Gripped by a frigid winter, and under continuing military occupation, Boston sits balanced on the edge of a blade. Street toughs harass soldiers; laborers and military men fight in the lanes; and loyalist merchants who defy Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty face ridicule, vandalism, and dire warnings of worse to come.
Ethan Kaille, thieftaker and conjurer, has little choice but to work for these merchants. Jobs are scarce, and his rivalry with the lovely and dangerous Sephira Pryce eats at his income. Thus, he is in the streets when a protest turns violent. A young boy is killed by an errant rifle shot, and his death ignites a series of conflagrations. Arguments turn to brawls; harassment turns to rioting.
Ethan is certain that a magical spell compelled the shooter to pull the trigger. And his spectral guide is certain the spell came from Ethan himself.
Now Ethan must find the powerful conjurer who is using him and his magic to set off bloody confrontations all over the city, and he must do so before this madman brings tragedy to all of Boston, and takes the lives of the people Ethan loves most.
"Colonial politics, mystery, and a wild array of magics combine for a heady brew in
Dead Man's Reach
." -
Locus
"Jackson deftly mixes in the chaos of the Boston Massacre and the sobering realities of colonial street life, presenting a hero who is driven yet reflective on his responsibilities." -
Publisher's Weekly
"A thoroughly engrossing and involving entry that no series fan will want to miss." -
Kirkus Reviews