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Newly promoted Detective Jace Smithson has his hands full with solving the murders of ten men and the kidnapping of a unicorn capable of producing diamonds. On the surface, the crime appears to be a classic tale of greed and violence, but digging deeper reveals something sinister has come to Cauldron City.
Securing the safety and security of those he swore to protect is only the beginning of Jace’s problems. Add in his relationship with the dragons of Cauldron City along with a few personal secrets, and he’s the ideal target for the killer. Surviving to tell the tale will test his wit and skills in ways he never thought possible.
But if he wants to obtain justice for the wronged, he will have to face his challenged beliefs and come to terms with the darker realities of the city he calls home.
Securing the safety and security of those he swore to protect is only the beginning of Jace’s problems. Add in his relationship with the dragons of Cauldron City along with a few personal secrets, and he’s the ideal target for the killer. Surviving to tell the tale will test his wit and skills in ways he never thought possible.
But if he wants to obtain justice for the wronged, he will have to face his challenged beliefs and come to terms with the darker realities of the city he calls home.
550 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 25, 2023
75 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
February 22, 2025
Made me want to re-read the R.J. Blain A Magical Romantic Comedy (with a body cout) series. Then I saw this was a pen name of R.J. Blain. No wonder...
November 21, 2023
This is a fun read written with tongue very firmly in cheek which is surprising as it also has some rather gruesome scenes. Jace Smithson is a white unicorn, his main traits are the ability to perform healing magic and defecate gemstones (mainly diamonds). While all the unicorns in Century City work in the health care sector Jace just has to be different so he works in law enforcement. Just promoted to detective his first case is a doozy, there is someone (or more than one perpetrator) killing men in large numbers and hanging them by chains in disused warehouses. Not only that but there is a new chemical at work on the bodies, what it's for isn't known........at first. Turns out it's a poison, a very toxic one which very nearly takes out the family of the Black Dragon of New York, not a good situation......... The Black Dragon takes a liking to Jace ..........whether this a good or a bad outcome is unknown. Jace is in over his head, more bodies than he knows what to do with, multiple new poisoning cases every night and he seems to have been adopted by a Black Dragon Clan...............
August 21, 2023
August 2023
Kindle edition
Started dragging towards the end there for me. The characters are interesting as always. There's less info dumps but very heavy on the dialogue and the characters do like repeating themselves. The food poisoning with the eggs being one. There was a lot of build up in a mix of murder, organ theft and poison, along with a game show. By the end of the book neither has been resolved. The same formula is at play with the presents, new house, cars etc, along with the growing menagerie of animals and the OP character that no one wants to mess with playing guardian and leading the way. I almost can't believe I was entertained by 500 pages of constipated unicorns pooping diamonds. It was different and I am curious about the gameshow.
Kindle edition
Started dragging towards the end there for me. The characters are interesting as always. There's less info dumps but very heavy on the dialogue and the characters do like repeating themselves. The food poisoning with the eggs being one. There was a lot of build up in a mix of murder, organ theft and poison, along with a game show. By the end of the book neither has been resolved. The same formula is at play with the presents, new house, cars etc, along with the growing menagerie of animals and the OP character that no one wants to mess with playing guardian and leading the way. I almost can't believe I was entertained by 500 pages of constipated unicorns pooping diamonds. It was different and I am curious about the gameshow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2024
A new magical universe full of shapeshifters ranging in size from hummingbirds to unicorns to dragons, and pretty much everything in between. They're cops and doctors and TV producers--and they're trying to solve a murder mystery that spans the country. There's silliness and humor and seriousness and romance.
A brilliant start to a five-part series!
I'm definitely looking forward to the next.
Enjoyed it so much I've already re-read it.
A brilliant start to a five-part series!
I'm definitely looking forward to the next.
Enjoyed it so much I've already re-read it.
July 24, 2023
Loved it. Look forward to the next one.
July 26, 2023
Not sure
Started great as usual for this author, however, ends in the middle of the story with no outcome? Does this mean nothing going forward or is there to be another book we pay for to continue. Maybe later down the track the story will finish.
Started great as usual for this author, however, ends in the middle of the story with no outcome? Does this mean nothing going forward or is there to be another book we pay for to continue. Maybe later down the track the story will finish.
August 3, 2025
I started the book. Dropped it. Picked it up again in an audiobook format- got further along but dropped it again. All the characters are so cartoonish. Zero depth. Every trait stated rather than shown. The main character Jace reads like every other UF character.
There is suspension of belief and then there is suspension of disbelief. This falls in the latter category without any sort of payoff. The humour is flat. The word building nonsensical.
There is suspension of belief and then there is suspension of disbelief. This falls in the latter category without any sort of payoff. The humour is flat. The word building nonsensical.
February 6, 2025
Lots of witty banter, which is one of my favourite things so I enjoyed this book in spite of often feeling that I’d missed the primer on this fictional world. The crime is nowhere near solved.
September 6, 2023
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I completely change my mind on a series, so want to change my scoring down a lot. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)
4.75*
I really enjoyed this new world. I'm hoping the next book will be out asap!
First time read the author's work?: No -- They're a favourite under the name R. J. Blain
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
4.75*
I really enjoyed this new world. I'm hoping the next book will be out asap!
First time read the author's work?: No -- They're a favourite under the name R. J. Blain
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
July 25, 2023
G. P. Robbins is a new pen name of my favorite author, and I could tell the writing “voice” as soon as I started reading. This is great entertainment, with a cast of talented unicorns, dragons, owl-griffins, and even an elephant. A definite note of humor, sometimes wry humor, pervades the book. Characters are lovable and lots of fun. I’m already impatient for the next book to continue the story - if I could preorder it now I would. If you like this author’s books under her original name, then you must try this, you’ll almost certainly like it. For me, I loved it so much that I’m going to immediately start a re-read
March 1, 2026
Precinct 153
Well, this was a fun and humorous 1st book in a new series. Lot's of Supernatural and human characters and some good plot twists also. Loved it. The Unicorns were the best! And I look forward to more adventures from Cauldron City, Nebraska and the gang at Precinct #153.
Well, this was a fun and humorous 1st book in a new series. Lot's of Supernatural and human characters and some good plot twists also. Loved it. The Unicorns were the best! And I look forward to more adventures from Cauldron City, Nebraska and the gang at Precinct #153.
July 25, 2023
Fantastic read, looking forward to more!
I was engrossed in the story immediately and didn't want to stop reading. I kept checking the remaining page count, thankful that the end was nowhere close.
Love Cauldron City, especially the interactions of the inhabitants - dragons, unicorns, griffins, humans and others.
Great world building, full of details. Interesting characters. Nonstop action. Snark. Strong families. Tight communities.
Have already read the story twice as I love sad pony eyes, black dragons, sneaky unicorn communities, police procedures, unicorn tantrums and especially the increasing details of the pending reality tv competitions between dragons with the unicorn referees.
Highly recommend!
FYI for those that find an "error" while reading, please use contact forms and tools on authors' websites and not amazon's reporting tool which only punishes authors.
cross posted bookbub, good reads, kobo
I was engrossed in the story immediately and didn't want to stop reading. I kept checking the remaining page count, thankful that the end was nowhere close.
Love Cauldron City, especially the interactions of the inhabitants - dragons, unicorns, griffins, humans and others.
Great world building, full of details. Interesting characters. Nonstop action. Snark. Strong families. Tight communities.
Have already read the story twice as I love sad pony eyes, black dragons, sneaky unicorn communities, police procedures, unicorn tantrums and especially the increasing details of the pending reality tv competitions between dragons with the unicorn referees.
Highly recommend!
FYI for those that find an "error" while reading, please use contact forms and tools on authors' websites and not amazon's reporting tool which only punishes authors.
cross posted bookbub, good reads, kobo
September 14, 2023
This is not a review.
This is a note to self about this book.
This book was good escapist entertainment right up until it abruptly ended in what feels like the middle of the story. For some reason, the way this one wrapped was way more annoying than a normal cliffy. I don't think I'll continue the series when the next books come out because of how unsettled this one left me. Maybe advance notice of the cliffy would have made a difference, but I didn't have that so I'm left feeling annoyed. I read for fun and the annoyance factor of this ending replaced my happily entertained vibe with a grumpy WTF.
This is a note to self about this book.
This book was good escapist entertainment right up until it abruptly ended in what feels like the middle of the story. For some reason, the way this one wrapped was way more annoying than a normal cliffy. I don't think I'll continue the series when the next books come out because of how unsettled this one left me. Maybe advance notice of the cliffy would have made a difference, but I didn't have that so I'm left feeling annoyed. I read for fun and the annoyance factor of this ending replaced my happily entertained vibe with a grumpy WTF.
August 9, 2023
Absolutely fabulous, a nice meaty book. This is a police procedural with a twist- unicorns, dragons, gryphons and hummingbirds are the main characters. Jace is a brand new detective in Cauldron City, Nebraska, a city founded by dragons and his first case is a doozy.
A murderer has been killing men with the same blood type and leaving them to be found mutilated. There is also a deadly toxin hitting the populace, and Jace has to find out the who, the what and the how in order to stop the deaths. I am on my second read, it is so good.
