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Forgotten Realms: Mysteries #2
Murder in Halruaa
From the FORGOTTEN REALMS series, a fantasy novel in which a petty criminal who tries to pass himself off as a wizard discovers that he has attracted the attentions of an assassin.
249 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1996
5 people are currently reading
332 people want to read
About the author
Richard S. Meyers
32 books11 followersAuthor of more than 70 novels and nonfiction books (under a variety of names, including multiple variations of his own); writer of hundreds of magazine articles, reviews, and DVD blurbs; screenwriter for selected comic books, television, films, and documentaries; consultant at several studios and networks; performer at Medieval Times and the North Pole; teacher of kung fu at universities and seminars around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 23, 2025
You can't expect much from a licensed IP book at the best of times, and for cash-strapped TSR a year before they went bankrupt, with a book department headed by a guy who was paying below market rates and drove away most of their staple of popular writers, this was probably as good as it could be. That's not the worst thing about this book.
It's not a Forgotten Realms book, not really. It has the logo, and it technically uses official lore about Halruaa, but it doesn't feel like a Forgotten Realms book. It's more like the author wrote a generic fantasy book and then simply changed some place names to make it fit. Magic doesn't work like D&D. Characters don't act like they live in the same world as other FR books. I know each author brings their own interpretation, but this stands so far apart from the setting as portrayed literally anywhere else that it's painful. That's not the worst thing about this book.
It's supposed to be funny, but I never laughed, never even simply huffed through my nose at anything. Even the characters in-book know the humor is weak:
The writing is sloppy in places, with unclear physicality during key scenes that creates confusion about what actually happened. It also tends to go over-long, such as in this "he was knocked on the head and fell unconscious" description:
Is it at least a good story? A good murder mystery? No. It's incredibly convoluted and, even worse, inconsequential. There are no worthwhile stakes, no character fates to be interested in, no reason to care what happens to these irritating people in this uninteresting location. Story progression is strained, requiring that the reader accepts numerous unrealistic character reactions and leaps of logic. This is not the worst thing about this book.
And the names! Terrible naming abounds. The main character is Pryce Covington, operating under the assumed name Darlington Blade, both chosen so the author could give the chapters punny titles using Pryce and Blade. Here is a continuous section stuffed with the kind of names I'm talking about:
This is the worst thing about this book:
(use desktop site to view images as needed)
Whhhyyyyyyyy of all the Forgotten Realms books did they never put out an English paperback edition of this one? Oh yeah, it's because they were going out of business.
This was meant to be third in a series of 5 'Murder in' books by TSR, between the Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance novel lines. Murder in Cormyr and Murder in Tarsis preceded it. This book's front matter lists two additional planned books that never emerged, because of bankruptcy (and Wizards of the Coast not opting to continue those particular plans once they bought out TSR): Murder in Ravens Bluff by Wayne Dundee (a Forgotten Realms mystery planned for April 1997) and Murder in the Tower of High Sorcery by Teri White (a Dragonlance mystery planned for November 1997).
It's not a Forgotten Realms book, not really. It has the logo, and it technically uses official lore about Halruaa, but it doesn't feel like a Forgotten Realms book. It's more like the author wrote a generic fantasy book and then simply changed some place names to make it fit. Magic doesn't work like D&D. Characters don't act like they live in the same world as other FR books. I know each author brings their own interpretation, but this stands so far apart from the setting as portrayed literally anywhere else that it's painful. That's not the worst thing about this book.
It's supposed to be funny, but I never laughed, never even simply huffed through my nose at anything. Even the characters in-book know the humor is weak:
"Blade! Let me say how honored I am to be chosen to even touch, let alone carry, such valuable magical items. I'll be telling my grandchildren and great-grandchildren about this! Eh, eh?"Unfunny attempts at comedy are not the worst thing about this book.
"And hopefully even your not-so-great grandchildren, unless they've been sent to bed early, Pryce quipped feebly. Before the barkeep could summon up a forced laugh, Covington continued.
The writing is sloppy in places, with unclear physicality during key scenes that creates confusion about what actually happened. It also tends to go over-long, such as in this "he was knocked on the head and fell unconscious" description:
He tried to somersault away, but as he began to dive forward, something hard, heavy, and painful smashed into the back of his head. There was sudden, incredible pressure, and then he felt his brain shift, crashing into the inner side of his forehead.It's like the author was struggling to meet the word count quota. On that note, this book is significantly shorter than the typical FR novel standard by perhaps 15,000-20,000 words. Subpar and under-edited writing quality is not the worst thing about this book.
He felt as if Berridge Lymwich had hit him full with her inquisitrix spell. He was blinded by white. Then the white suddenly swirled with grey. Then black dots emerged from the gathering haze, growing larger and larger until the white was gone and the gray was swallowed up.
