course it is Merv the Griffin.
Suddenly, birds start dying, then people start dying. Now the group has to figure out which of the way too obvious suspects is the actual criminal. Will they solve the case before time runs out or before Duncan works his way through the entire menu at the omelet restaurant nearby?
This is probably the best book in the series so far. If you like silly fantasy with dragons, unicorns, kelpies, griffins, and goblins where else are you going to find a book that covers all those needs?