A murderer has been killing men with the same blood type and leaving them to be found mutilated. There is also a deadly toxin hitting the populace, and Jace has to find out the who, the what and the how in order to stop the deaths. I am on my second read, it is so good.
March 28, 2025
Similar in flavor to RJ Blain’s series A Magical Romantic Comedy (with a body count). This book is by the same author, just a different pen name. While there is a romantic interest it’s far less obvious. Lots of unicorn and dragon shifters, lots of banter, and a high body count. About 3.5 stars, with half a star lost because the ending left too much hanging. It felt like a chapter or two was missing between New York and getting back to Nebraska.
Free on Kobo Plus.
Note: the sequel picks up the most annoying of the “too much left hanging”.
Free on Kobo Plus.
Note: the sequel picks up the most annoying of the “too much left hanging”.
July 28, 2023
I loved the premise and the characters and I often found myself smiling while reading. Unfortunately, it does not get 5 stars because the story seems incomplete. It is not a cliffhanger, but the main plot (the murders and poisonings) is not resolved by the end of the book. It feels more like Part 1 rather than Book 1. Although perhaps I misunderstood and the whole series is just about solving this one crime?
July 28, 2023
G. P. Robbins is R.J. Blain need I say more?
Wether writing as G P Robbins, RJ Blain, Susan Copperfield, Bernadette Franklin, Audrey Green, or Lilith Daniels - I love her stories.
She has created a new world full of magic, naturally. With unicorns and dragons of various colors, all with different abilities, and animals , sentient and almost sentient, there is plenty to enjoy in this new series!
I am eagerly awaiting the next book!
Wether writing as G P Robbins, RJ Blain, Susan Copperfield, Bernadette Franklin, Audrey Green, or Lilith Daniels - I love her stories.
She has created a new world full of magic, naturally. With unicorns and dragons of various colors, all with different abilities, and animals , sentient and almost sentient, there is plenty to enjoy in this new series!
I am eagerly awaiting the next book!
July 29, 2023
Excellent start!
Very good opener. Smithson cracks me up and the species here are a neat mix. I admit I wasn't really fond of Alicia at all, so I'm really hoping she's not the eventual love interest, but I'll deal if she is because the plot and characters kick booty. Looking forward to book two :) Without giving away anything, for anyone who was a fan of the body count series, this has enough of that vibe to satisfy.
Very good opener. Smithson cracks me up and the species here are a neat mix. I admit I wasn't really fond of Alicia at all, so I'm really hoping she's not the eventual love interest, but I'll deal if she is because the plot and characters kick booty. Looking forward to book two :) Without giving away anything, for anyone who was a fan of the body count series, this has enough of that vibe to satisfy.
August 8, 2023
Another great book!!
Well I have to say I fell so deep into this story I actually got mad when It ended as I wanted to keep reading what came next. Luckily common sense came over me and my kindle did not meet the wall, floor, or trash can. Yes it was that good!! If you don' t believe me get a copy ad read it for your self. You won't be disappointed until the end of the book when you find you have to wait for the next one.
Well I have to say I fell so deep into this story I actually got mad when It ended as I wanted to keep reading what came next. Luckily common sense came over me and my kindle did not meet the wall, floor, or trash can. Yes it was that good!! If you don' t believe me get a copy ad read it for your self. You won't be disappointed until the end of the book when you find you have to wait for the next one.
October 10, 2023
Totally enjoyed this story right to the end that wasn’t an end. Engaging plot with interesting characters and plenty of chuckles. Disappointed that there wasn’t a full resolution to both the crime and ‘romantic’ elements at the end, wish I’d known there’d be a cliffhanger (ish). As I like things neatly tied up, I would have waited for the next book before tackling this one and will now be eagerly looking out for the follow up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2024
Fantastic book
This book wow. The story line is so funny in places that you chuckle. You just cannot help it. Other places you are reading looking for clues to who is the villian. The write also left lots of interest for the next book that is coming soon I hope. This book is just great it fills the fantasy levels with dragons, talking g humming birds and pet turkeys. Very few human to muck everything up. It is a very good read. Thank you GP Robbins!
This book wow. The story line is so funny in places that you chuckle. You just cannot help it. Other places you are reading looking for clues to who is the villian. The write also left lots of interest for the next book that is coming soon I hope. This book is just great it fills the fantasy levels with dragons, talking g humming birds and pet turkeys. Very few human to muck everything up. It is a very good read. Thank you GP Robbins!
August 29, 2024
Dragons and unicorns!
Dead Wright is interesting in it's style of writing as well as the storyline. Unicorns that eat chicken and cheese and poop diamonds? Creative! Dragons that control cities and claim unicorns? Hilarious. This was a very engaging story that provided hours of entertainment. This is a NA book with language that matches that catagory. Not a YA book due to language
Dead Wright is interesting in it's style of writing as well as the storyline. Unicorns that eat chicken and cheese and poop diamonds? Creative! Dragons that control cities and claim unicorns? Hilarious. This was a very engaging story that provided hours of entertainment. This is a NA book with language that matches that catagory. Not a YA book due to language
July 27, 2023
Such a GOOD BOOK!!
I LOVED this story!! It grabbed my attention from the start and kept me entertained the whole time! I hated to see it end and can’t wait for the next book!! Shapeshifting unicorns & dragons…sentient birds, what is there NOT to love?!! This is and awesome book!!
I LOVED this story!! It grabbed my attention from the start and kept me entertained the whole time! I hated to see it end and can’t wait for the next book!! Shapeshifting unicorns & dragons…sentient birds, what is there NOT to love?!! This is and awesome book!!
July 27, 2023
AWESOME BOOK!
RJ Blain is my favorite author, and her adventure writing as GP Robbins is a major hit! I stayed up way past my bedtime reading this book. I laughed, and I cheered on the many heroes she seamlessly brought to life. Desperately hoping book 2 is in the works as I can't wait for Jace's adventure to continue.
RJ Blain is my favorite author, and her adventure writing as GP Robbins is a major hit! I stayed up way past my bedtime reading this book. I laughed, and I cheered on the many heroes she seamlessly brought to life. Desperately hoping book 2 is in the works as I can't wait for Jace's adventure to continue.
July 28, 2023
Not a cliffhanger, per se.....
This was, as expected, amusing and well written (aside from a few minor editing misses). That said, it doesn't end on a cliffhanger, it ends on a sinkhole that opens underneath you! If you're someone who is bothered by that sort of thing (like me) suck it up and wait for the rest of the books/ the next one.
This was, as expected, amusing and well written (aside from a few minor editing misses). That said, it doesn't end on a cliffhanger, it ends on a sinkhole that opens underneath you! If you're someone who is bothered by that sort of thing (like me) suck it up and wait for the rest of the books/ the next one.
July 28, 2023
Amazing!
This author has really raised the bar and produced an awesome story to start off a new series.
The characters are engaging, the world is similar but with a twist of magic and the setting of a police precinct is guaranteed to have a bite to it.
I look forward to reading more about Precinct 153.
This author has really raised the bar and produced an awesome story to start off a new series.
The characters are engaging, the world is similar but with a twist of magic and the setting of a police precinct is guaranteed to have a bite to it.
I look forward to reading more about Precinct 153.
July 30, 2023
Love this start to the series!
This book has hilarious unicorns, dragons, magic, and mayhem with a large dose of mystery. I would recommend this book, to be read, to all. This is the beginning book so it ends with a pause in the mystery, but what a great start and I will eagerly await the next book in the series.
This book has hilarious unicorns, dragons, magic, and mayhem with a large dose of mystery. I would recommend this book, to be read, to all. This is the beginning book so it ends with a pause in the mystery, but what a great start and I will eagerly await the next book in the series.
July 30, 2023
Wow!
While unicorns don't fart rainbows in this book, the end result is even more hilarious. Add bossy dragons serving as police captains, unicorn surgeons, and Griffin landlords readers will be desperately waiting the next in the series to see if the bad guy makes it to trial or receives judgement from a dragon or unicorn clan.
While unicorns don't fart rainbows in this book, the end result is even more hilarious. Add bossy dragons serving as police captains, unicorn surgeons, and Griffin landlords readers will be desperately waiting the next in the series to see if the bad guy makes it to trial or receives judgement from a dragon or unicorn clan.
July 31, 2023
Just the thing I needed to read!
I picked this up the day my dog died. It took me several tries to get started, but once I did the story swept me up and made everything ok again for a while. I completely enjoyed this tale and Jace is my new favorite main character. I can't wait until the next book!
I picked this up the day my dog died. It took me several tries to get started, but once I did the story swept me up and made everything ok again for a while. I completely enjoyed this tale and Jace is my new favorite main character. I can't wait until the next book!
September 5, 2023
Excellent read!
This is, by far, the best story written by G. P!
I'm happy that this sets up a sequel as the story really can't be contained within one novel. There were many elements which made me wonder how much research went into the weird and wacky so they could be included within.
Eagerly looking forward to Book #2!
This is, by far, the best story written by G. P!
I'm happy that this sets up a sequel as the story really can't be contained within one novel. There were many elements which made me wonder how much research went into the weird and wacky so they could be included within.
Eagerly looking forward to Book #2!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews