The Liar's Knot

by M. A. Carrick

Overview

A clever con artist, a legendary vigilante, and a dashing crime lord must fight to free their city from the clutches of a dark and ancient magic in the second novel of M. A. Carrick's “utterly captivating” Rook & Rose trilogy. (S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass)

TRUST IS THE THREAD THAT BINDS. AND THE ROPE THAT HANGS.

In Nadežra, peace is as tenuous as a single thread. The ruthless House Indestor has been destroyed, but darkness still weaves through the city’s filthy alleys and jewel-bright gardens, seen by those who know where to look.

Derossi Vargo has always known. He has sacrificed more than anyone imagines to carve himself a position of power and influence among the nobility, hiding a will of steel behind a velvet smile. He'll be damned if he lets anyone threaten what he's built.
 
Grey Serrado knows all too well. Bent under the yoke of too many burdens, he fights to protect the city’s most vulnerable. Sooner or later, that fight will demand more than he can give.
 
And Ren, daughter of no clan, knows best of all. Caught in a knot of lies, torn between her heritage and her aristocratic masquerade, she relies on her gift for reading pattern to survive. And it shows her the web of darkness that traps her city.
 
But all three have yet to discover just how far that web stretches. And in the end, it will take more than wits and knives to cut themselves free.

Praise for the Rook & Rose trilogy:

“Lush, engrossing and full of mystery and dark magic . . . Jump in and get swept away.” —BookPage

“Will catch hold of your dreams and keep you from sleeping.” —Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Calculating Stars

“I was unable to put it down.” —Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

“Exactly the fantasy adventure novel you're craving.” —Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne

“A fantastically twisty read.” —Fran Wilde, author of the Bone Universe trilogy

"Immersive…a feast to savor slowly." —BuzzFeed

"For those who like their revenge plots served with the intrigue of The Goblin Emperor, the colonial conflict of The City of Brass, the panache of Swordspoint, and the richly detailed settings of Guy Gavriel Kay."—Booklist (starred review)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316539715
Publisher:	Orbit
Publication date:	12/07/2021
Series:	Rook & Rose , #2
Pages:	672
Sales rank:	54,270
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 5.80(h) x 1.90(d)

About the Author

M. A. Carrick is the joint pen name of Marie Brennan (author of the Memoirs of Lady Trent) and Alyc Helms (author of the Adventures of Mr. Mystic). The two met in 2000 on an archaeological dig in Wales and Ireland—including a stint in the town of Carrickmacross—and have built their friendship through two decades of anthropology, writing, and gaming. They live in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Editorial Reviews

11/15/2021

The jam-packed second Rook and Rose epic fantasy (following Mask of Mirrors) from Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms writing as Carrick, finds heroine Renata juggling multiple personas in a precarious balancing act that inevitably crashes to the ground. Ren uses her new status as an official member of House Traementis to try to lift the family curse—but soon discovers that it’s intimately tied to the ancient tyrannical power that once ruled the city of Nadežra. As Nadežra slowly crumbles, Capt. Grey Serrado’s quest to free the city and his desire to avenge his brother’s death fight for dominance. His missions continually pit him against crime lord Derossi Vargo, who’s determined to make a name for himself among the nobility while at the same time uncovering a murderer. As these plots converge, masks are removed and the key players reluctantly join forces to face a long-forgotten evil. True to the title, there are plenty of lies to go around and unraveling them involves a dizzying secondary cast. Readers will be challenged to keep track of who knows which secret while simultaneously mastering the intricacies of the magic system. The result leaves many of the characters underdeveloped, but fans of complicated puzzles and mystery will be satisfied. Agent: for Brennan, Eddie Schneider, Jabberwocky; for Helms, Paul Stevens, DMLA. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

"Utterly captivating. Carrick spins an exciting web of mystery, magic, and political treachery in a richly drawn and innovative world."—S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

"The Mask of Mirrors kept me up reading way past my bedtime. A web of intrigue, magic, and the art of the con this novel will catch hold of your dreams and keep you from sleeping."—Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Calculating Stars

“The Mask of Mirrors ushers you into the fascinating city of Nadezra, replete with complex politics, intricate magic, and mysteries that readers will be racing to unravel. Wonderfully immersive—I was unable to put it down.”
 —Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

"For those who like their revenge plots served with the intrigue of The Goblin Emperor, the colonial conflict of The City of Brass, the panache of Swordspoint, and the richly detailed settings of Guy Gavriel Kay."—Booklist (starred review)

“The Mask of Mirrors is exactly the fantasy adventure novel you're craving: an escape into a vast, enchanting world of danger, secret identities, and glittering prose.”—Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne

“The richly layered city of Nadezra, combined with the deeply intertwined politics and rivalries of its residents, creates a perfect backdrop for the enchantment of Carrick's plot and characters. A fantastically twisty read.”
 —Fran Wilde, author of The Bone Universe trilogy

"Lush, engrossing, and full of mystery and dark magic, The Mask of Mirrors is sure to please fantasy readers looking to dial up the intrigue....Jump in and get swept away."—BookPage

“From the first page, I was utterly entranced by this glittering world filled with masked vigilantes, cunning conwomen, and dark magic. A sheer delight!”
 —Katy Rose Pool, author of There Will Come A Darkness

“An intricate, compelling dream of a book that kept me turning pages, with a world and characters that felt deeply real and plenty of riveting twists and turns. I loved it!”
 —Melissa Caruso, author of The Obsidian Tower

"A magnificent tale set in a brilliantly constructed world. Political intrigue, social long-cons of the very best sort, hidden identities stacked two and three deep, telepathic spiders, sparkly gowns and masked balls, and chosen family in all shapes and flavors. The plot is subtle, the social commentary thoughtful, and the whole tale is a featherbed that you want to sink into, disappearing from the world until the reading is done."—Ancillary Review of Books on The Liar's Knot

From the Publisher

06/01/2022

Set in Nadežra, a city resembling historic Venice, Carrick's sequel to The Mask of Mirrors features con artist Ren, who has been adopted by a noble family. She becomes aware of a darkening situation caused by a secret cult manipulating a set of magical medallions owned by some of the city's noble houses. Against a backdrop of violence caused by an underclass yearning to break free of the foreign nobility that conquered Nadežra centuries ago, Ren must disempower these medallion holders with the help of a crime lord and a vigilante. The accents of actor Nikki Massoud create a rich tapestry that enlivens the story. By shifting her accents, Massoud conveys the multiple characters that Ren plays in her long game, and she handles the worldbuilding, including complex names, and the intricacies of numinatria, an esoteric magic system of numerology and sacred geometry, with ease. VERDICT Recommended for those who enjoy dark fantasy and worldbuilding. Fans of Six of Crows and The Lies of Locke Lamora would also enjoy.—David Faucheux

Library Journal - Audio