Description

From the acclaimed author of Senlin Ascends comes the first book in a wildly inventive new fantasy series where magical mysteries abound and only one team can solve them: The Hexologists.

‘Bancroft is a wonder as ever! The Hexologists was a joyous delight on every page – buoyantly inventive, witty, poignant, gripping, and deeply satisfying’ Madeline Miller, author of Circe

As the nation’s foremost investigators of the paranormal, Isolde and Warren Wilby are accustomed to bumping up against things that go bump in the night. They have made quite a name for themselves as the Hexologists: detectives of the uncanny, the monstrous, the strange. After a decade of wedded bliss and dozens of fantastical adventures, there is little in the world that can still surprise them.

But when a famous artist dies under suspicious circumstances, Isolde finds herself investigating a murder that may not have happened, and a crime scene that seems to shift beneath her feet. Not one to be easily thwarted, Isolde is compelled to take greater and greater risks in pursuit of her elusive answers. Meanwhile, the laws that govern magic appear to be breaking, and those cracks are spreading to the everyday world.

The mystery will carry the devoted duo to seedy underworlds, enchanted gardens, and subterranean military zoos. Old friends will come to the Wilbies’ aid as they infiltrate secret societies, battle vicious imps, and flee from a pack of venomous wolves. Equipped with Isolde’s hexes, Warren’s muscle, and an enchanted bag full of magical relics, the Hexologists will have to risk life and limb to unravel the riddle at the heart of A Tangle of Time.

‘Fantastic! The Hexologists fizzes eloquently with wit and elegance, but also has marvellous worldbuilding and an excellent plot – and a central pair of characters who I quite simply love. A cocktail of a book made with the very best champagne’ Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library

Publisher Review

Bancroft is a wonder as ever! The Hexologists was a joyous delight on every page – buoyantly inventive, witty, poignant, gripping and deeply satisfying — Madeline Miller, author of CIRCE Josiah Bancroft’s imagination will astound you. One of the most inventive fantasy authors out there — Fonda Lee, author of the Green Bone Saga Bancroft has returned to the page in force, deploying his crystal prose and razored wit around a tale that mixes whimsy and threat in equal measure. He’s a gift to the genre and we should support his work — Mark Lawrence, author of THE BOOK THAT WOULDN’T BURN Fantastic! The Hexologists fizzes eloquently with wit and elegance, but also has marvellous worldbuilding and an excellent plot – and a central pair of characters who I quite simply love. A cocktail of a book made with the very best champagne — Genevieve Cogman, author of THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY The Books of Babel are something you hope to see perhaps once a decade – future classics, which may be remembered long after the series concludes — LA TIMES It’s rare to find a modern book that feels like a timeless classic. I’m wildly in love with this book — Pierce Brown, author of RED RISING, on SENLIN ASCENDS Josiah Bancroft is a magician. His books are that rare alchemy: gracefully written, deliriously imaginative, action-packed, warm, witty and thought-provoking — Madeline Miller, author of CIRCE This light and charming tale encompasses a twisty mystery, detailed Victorian-esque worldbuilding, and nuanced protagonists who love each other dearly, all relayed in Bancroft’s superior prose. Readers will be eager to see how the series evolves — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review)