Two novice coppers. One dastardly culprit. Some occasional competence.
Despite only being a scrawny goblin, Mak Hawkwood aspires to be the best darn watchman the city of Lochwall has ever known. Following in the footsteps of his late father, he vows to do everything by the book. And it is a very thick book.
Meanwhile, Scrag the bugbear—a fully licensed member of the Assassins’ Guild—is conscripted into the Watch as punishment for some expired paperwork. Cursing his rotten luck, he can’t be arsed with all this ‘protect and serve’ malarkey.
Obviously, neither of them is thrilled when they are partnered together and thrust onto the streets to show crime who’s boss, or become a statistic trying.
However, when a ferocious beast is conjured in a busy public space, the bodies—and paperwork—start to pile up. Frustrated by the top brass’ insistence it was a freak magical accident rather than a clearly orchestrated attack, Mak is forced to start his own off-the-record investigation, quickly roping in his unenthusiastic partner for some much-needed muscle.
Can these two unlikely heroes tolerate each other long enough to uncover the truth and bring the culprit to justice?
The Ephemeral Menagerie is a rollicking tale full of humour and heart, perfect for fans of Terry Pratchett, Nicholas Eames, and J. Zachary Pike.
