“Clark has created another memorable and intriguing fantasy setting in this fast-paced novella, which will be a hit with fans and newcomers alike.”—Booklist, starred review

“This wildly surprising caper fantasy from Clark (A Master of Djinn) will keep readers on the edge of their seats working out who “dunit,” and how and why, as they explore the gritty underbelly of this world of living contracts, dead gods, and legal necromancy, reminiscent of Max Gladstone’s “Craft Sequence” and “Craft Wars” series. This will appeal to all lovers of urban fantasy.”—Library Journal, starred review

“Well crafted, exciting, darkly comic, and just gory enough.”—Kirkus

“Clark’s plot moves at a breakneck clip with quick wit, offbeat characters, and plenty of intrigue. This is pure entertainment.”—Publishers Weekly

​”The richness of detail that Clark provides gives the whole thing something of the flavor of a hardboiled mystery set in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. . . . Clark is adept at balancing his central mystery with quirky character development and enough witty details to suggest that Tal Abisi has its own versions of science and pop culture. . . . In short, Tal Abisi is far more textured than a generic fantasy stage setting, just as Eveen is far more complex than most of those lurking assassins who have become nearly an archetype of fantasy novels and games. Prickly as she may be, we end up thinking we’d like to know about her (just as she’d like to know more about herself), and to spend a bit more time exploring the colorful mean streets of Tal Abisi.​”—​Locus

“I first discovered P. Djèlí Clark’s work via his Dead Djinn Universe, and have been a happy follower of his work ever since. I was especially looking forward to trying this new novella, given how much I’ve enjoyed his past work. This book introduces a new world/setting, and it is excellent . . . . it exceeded my high expectations.”—Civilian Reader