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The Complex
Fishtail
A Lone Planet. One Complex.
Unlimited Chaos.
Mermen in space. Murder. And Minali.
Sven's life is going swimmingly. After landing a job as the leader of the Mer colony in the Complex, life couldn't be more perfect.
Until a dead body turns up in Sven's fish tank, making him the prime suspect in a murder investigation, and his life fishtails out of control.
Sven is in over his head this time. Now with Violet the succubus and a human piranha called Minali on his tail, the other Mer are ready to throw him to the sharks.
Can he find the real murderer and prove his innocence before it's too late?
The Complex Book Series.
A Lone Planet. One Complex.
Unlimited Chaos.
After a brutal war between Humans and Metas an uneasy truce is declared in the Seldova solar system. At the conclusion of the treaty signing, the Complex is created on the lone planet, Lorn. The Complex is a blended community of Humans and Metas, all sent to test the waters of a more peaceful existence between the two races. Living under a domed community can only mean one thing for the Humans and Metas. Chaos.
Unlimited Chaos.
Mermen in space. Murder. And Minali.
Sven's life is going swimmingly. After landing a job as the leader of the Mer colony in the Complex, life couldn't be more perfect.
Until a dead body turns up in Sven's fish tank, making him the prime suspect in a murder investigation, and his life fishtails out of control.
Sven is in over his head this time. Now with Violet the succubus and a human piranha called Minali on his tail, the other Mer are ready to throw him to the sharks.
Can he find the real murderer and prove his innocence before it's too late?
The Complex Book Series.
A Lone Planet. One Complex.
Unlimited Chaos.
After a brutal war between Humans and Metas an uneasy truce is declared in the Seldova solar system. At the conclusion of the treaty signing, the Complex is created on the lone planet, Lorn. The Complex is a blended community of Humans and Metas, all sent to test the waters of a more peaceful existence between the two races. Living under a domed community can only mean one thing for the Humans and Metas. Chaos.
92 pages, ebook
First published June 26, 2019
53 people are currently reading
222 people want to read
About the author
Demelza Carlton
934 books3,879 followersUSA Today Bestselling Author Demelza Carlton has always loved the ocean, but on her first snorkelling trip she found she was afraid of fish.
She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray-drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.
Sensationalist spin? No - Demelza tends to take a camera with her so she can capture and share the moment later; shipwrecks, sharks and all.
Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world.
The Ocean's Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed by the Nightmares trilogy. She swears the Mel Goes to Hell series ambushed her on a crowded train and wouldn't leave her alone.
She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray-drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.
Sensationalist spin? No - Demelza tends to take a camera with her so she can capture and share the moment later; shipwrecks, sharks and all.
Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world.
The Ocean's Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed by the Nightmares trilogy. She swears the Mel Goes to Hell series ambushed her on a crowded train and wouldn't leave her alone.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
July 23, 2017
I enjoyed this second story about the mermaids in space. It is a very quick and enjoyable read. Sven deserved to find some happiness.
July 19, 2020
Sven is the leader of the mer colony, but when a dead body ends up at his shop he becomes the primary suspect. Detective Minali is human and doesn't understand the Titan community so she's assigned a Titan partner who is a succubus named Volet to help her traverse the case. It's a quick read, but a really good one.
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December 13, 2019🎁 Colony: Aqua series (2 book series) is FREE on Amazon today (12/13/2019)! 🎁
December 21, 2022
A romantic detective story: Minali is ready to swear off men after she discovers her boyfriend/coworker is not only sleeping with another woman, but having orgies with many women – the final straw in a long line of disappointing men in her life. So when a murdered woman appears in the Mer Sven’s fish shop, she is ready to put him through the wringer, no hesitations.
Except Sven and the Mer are not so easy to accuse of murder, even if he claims responsibility quickly. What is a Human detective supposed to do when Titan and Mer politics block her attempts to arrest the murderer?
This was better balanced, romantic and non-romantic plots, than Halcyon in my opinion. There was more focus on the investigation, following leads, and navigating the complicated relations between Humans, Titans, and Mer. We even got a fair amount more worldbuilding of the Colony and more of the Titans, which I very much enjoyed. Yet while Sven and Minali don’t spend quite as much time…playing in the water…as Allie and Galen did in bed, their feelings are portrayed much more strongly and much quicker. For Minali especially, it felt odd, when she had just been through so much betrayal by her boyfriend/coworker and had a terrible history with men in general. So it very much had a fated mates feel to it, without outright saying that Mer have fated mates:
Favorite quote:
You couldn’t have war unless there was a difference between us and them. If there was just us… - page 80
Typo:
If he’d been framed for a murder that could destabilize the , she wouldn’t be happy. – page 66 – missing whatever noun was supposed to come after “the”
Except Sven and the Mer are not so easy to accuse of murder, even if he claims responsibility quickly. What is a Human detective supposed to do when Titan and Mer politics block her attempts to arrest the murderer?
This was better balanced, romantic and non-romantic plots, than Halcyon in my opinion. There was more focus on the investigation, following leads, and navigating the complicated relations between Humans, Titans, and Mer. We even got a fair amount more worldbuilding of the Colony and more of the Titans, which I very much enjoyed. Yet while Sven and Minali don’t spend quite as much time…playing in the water…as Allie and Galen did in bed, their feelings are portrayed much more strongly and much quicker. For Minali especially, it felt odd, when she had just been through so much betrayal by her boyfriend/coworker and had a terrible history with men in general. So it very much had a fated mates feel to it, without outright saying that Mer have fated mates:
Favorite quote:
You couldn’t have war unless there was a difference between us and them. If there was just us… - page 80
Typo:
If he’d been framed for a murder that could destabilize the , she wouldn’t be happy. – page 66 – missing whatever noun was supposed to come after “the”
July 23, 2017
Sven is a hot Mer man and is currently the leader of the Mer colony in the Complex. Life seems smooth until a dead body is found in the fish tank in his shop which then makes him the prime suspect in the murder case. The investigators finding the killer are Violet (a succubus) and Minali (a human) who seems to have already decided it was him. Even worse the rest of his community seem to be ready to give up on him and let him be charged with murder. In desperation he decides to find the killer himself. Can he find the murderer or will he have lost everything?
A great story in The Complex world with another set of characters joining the characters we have already met. We got some more explanation of the history of the Mer race and that helped to understand their abilities better. Nicely told and everything was well written and easy to feel and understand the thoughts and emotions of the characters. A must read if you enjoy this world and the stories set within it.
A great story in The Complex world with another set of characters joining the characters we have already met. We got some more explanation of the history of the Mer race and that helped to understand their abilities better. Nicely told and everything was well written and easy to feel and understand the thoughts and emotions of the characters. A must read if you enjoy this world and the stories set within it.
June 16, 2020
After a bitter race war, an experimental "complex" sees humans and "Titans" living together, but prejudices remain an relations aren't always entirely cordial. When a woman's body is found in a fish tank in a seafood store Detective Minali has to confront her own preconceptions while searching for the killer and dealing with her attraction to the sexy store owner, a Mer who also happens to be the leader of the Mer community on the colony.
I really enjoyed this story. It's a fairly light-hearted police murder mystery with great world building that shares its setting and a handful of characters with Halcyon, Book 1 of the series. There's a little sex, a little witty repartee, some serious reflection on living together in a multi-race setting and a decent murder mystery with a couple of surprise twists at the end.
It's a great short novel, perfect for a summer afternoon when you can't get to the beach to enjoy all that cool water and buff water-folk bodies.
I really enjoyed this story. It's a fairly light-hearted police murder mystery with great world building that shares its setting and a handful of characters with Halcyon, Book 1 of the series. There's a little sex, a little witty repartee, some serious reflection on living together in a multi-race setting and a decent murder mystery with a couple of surprise twists at the end.
It's a great short novel, perfect for a summer afternoon when you can't get to the beach to enjoy all that cool water and buff water-folk bodies.
July 26, 2020
A good man is hard to find....
....so Minali found herself a good fish. Fish man, that is. Poseidon AKA Sven is truly the finest male she has ever encountered. He is charmed by her forceful nature, and flirts with her shamelessly as she investigates him for committing murder. Allegedly, of course. They might not have been looking for love, but are so happy when it's found. I really liked this story and hope there is at least one more out there. After all, I really want to know who the naiad's crush is.
