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Fox Meridian #10
Dance with The Devil
The storm season starts early in 2062, and it leaves behind the body of a woman who appears to have walked out of her house to her death.
Newly promoted detective Janice Nebbs and her gynoid partner Mackenzie are called in when a body is found in a car park. The young, female victim is found wearing a pair of plastic devil horns and the cause of death is the most bizarre thing Nebbs has ever heard of.
As the two cases connect, Fox Meridian, Nebbs, and Mackenzie find themselves on the trail of a perverted serial killer in possession of a truly horrific murder weapon: The Devil.
Newly promoted detective Janice Nebbs and her gynoid partner Mackenzie are called in when a body is found in a car park. The young, female victim is found wearing a pair of plastic devil horns and the cause of death is the most bizarre thing Nebbs has ever heard of.
As the two cases connect, Fox Meridian, Nebbs, and Mackenzie find themselves on the trail of a perverted serial killer in possession of a truly horrific murder weapon: The Devil.
177 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 11, 2019
32 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Niall Teasdale
73 books292 followersI was born in the vicinity of Hadrian's Wall so perhaps a bit of history rubbed off. Ancient history obviously, and border history, right on the edge of the Empire. I always preferred the Dark Ages anyway; there’s so much more room for imagination when people aren’t writing down every last detail. So my idea of a good fantasy novel involved dirt and leather, not shining plate armour and Hollywood-medieval manners. The same applies to my sci-fi, really; I prefer gritty over shiny.
Oddly, then, one of the first fantasy novels I remember reading was The Dark Is Rising, by Susan Cooper (later made into a terrible juvenile movie). These days we would call Cooper’s series Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy and looking back on it, it influenced me a lot. It has that mix of modern day life, hidden history, and magic which failed to hit popular culture until the early days of Buffy and Anne Rice. Of course, Cooper’s characters spend their time around places I could actually visit in Cornwall, and South East England, and mid-Wales. In fact, when I went to university in Aberystwyth, it was partially because some of Cooper’s books were set a few miles to the north around Tywyn.
I got into writing through roleplaying, however, so my early work was related to the kind of roleplaying game I was interested in. I wrote “high fantasy” when I was playing Dungeons & Dragons. I wrote a lot of superhero fiction when I was playing City of Heroes. I still loved the idea of a modern world with magic in it and I’ve been trying to write a novel based on this for a long time. As with any form of expression, practice is the key and I can look back on all the aborted attempts at books, and the more successful short stories, as steps along the path to the Thaumatology Series.
As of 2015, I have thrown in my lot with writing. After thirty years of being a computer programmer I am making enough money to quit the day job and write full time. Dreams, occasionally, come true. My favourite authors are Terry Pratchett, Susan Cooper, and (recently) Kim Harrison. Kim’s Hollows books were what finally spurred me to publish something, even if the trail to here came by way of Susan, back in school, several decades ago.
Oddly, then, one of the first fantasy novels I remember reading was The Dark Is Rising, by Susan Cooper (later made into a terrible juvenile movie). These days we would call Cooper’s series Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy and looking back on it, it influenced me a lot. It has that mix of modern day life, hidden history, and magic which failed to hit popular culture until the early days of Buffy and Anne Rice. Of course, Cooper’s characters spend their time around places I could actually visit in Cornwall, and South East England, and mid-Wales. In fact, when I went to university in Aberystwyth, it was partially because some of Cooper’s books were set a few miles to the north around Tywyn.
I got into writing through roleplaying, however, so my early work was related to the kind of roleplaying game I was interested in. I wrote “high fantasy” when I was playing Dungeons & Dragons. I wrote a lot of superhero fiction when I was playing City of Heroes. I still loved the idea of a modern world with magic in it and I’ve been trying to write a novel based on this for a long time. As with any form of expression, practice is the key and I can look back on all the aborted attempts at books, and the more successful short stories, as steps along the path to the Thaumatology Series.
As of 2015, I have thrown in my lot with writing. After thirty years of being a computer programmer I am making enough money to quit the day job and write full time. Dreams, occasionally, come true. My favourite authors are Terry Pratchett, Susan Cooper, and (recently) Kim Harrison. Kim’s Hollows books were what finally spurred me to publish something, even if the trail to here came by way of Susan, back in school, several decades ago.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 4, 2019
Big improvement
I was not pleased with book 9. Book 10 fixed many of the issues.
Sex is present, but it isn’t every third sentence and every fourth chapter. It provides an interesting backdrop to a serious case.
Even better, the case develops slowly, with enough twists and turns to make for a very good mystery thriller.
This book is why I keep reading this series and his work. Interesting situations and insightful concepts...with a little naughtiness to make things hot.
Glad I stuck with it.
I was not pleased with book 9. Book 10 fixed many of the issues.
Sex is present, but it isn’t every third sentence and every fourth chapter. It provides an interesting backdrop to a serious case.
Even better, the case develops slowly, with enough twists and turns to make for a very good mystery thriller.
This book is why I keep reading this series and his work. Interesting situations and insightful concepts...with a little naughtiness to make things hot.
Glad I stuck with it.
January 15, 2023
It’s been years since I read the previous book, because I had some issues with where the author had taken the series. I had decided to give up, but given the time since this was published, it seemed this might be the last book, so I felt compelled to complete the series.
The story wasn’t bad, although I began to wonder how a hulking great winged red devil can walk around killing and raping people all over the place, without anybody or any surveillance camera spotting anything. It got to the point where I just thought the author lost track of the number of killings.
There were parts of the book I really liked, but I don’t feel the same connection I had with ‘Fox’ and ‘Kit’ in the earlier books.
The story wasn’t bad, although I began to wonder how a hulking great winged red devil can walk around killing and raping people all over the place, without anybody or any surveillance camera spotting anything. It got to the point where I just thought the author lost track of the number of killings.
There were parts of the book I really liked, but I don’t feel the same connection I had with ‘Fox’ and ‘Kit’ in the earlier books.
February 15, 2019
Excellent!
Another great addition to this series! Fox and Kit continue to entertain us with their wit and adventures. Ready for the next book!
Another great addition to this series! Fox and Kit continue to entertain us with their wit and adventures. Ready for the next book!
February 16, 2019
DNF. The relationship with Naomi is ruining this series for me. If somebody tells me that they breakup halfway though this book and we never hear about her again, I'll have another go.
February 24, 2019
I enjoyed the continuation of the story. The main character continues to develop and the plotline is believeable.
September 4, 2019
As always.....
Anything by No all Teasdale is immediately #1 on my must read list, and at the top of my recommended reads.
Anything by No all Teasdale is immediately #1 on my must read list, and at the top of my recommended reads.
June 10, 2019
A solid Fox Meridian story 4 stars
Fox is back at her old haunts and is tasked with investigating a death that seemingly has religious or possibly demonic undertones.
Like Book #9 this was one of the smaller stories mainly focused on investigating a possible murder. Interestingly though the Teasdale introduces a new pair of investigators, increasing Fox's team and adding a new character dynamic.
Overall I liked this installment, and I'll likely be reading the next one two.
Fox is back at her old haunts and is tasked with investigating a death that seemingly has religious or possibly demonic undertones.
Like Book #9 this was one of the smaller stories mainly focused on investigating a possible murder. Interestingly though the Teasdale introduces a new pair of investigators, increasing Fox's team and adding a new character dynamic.
Overall I liked this installment, and I'll likely be reading the next one two.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews