$20 #Giveaway Review COMEUPPANCE SERVED COLD by Marion Deeds @mariond_d Ends 4.18

A Most Anticipated Pick for The Nerd Daily | Autostraddle

“I love a good heist, and this is a beautifully constructed magical heist in turn-of-the-century Seattle.” ―Mary Robinette Kowal

“This fierce magical heist tale is as smooth as gin and jazz.” ―Beth Cato

“Catnip for those who like watching con artists walk the tightrope of trickery and lies.” ―Marie Brennan

“[A] captivating noir fantasy. . .Deeds presents all this intrigue in reverse chronological order, spinning out mysteries that will keep readers guessing till the end. The result is a well-crafted puzzle; readers’ only complaint will be that they want more.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review

“A fun, fast-moving heist story that will immediately hook readers who love 1920s-era worlds and soft-fantasy world building.” ―Booklist, starred review

“Readers who love heist and caper stories will be thrilled with Dolly and her quest to deliver much-deserved comeuppance to those who believed they are above the law. The gas-lamp setting gives just the right touch of magic and creeping dread to Deeds’s novel.” ―Library Journal

“A deliciously fun novella set in 1929 Seattle is just what is needed for your bookshelves. . . .Beginning at the ending and following the path backwards through a magical heist, this story brings comeuppance to all.” ―Buzzfeed

“Deeds tells her story with nuance and subtly, luring you into a false sense of pleasantry. From the first page to the very last word, I was enthralled with this tale of thievery and lies.” ―Grimdark Magazine

Seattle, 1929—a bitterly divided city overflowing with wealth, violence, and magic.

A respected magus and city leader intent on criminalizing Seattle’s most vulnerable magickers hires a young woman as a lady’s companion to curb his rebellious daughter’s outrageous behavior.

The widowed owner of a speakeasy encounters an opportunity to make her husband’s murderer pay while she tries to keep her shapeshifter brother safe.

A notorious thief slips into the city to complete a delicate and dangerous job that will leave chaos in its wake.

One thing is for certain—comeuppance, eventually, waits for everyone.

REVIEW

Wow, this was a super quick and exciting read. Dolly is hired to watch after the daughter of a Seattle Magic Commissioner to keep her in line and marry the man he has chosen for Fiona.  Dolly has an impressive roster of tools to help her keep Fiona in check from her unruly ways.  This is just the start of a shape-shifting heist that includes some unsavory characters that turn out to be the police.  The story is tightly knit and each word counts – this is my favorite type of story and this one is especially wonderful since it involves women taking charge to fix things.

Dolly’s path crossed with Violet who runs the local hat shop but with an interesting twist in that it is actually a front for the local speakeasy.  Violet has it in for Fiona’s brother who leads a local volunteer police force and she thinks murdered her husband.  Of course, when you mix in local drug dealers, the police, and a bit of magic all bets are off.  This is a really fun read.  I hope there are more like this from the author.