In an opulent mansion at the border of the Empire,
an Imperial officer is killed when a tree spontaneously erupts from his body –
a death at once terrifying and impossible.
Called in to solve the murder is brilliant and eccentric investigator Ana Dolabra.
With her is assistant Dinios Kol, an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory.
Unravelling the mystery leads to a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself.
For Ana, this makes for a deliciously thorny puzzle – something truly worth her attention,
And Din? He’ll just have to hold on for the ride.
Detective Ana Dolabra and her assistant Dinios Kol
are called in to investigate a gruesome death:
an imperial officer died due to a tree growing out of his body.
As they investigate further, they discover this is no simple murder,
but part of a wide-ranging and destructive conspiracy that threatens the entire Empire.
There are some obvious Sherlock Holmes nods in this,
as the brilliant but eccentric Ana works her way through the clues of the labyrinthine plot.
Her assistant struggles to keep up, but is no bumbling Watson;
Din has his own strengths, abilities, and secrets.
The world-building is amazing:
an advanced biological technology in a pre-industrial world gives a very different feel.
Best of all, that bio-tech is utterly central to the plot, not mere window-dressing.
I was hooked, and on finishing was delighted to discover this is the first in a series.
I want more of Ana, Din, and the Byzantine puzzles in their bio-punk world.
