GUTTER MAGE

J.S. Kelley weaves epic fantasy and hardboiled noir in this fast-paced, twisting tale of magic, mystery, and a whole lot of unruly behavior.

In a kingdom where magic fuels everything, the mage guilds of Penador wield an enormous amount of power. So when a lord's infant son is kidnapped by the ruthless Alath Guild, he turns to the one person who's feared by even the most magically adept: Rosalind "Roz" Featherstone, also known as the Gutter Mage.
With her literal firepower and encyclopedic knowledge of magic, Roz has investigated many a case for those willing to pay her steep price, but this case might be the strangest yet. It is thought that the missing boy holds the key to unlocking the long-heralded Never Year, a day when the veil between the material and astral planes will dissolve, and all the spirits that power the mage worldlighting lamps, running carriages, and many other seemingly innocuous taskswill not only be set free from their domestic bonds, but given corporeal form to do what they will upon the world for an entire year. Skeptical Roz doesn't much believe in the Never Year, or the part a noble infant has in bringing it about, but how can she refuse when a major payday from a noble lord just might set her up for life?
But as always, the truth will out, and what Roz discovers blows the austere world of guilds and mages wide open, and forever alters what she thought she knew about her past, her magic, and herself.

GUTTER MAGE is at times hilarious, at times heart-wrenching, and always an entirely unique and engrossing ride, blending fantasy with mystery, thrills, and a dash of noir (with healthy doses of drink and debauchery for good measure). Roz is a fierce, flawed character, the kind of heroine who might kick back with V.E. Schwab's Lila Bard or Marvel's Jessica Jones.

JS Kelley is a gender neutral pseudonym, thoughtfully chosen by the author with the support of Simon & Schuster/Saga.