People of the City

The high-stakes final chapter in Maresca’s multiheaded Maradaine fantasy saga (after The Fenmere Job) brings together the heroes of all four series set in the medieval city of Maradaine for a world-saving escapade. Corruption within civil and religious organizations, encompassing everything from ballot tampering to murder, has stirred unrest in the city, and now children are being stolen from the streets. As rumors fly, Maresca’s heroes set to work. Inspectors Minox Welling and Satrine Rainey believe the kidnappings are tied to corruption within the Constabulary, while costumed vigilante The Thorn—Veranix Calbert by day, a magic student at the University of Maradaine—fears the abductions are connected to the drug dealers he hunts. Tarian Order warriors Dayne Heldrin and Jerinne Fendall are ready to fight to protect the innocent, while Asti and Verci Rynax, the proprietors of Rynax Gadgeterium, are determined to uncover the truth. All are drawn together in the ancient tunnels beneath the city, where a villainous cult called the Brotherhood plots to overrun Maradaine with evil. Maresca’s doughty heroes remain sturdy as ever, and the story moves with lightning speed. Fantasy adventure fans will enjoy this action-packed thriller, and series readers will be gratified to see all the pieces come together. Agent: Mike Kabongo, OnyxHawke. (Oct.)