Then all was black, and blacker still, until he fell into the blackest pit of all.
Is it at least a good story? A good murder mystery? No. It's incredibly convoluted and, even worse, inconsequential. There are no worthwhile stakes, no character fates to be interested in, no reason to care what happens to these irritating people in this uninteresting location. Story progression is strained, requiring that the reader accepts numerous unrealistic character reactions and leaps of logic. This is not the worst thing about this book.
And the names! Terrible naming abounds. The main character is Pryce Covington, operating under the assumed name Darlington Blade, both chosen so the author could give the chapters punny titles using Pryce and Blade. Here is a continuous section stuffed with the kind of names I'm talking about:
Gheevy Wotfirr gave Berridge Lymwich a meaningful look as he passed. The halfling then slipped between the burly Azzoparde Shreders and the shapely Sheyrhen Karkober at the port bow. The inquisitrix looked down the deck to see that the stopped, jowly Matthaunin Witterstaet stood near Dearlyn Ambersong, both of who were watched over by the gaunt Asche Hartov, who lived up to his name by appearing positively ashen.This takes place about a ship captained by Renwick Scottpeter, with a figurehead carved by Minsha Tyrpanninq. Superior Wendchrix Turzihubbard is also aboard. The terrible names are not the worst thing about this book.
This is the worst thing about this book:
(use desktop site to view images as needed)
Whhhyyyyyyyy of all the Forgotten Realms books did they never put out an English paperback edition of this one? Oh yeah, it's because they were going out of business.
This was meant to be third in a series of 5 'Murder in' books by TSR, between the Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance novel lines. Murder in Cormyr and Murder in Tarsis preceded it. This book's front matter lists two additional planned books that never emerged, because of bankruptcy (and Wizards of the Coast not opting to continue those particular plans once they bought out TSR): Murder in Ravens Bluff by Wayne Dundee (a Forgotten Realms mystery planned for April 1997) and Murder in the Tower of High Sorcery by Teri White (a Dragonlance mystery planned for November 1997).
February 21, 2013
I love Forgotten Realms books. Some are better than others...case in point, the 2 'Murder' novels, 1 in Cormyr, and 1 in Halruaa. I enjoyed '.. In Cormyr'....but I think '..In Halruaa' is one of THE FINEST FR books written. It is alittle short though.
October 17, 2011
My favorite fantasy book of all time. Great mix of fantasy and mystery.
July 7, 2025
I believe that Richard Meyers opened the Monstrous Manual, but I don't believe that he actually played D&D before writing this. For a book that involves a lot of wizards it doesn't have a clear grasp of the mechanics and limitations of magic. I liked the premise of a magicless detective solving wizard murders, but the end result here felt like a mystery with some fantasy elements hastily glued on top.
The solution of the mystery also required
Also, this author is really weird about describing female characters.
Anyway, the book had good potential and some funny moments, but it just didn't feel like D&D.
The solution of the mystery also required
Also, this author is really weird about describing female characters.
Anyway, the book had good potential and some funny moments, but it just didn't feel like D&D.
January 23, 2018
At first it didn't really interest me, its dryish humour and style felt strange for me but soon this became very funny and imaginative fantasy story that was a detective story too, which was odd but not a bad thing. Even the main character found himself always in trouble, he never was stupid. He used his skill of speaking very well in advantage. Characters were interesting and this book became more and more interesting while I read it. 3,5/5
August 22, 2021
This was okay...I wasn't super impressed. I don't read a lot of mystery, so I am not a great judge of the combined genre. But it does make for an easy "explanation" when magic and such is involved. There was a pretty good twist, though I think many will see it coming. The opening scene was probably my favorite part.
July 8, 2017
"Think of your life as a comedy drama with you as the hero. Prepare yourself for every eventuality as if your god were a master playwright. Then comport yourself as you would want your hero to behave. Be the star of your own life!"
December 1, 2021
Still more of a poor man’s discworld than dungeons and dragons but a far better attempt than the first instalment. Ending is uncharacteristically melodramatic and poses an interesting philosophical conundrum which came totally out of the blue but was appreciated
September 28, 2024
Too full of annoying writing choices, tics and clichés to be particularly satisfying, but since i only read it for backstory purposes, it's good enough for me! The little nuggets of lore, at least, are interesting.
October 1, 2017
It was ok. Worth reading once.
December 28, 2019
Twisted. Who is victim, killer, investigator?Meyers is worth looking for.
June 20, 2020
Pretty funny sometimes bordering on silly and I didn't always have my bearings, but it was a pretty good mystery.
July 29, 2022
Fun book. I liked that only non-magical means could be used to solve a mystery where all the suspects are archmages. The archmage's cloak was a good slow reveal as well.
July 7, 2025
A romance with its ups and downs.
November 24, 2013
A great melding of the western epic fantasy and mystery genres.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews