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The Improbable We Can Do Today
Not yet published
Expected 1 Jun 26A collection of cosy fantasy mystery stories about resilience, ingenuity, love, belonging, and gentle justice.
Meriva Secaret was once the very best of thieves. Until she lost her limbs.
Now, in the ancient, rain-drenched streets of Draffe, where temple bells mark the hours and secrets lie behind every door, she makes her living as a researcher and investigator, finding what was lost, fixing injustices, outwitting the powerful… and still occasionally stealing just the right thing from just the wrong person.
Her speciality is small problems with big consequences, puzzles and predicaments whose solutions require observation, ingenuity, and, above all, the ability to see people as they really are. Meriva is very good at seeing people. Perhaps because those people all too often don’t see the real her, but only what she no longer has.
What she does have is a mind like a lock-pick, an ex-thief’s instincts, and attitude to spare. Plus an ex-mercenary partner who loves her as she really is, and an absolute determination to live life on her own terms.
Told from the perspective of a disabled protagonist who is capable, complex, and central to her own narrative, this full-length collection of six cosy fantasy mystery stories introduces a unique, captivating protagonist, and invites you into the fiercely kind-hearted world she creates around herself.
Whimsical, warm, and often wryly funny, they are for readers who enjoy small-scale, character-driven fantasy where the stakes are personal rather than world-ending, and where kindness always matters.
Meriva Secaret was once the very best of thieves. Until she lost her limbs.
Now, in the ancient, rain-drenched streets of Draffe, where temple bells mark the hours and secrets lie behind every door, she makes her living as a researcher and investigator, finding what was lost, fixing injustices, outwitting the powerful… and still occasionally stealing just the right thing from just the wrong person.
Her speciality is small problems with big consequences, puzzles and predicaments whose solutions require observation, ingenuity, and, above all, the ability to see people as they really are. Meriva is very good at seeing people. Perhaps because those people all too often don’t see the real her, but only what she no longer has.
What she does have is a mind like a lock-pick, an ex-thief’s instincts, and attitude to spare. Plus an ex-mercenary partner who loves her as she really is, and an absolute determination to live life on her own terms.
Told from the perspective of a disabled protagonist who is capable, complex, and central to her own narrative, this full-length collection of six cosy fantasy mystery stories introduces a unique, captivating protagonist, and invites you into the fiercely kind-hearted world she creates around herself.
Whimsical, warm, and often wryly funny, they are for readers who enjoy small-scale, character-driven fantasy where the stakes are personal rather than world-ending, and where kindness always matters.
380 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 1, 2026
About the author
Jon Dixon
1 bookJon was a professional actor for 20 years, before moving to a less exciting but slightly more secure career in IT. Along the way, he also moonlighted as a freelance illustrator for magazines books, and games.
He lives in the almost exact centre of the UK with a library of books that’s ridiculously too large for his rather small house, as well as a collection of guitars he doesn’t play enough, model kits he never seems to have time to build, and cosplay outfits that don’t quite fit any more.
He is currently between cats.
He lives in the almost exact centre of the UK with a library of books that’s ridiculously too large for his rather small house, as well as a collection of guitars he doesn’t play enough, model kits he never seems to have time to build, and cosplay outfits that don’t quite fit any more.
He is currently between cats.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
Review of advance copy
I was offered a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This cozy fantasy written by a debuting British author lured my interest immediately. I usually am not too much of a fan of 3d asset covers because it screams videogame, and I am just not into the videogame community at all. However, I liked the yuxtaposed artwork with a woman grabbing a pen with her mouth and the unusual title. News flash: this book qualifies for bingo reading challenges where the title is mentioned as a sentence somewhere in the book.
The instant I noticed the synopsis mentioned the book stars a woman with multiple (more like every limb) amputations solving little mysteries alongside her teammate/carer/love interest, I had a good hunch this book would be fun to read and requested a copy immediately.
This book promises us witty banter, cozy mugs of spiced beverages in bakeries, and slice of life mysteries (usually with much lower stakes than Legends & Lattes but there is a similar vibe). All of this packaged by a woman exhuberating a Hercule Poirot presence. Which, can be most surprising when you realize Meriva Secaret is less than 3 feet tall and wears an eyepatch.
Readers that yearn for older disabled female protagonists with a stable long-term relationship will get their desire in this book. Meriva is in her mid 30's, childless, and has been hanging around her SO Custos who is around 12 years older for the past few years. She had previously already learned how to take care of herself by mastering her balance, handling objects with her mouth (such as picking locks!) and wearing a protective leather pouch sheath that allows her to hop down staircases without breaking her hip. I am certain the author spent a huge amount of time working alongside sensitivity readers for realism and the results show. In some of the stories, Meriva's slim physique has allowed her to enter tiny crevices and solve cases.
One curious thing is that none of the cases in this book revolve unsightly crimes like murder. Meriva doesn't have a medieval equivalent of a detective agency either. Her comfortable and modest middle class lifestyle may either be supplied from a dowry, she racked up a huge fortune accrued during her... less honorable previous profession, a rich patron paid her well for a translation or historical research, or they live fine with Custos's military pension.
While we get witty banter, the writing style is easy to understand and the book will have wide readership appeal. Women in my age group will equally enjoy Meriva's adventures along with male readers that enjoy stories about retired soldiers enjoying their day to day lives. The book not only offers disability representation in front center, we also meet queer and neurodiverse characters in some stories. The woes of poverty and racism are also displayed during some stories, which partially drives some of Meriva's motivation.
Custos is kind, gives Meriva space at times when she can handle things, while always offering a helping hand to carry her. With so many books lambasting toxic (both positive and negative) relationships, it felt really fresh to see a couple so happy together and working around their issues before resentment builds up.
For the most part, the stories can be read in any order without affecting understanding the story, although moving stories around might make readers wonder why Meriva encourages Custos to have time off with his friends in some stories while working things out in another.
The first story is the longest, and, if this had been the sole story in the collection, I think it would have become a stellar entrant for the annual SFINCS Novella competition. I am certain judges would hype the book very much because it is such a lovely read and delivers as promised. In its current length, the 6 stories contained within I believe make it a tad bit too long for the SFINCS, whereas short story collections don't tend to do well in the SPFBO competition.
Anyhow, I hope more readers give this book a chance. All signs point a sequel will be available soon that will certainly offer more Meriva & Custos sleuthing.
This cozy fantasy written by a debuting British author lured my interest immediately. I usually am not too much of a fan of 3d asset covers because it screams videogame, and I am just not into the videogame community at all. However, I liked the yuxtaposed artwork with a woman grabbing a pen with her mouth and the unusual title. News flash: this book qualifies for bingo reading challenges where the title is mentioned as a sentence somewhere in the book.
The instant I noticed the synopsis mentioned the book stars a woman with multiple (more like every limb) amputations solving little mysteries alongside her teammate/carer/love interest, I had a good hunch this book would be fun to read and requested a copy immediately.
This book promises us witty banter, cozy mugs of spiced beverages in bakeries, and slice of life mysteries (usually with much lower stakes than Legends & Lattes but there is a similar vibe). All of this packaged by a woman exhuberating a Hercule Poirot presence. Which, can be most surprising when you realize Meriva Secaret is less than 3 feet tall and wears an eyepatch.
Readers that yearn for older disabled female protagonists with a stable long-term relationship will get their desire in this book. Meriva is in her mid 30's, childless, and has been hanging around her SO Custos who is around 12 years older for the past few years. She had previously already learned how to take care of herself by mastering her balance, handling objects with her mouth (such as picking locks!) and wearing a protective leather pouch sheath that allows her to hop down staircases without breaking her hip. I am certain the author spent a huge amount of time working alongside sensitivity readers for realism and the results show. In some of the stories, Meriva's slim physique has allowed her to enter tiny crevices and solve cases.
One curious thing is that none of the cases in this book revolve unsightly crimes like murder. Meriva doesn't have a medieval equivalent of a detective agency either. Her comfortable and modest middle class lifestyle may either be supplied from a dowry, she racked up a huge fortune accrued during her... less honorable previous profession, a rich patron paid her well for a translation or historical research, or they live fine with Custos's military pension.
While we get witty banter, the writing style is easy to understand and the book will have wide readership appeal. Women in my age group will equally enjoy Meriva's adventures along with male readers that enjoy stories about retired soldiers enjoying their day to day lives. The book not only offers disability representation in front center, we also meet queer and neurodiverse characters in some stories. The woes of poverty and racism are also displayed during some stories, which partially drives some of Meriva's motivation.
Custos is kind, gives Meriva space at times when she can handle things, while always offering a helping hand to carry her. With so many books lambasting toxic (both positive and negative) relationships, it felt really fresh to see a couple so happy together and working around their issues before resentment builds up.
For the most part, the stories can be read in any order without affecting understanding the story, although moving stories around might make readers wonder why Meriva encourages Custos to have time off with his friends in some stories while working things out in another.
The first story is the longest, and, if this had been the sole story in the collection, I think it would have become a stellar entrant for the annual SFINCS Novella competition. I am certain judges would hype the book very much because it is such a lovely read and delivers as promised. In its current length, the 6 stories contained within I believe make it a tad bit too long for the SFINCS, whereas short story collections don't tend to do well in the SPFBO competition.
Anyhow, I hope more readers give this book a chance. All signs point a sequel will be available soon that will certainly offer more Meriva & Custos sleuthing.
Displaying 1 of 1 review