A girl's quest to find her father leads her to an extended family of magical fighting
booksellers who police the mythical Old World of England when it intrudes on the modern world.
From the bestselling master of fantasy Garth Nix.In a slightly alternate London in 1983 Susan
Arkshaw is looking for her father a man she has never met. Crime boss Frank Thringley might be
able to help her but Susan doesn't get time to ask Frank any questions before he is turned to
dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin.Merlin
is a young left-handed bookseller (one of the fighting ones) who with the right-handed
booksellers (the intellectual ones) are an extended family of magical beings who police the
mythic and legendary Old World when it intrudes on the modern world in addition to running
several bookshops.Susan's search for her father begins with her mother's possibly misremembered
or misspelt surnames a reading room ticket and a silver cigarette case engraved with
something that might be a coat of arms.Merlin has a quest of his own to find the Old World
entity who used ordinary criminals to kill his mother. As he and his sister the right-handed
bookseller Vivien tread in the path of a botched or covered-up police investigation from years
past they find this quest strangely overlaps with Susan's. Who or what was her father? Susan
Merlin and Vivien must find out as the Old World erupts dangerously into the New.Praise for
Garth NixGarth Nix sets the standard for Fantasy (Leigh Bardugo)A swashbuckling adventure . . .
and the most original magic I've seen in years (Joe Abercrombie)Garth Nix is one of the best
world-builders in fantasy. (BRANDON SANDERSON)Angles are called and swords are swished and
there are jealousies and romances galore in this riotous romp. (DAILY MAIL on ANGEL MAGE)An
exciting adventure full of intrigue and action while portraying women in power in a
refreshingly casual way. (KIRKUS REVIEW on ANGEL MAGE)