....so Minali found herself a good fish. Fish man, that is. Poseidon AKA Sven is truly the finest male she has ever encountered. He is charmed by her forceful nature, and flirts with her shamelessly as she investigates him for committing murder. Allegedly, of course. They might not have been looking for love, but are so happy when it's found. I really liked this story and hope there is at least one more out there. After all, I really want to know who the naiad's crush is.
July 22, 2017
The best mermaids in space tale ever! After reading Halcyon, I really did want more stories about the complex and an so very glad this book is out! This storyline moved along very quickly and is a perfect book for a quick fix! I enjoyed the sci-fi mystery feel of this tale, although I did find it simple to figure out who our bad guy was. In any case, this is a well written book with great characters for easy entertainment!
July 29, 2017
I had previously read book 1 and enjoyed it, so I didn't hesitate to buy Fishtail. I was not disappointed for even a second. Action, romance, twists and turns (and flips) and interesting characters made this a great read. I would have to say I devoured it and I loved it. I was reading snippets to my wife (trying to avoid spoilers), both sharing parts that tickled me, and whetting her appetite to read the series.
I will be watching, anxiously, for the next story from Demelza.
I will be watching, anxiously, for the next story from Demelza.
August 6, 2017
Minali is my strong woman but she has to let a new detective take the lead on the murder case. She finds that what she thought she knew was totally different. I followed along not sure who was murdered or who was the killer. Then the surprises started happening. An excellent mystery with a little bit of romance.
February 2, 2018
My first read from author Demelza CarltonWAS Halycon, a year ago. Sice then Ive read more than a dozen of her book and was excited to see another in The Complex Series. Great depth of character development, wonderful story line. The twists late in the book! Now I just need to figure out the reading order for the other Complex books and hope that the other authors are anywhere as good as this one!
March 24, 2020
Fun, Quick Read
This was a lighthearted romp through a world of Humans and Titans. It has a murder mystery backstory to our introduction to an unusual colony and a inter-species romance.
I enjoyed the story. The worldview development was good and the main characters were developed enough to be interesting.
This was a lighthearted romp through a world of Humans and Titans. It has a murder mystery backstory to our introduction to an unusual colony and a inter-species romance.
I enjoyed the story. The worldview development was good and the main characters were developed enough to be interesting.
July 20, 2017
Fisjtaol is the first complex book for me. This is the story of Sven and Minali who are both in an investigation of a murder. It's a quick read and was I interesting to read and I really want to get my hands on Allies book now.
July 21, 2017
Awesome story
This story fits well with the other "Complex" stories. Great romance angle amongst the murder plot. Interesting characters that give the story life and validity in this fantastical world.
This story fits well with the other "Complex" stories. Great romance angle amongst the murder plot. Interesting characters that give the story life and validity in this fantastical world.
August 29, 2017
Exciting tale of some tails.
I love The Complex stories and this one did not disappoint. Merpeople in space, murder mystery, and some romance, what's not to love? I voluntarily reviewed this book after receiving an advanced readers copy that I requested.
I love The Complex stories and this one did not disappoint. Merpeople in space, murder mystery, and some romance, what's not to love? I voluntarily reviewed this book after receiving an advanced readers copy that I requested.
September 17, 2017
I liked Sven and Minali's story but I had the same issue with this book as I had with Halcyon. I wanted to know much more about Mers and their abilities.
To be honest, I would have given this book a four-star rating but Allie's action at the end left me with a sour taste in my mouth...
To be honest, I would have given this book a four-star rating but Allie's action at the end left me with a sour taste in my mouth...
June 22, 2020
Hot merman
This was a thrilling suspenseful story of murder and mayhem. I enjoyed the characters. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. I was hoping for a more alpha male especially with a name like Poseidon.
This was a thrilling suspenseful story of murder and mayhem. I enjoyed the characters. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. I was hoping for a more alpha male especially with a name like Poseidon.
August 6, 2017
Mermen were new to me! Fun read, in a murder mystery sorta way, and I will read more of this series. I had to rethink everything I had thought about fish when I read the story. Poor Sven!
January 7, 2020
Love Svens story
I love this series. This is such a great read. Sven really deserved his happy ever ending story. It really draws you in.
I love this series. This is such a great read. Sven really deserved his happy ever ending story. It really draws you in.
March 26, 2020
Falling for the Merman
A murder. was committed in a fish shop. Sven the merman is a suspect. Detective Minali wants to solve the case.
A murder. was committed in a fish shop. Sven the merman is a suspect. Detective Minali wants to solve the case.
June 1, 2020
pretty good
Way too much intimacy, but in this case it works.
Enjoyable characters and city. Always good to see and hear from past characters as well.
Way too much intimacy, but in this case it works.
Enjoyable characters and city. Always good to see and hear from past characters as well.
July 29, 2020
Fun story of a woman detective and a sweet merman. Carlton writes such great characters. This story was short and sexy. I loved it.
July 14, 2021
Fun read
D. Carlton writes with energy and an underlying joy in her stories. I am very happy to read this book and others she has written.
D. Carlton writes with energy and an underlying joy in her stories. I am very happy to read this book and others she has written.
February 4, 2024
Sven was a fun character in Halcyon, particularly as it was incredibly obvious that he had a pretty major crush on Allie that was totally unrequited. Which meant that it was quite nice to read about his love story. Like Halcyon, this was a pretty simple and pleasant novel. One that I enjoyed but maybe wouldn’t read again.
It was fun to have a crime to solve alongside the romance. Especially since it was the lead detective on the case who ended up falling for one of the potential suspects. It gave a little more insight into the world of the Colony and the mix of humans and Titans. Sven might not have truly been a suspect, but the potential did leave a little more conflict to the beginning of the relationship. Plus, you know, it was fun to try and figure out who was running around trying to kill Titans.
Poseidon gives a little more information to understand the dynamics of Titans and humans. Particularly that of the merfolk. I love that a paranormal which I’ve not seen as overly scary in most books is almost the big boogie man of this world. One that half the population just doesn’t know about. It was kind of cool to think about how deadly such a population could be.
I’m kind of disappointed that this is the end of this series, but not overly so. I absolutely adored the world building and ideas behind this series. But I didn’t necessarily fall completely in love with the characters. Definitely a fun and light read, but not one that I will dive back into in the future.
It was fun to have a crime to solve alongside the romance. Especially since it was the lead detective on the case who ended up falling for one of the potential suspects. It gave a little more insight into the world of the Colony and the mix of humans and Titans. Sven might not have truly been a suspect, but the potential did leave a little more conflict to the beginning of the relationship. Plus, you know, it was fun to try and figure out who was running around trying to kill Titans.
Poseidon gives a little more information to understand the dynamics of Titans and humans. Particularly that of the merfolk. I love that a paranormal which I’ve not seen as overly scary in most books is almost the big boogie man of this world. One that half the population just doesn’t know about. It was kind of cool to think about how deadly such a population could be.
I’m kind of disappointed that this is the end of this series, but not overly so. I absolutely adored the world building and ideas behind this series. But I didn’t necessarily fall completely in love with the characters. Definitely a fun and light read, but not one that I will dive back into in the future.
January 27, 2022
Poseidon (or Fishtail, they're the same book) is book 2 in the Colony: Aqua series and follows immediately follows the story in Halcyon. The book is written in third person omniscient from both characters' point of view (alternating by chapter).
I really enjoyed this book. Just gotta say. It was short and sweet with a solid cast of characters, some of which we met in the last book. I liked Sven's personality, even up to and including his touch of cockiness. Minali's more serious mindset made a good counter to his playful antics. It is a short book, so the romance isn't particularly protracted, but that's to be expected and I feel it still worked very well.
The book is about the leader of the Mer colony and a human detective as they work to solve a murder that really wants to point at Sven. The case is a good backdrop for their story, and I'm really interested to hear more of Bolina's story some day.
If you like your mermen to be colorful and perky, your sci-fi full of interesting peoples, your romance a bit steamy, and a touch of murder mystery thrown in for good measure, this is a story you should grab!
I really enjoyed this book. Just gotta say. It was short and sweet with a solid cast of characters, some of which we met in the last book. I liked Sven's personality, even up to and including his touch of cockiness. Minali's more serious mindset made a good counter to his playful antics. It is a short book, so the romance isn't particularly protracted, but that's to be expected and I feel it still worked very well.
The book is about the leader of the Mer colony and a human detective as they work to solve a murder that really wants to point at Sven. The case is a good backdrop for their story, and I'm really interested to hear more of Bolina's story some day.
If you like your mermen to be colorful and perky, your sci-fi full of interesting peoples, your romance a bit steamy, and a touch of murder mystery thrown in for good measure, this is a story you should grab!
June 15, 2020
After a bitter race war, an experimental "complex" sees humans and "Titans" living together, but prejudices remain an relations aren't always entirely cordial. When a woman's body is found in a fish tank in a seafood store Detective Minali has to confront her own preconceptions while searching for the killer and dealing with her attraction to the sexy store owner, a Mer who also happens to be the leader of the Mer community on the colony.
I really enjoyed this story. It's a fairly light-hearted police murder mystery with great world building that shares its setting and a handful of characters with Halcyon, Book 1 of the series. There's a little sex, a little witty repartee, some serious reflection on living together in a multi-race setting and a decent murder mystery with a couple of surprise twists at the end.
It's a great short novel, perfect for a summer afternoon when you can't get to the beach to enjoy all that cool water and buff water-folk bodies.
I really enjoyed this story. It's a fairly light-hearted police murder mystery with great world building that shares its setting and a handful of characters with Halcyon, Book 1 of the series. There's a little sex, a little witty repartee, some serious reflection on living together in a multi-race setting and a decent murder mystery with a couple of surprise twists at the end.
It's a great short novel, perfect for a summer afternoon when you can't get to the beach to enjoy all that cool water and buff water-folk bodies.
July 22, 2020
The Colony is an attempt to reconcile humans and the alien Titans. The war is over, but negative feelings abound on both sides. The Colony is half human and half Titan. Those who agree to settle there are given a large cash incentive.
Sven is the leader of the Mer community in the Colony, but he didn’t expect he would be expected to soothe every Mer’s hurt feelings. He’s rethinking the “honor.” But when a dead body is found in the fish tank, he’s got real problems.
Minali is the detective who comes to investigate. And Sven is attracted to her. However, Minali is human and Sven is Titan. And Sven is a “person of interest.” Could things get more complicated?
Take a vacation from your own problems, and let Demelza Carlton immerse you in an alien culture with sapients very much like us. Oh, and Sven and Minali are hot together! Enjoy!
Sven is the leader of the Mer community in the Colony, but he didn’t expect he would be expected to soothe every Mer’s hurt feelings. He’s rethinking the “honor.” But when a dead body is found in the fish tank, he’s got real problems.
Minali is the detective who comes to investigate. And Sven is attracted to her. However, Minali is human and Sven is Titan. And Sven is a “person of interest.” Could things get more complicated?
Take a vacation from your own problems, and let Demelza Carlton immerse you in an alien culture with sapients very much like us. Oh, and Sven and Minali are hot together! Enjoy!
July 26, 2020
Although this is a stand-alone book, I think it would be more enjoyable to read after Book 1, Halcyon. Book 2 starts a few weeks after the end of Halcyon. The same characters are here, in the Colony. There is a murder. Sven Grun, a merman, is trying to keep the Mers from fighting each other and be a good leader. Detective Minali Burman, human, just out of a relationship with a philanderer and abuser, and now finished with her drug bust case, gets assigned a murder investigation with Constable Violet Love, a succubus, as her partner. Sven is seriously attracted to Minali, but she considers him her chief suspect. However, she can't get his body out of her dreams. And then they meet in the (bare) flesh for an intense sexual experience (actually eight!). A fascinating mystery solved, combined with hot sex, and happy climactic ending - I couldn't ask for more!
July 18, 2020
I first met Sven in Halcyon, book 1 of this series. I admit to being really curious about him and wanted to see him meet his match. I was thrilled when the author released this story
It is fast moving and lots of fun. The primary character interactions are great and it was awesome to see the characters from Halcyon again as well.
The book is well written and edited and I enjoyed all parts of it (and am hoping the author plans to do more on this world).
It is fast moving and lots of fun. The primary character interactions are great and it was awesome to see the characters from Halcyon again as well.
The book is well written and edited and I enjoyed all parts of it (and am hoping the author plans to do more on this world).
March 23, 2020
Murder as a matchmaking technique? I'm not sure that it will catch on, although the fairy godmother in this tale did manage to bring her princely charge together with his beloved. The author is playing with some very twisted and original ideas of how fairy tales should go on. Please continue, Ms. Carlton - I am definitely interested in the next book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews