Dead Man’s Deal

Warlock and tattoo artist Gage returns in Drake’s solid, if overly descriptive, second Asylum Tales urban fantasy (after Angel’s Ink). In a dark version of our world, Gage remains marginally free from the brutal Ivory Towers. Reluctantly forced to accept his very unwanted role as poster boy for magical apprentices who long to flee the restrictive Towers, Gage faces a new problem when he discovers the ruling witches and warlocks believe he killed his powerful, missing mentor. His employees, elf Trixie and troll Bronx, help as Gage attempts to stay one step ahead of his enraged hunters while also dealing with family issues, the elf Summer Court, a witch turned into a cat, and his dark elf mafia boss. Infodumps impede the narrative flow, but the clever, complex story intrigues. Agent: Jennifer Schober, Spencerhill Associates. (May)