YOUR HOME FOR SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY
‘I completely adored this book and would read a dozen more of Kembral’s adventures’
Shannon Chakraborty, New York Times bestselling author of The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi
‘A masterpiece – filled with excitement, romance and characters you would protect with your life . . . Unmissable!
Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter
Follow a star investigator and her rival as they journey through layers of reality to save their city in this whip-smart adventure fantasy packed full of murder, mystery and mind-bending magic.
Kembral Thorne is spending a few precious hours away from her newborn, and she’s determined to enjoy herself at the year-turning ball. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work. She’s a member of the Guild of Hounds, after all, and she can’t help picking up the scent of trouble. Especially when her professional and personal nemesis, notorious cat burglar Rika Nonesuch, is also on the prowl.
At the heart of the mayhem is a mysterious clock that sends the ballroom down into strange and otherworldly new layers of reality every time it chimes. As the party plunges through increasingly dangerous versions of their city, Kem will have to rely on her wits – and Rika – to unravel the mystery before catastrophe is unleashed on their world.
‘A time-bending triumph, a compelling adventure . . . A gorgeous, witty, fast-paced and atmospheric novel’ Locus
‘Melissa Caruso’s writing is razor-sharp and this book is one heck of a page-turner’
Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of The Wyld
‘An absolute delight!’
Alix E. Harrow, author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January
‘A brilliant, breathlessly twisty fantasy adventure that I utterly adored’
Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne
Five-star reader reviews:
‘Oh dear god I loved this book . . . I hope I can convince some of you to read this when it’s out, because WOW’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I just loved every second of this’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘What a book! I immediately fell in love with it . . . Definite 5 stars!!’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A queer, locked-room, time-hopping fantasy? Yes please! . . . I really hope there are more adventures for Kembral and Rika because this wasn’t nearly enough!’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Absolutely adored this book . . . a swashbuckling good time’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I absolutely love this book’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A stunning blend of fantasy and intrigue, masterfully weaving together high-stakes action and deeply emotional storytelling’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘This was such a thrilling read. I loved every second of it’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘This was such an exciting book and is one of the best page-turning fantasy books I’ve read all year. It was fun, it was weird, a bit camp, and a lot bad ass’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘It is truly brilliant and deserves to be read by everyone’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Shannon Chakraborty, New York Times bestselling author of The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi
‘A masterpiece – filled with excitement, romance and characters you would protect with your life . . . Unmissable!
Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter
Follow a star investigator and her rival as they journey through layers of reality to save their city in this whip-smart adventure fantasy packed full of murder, mystery and mind-bending magic.
Kembral Thorne is spending a few precious hours away from her newborn, and she’s determined to enjoy herself at the year-turning ball. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work. She’s a member of the Guild of Hounds, after all, and she can’t help picking up the scent of trouble. Especially when her professional and personal nemesis, notorious cat burglar Rika Nonesuch, is also on the prowl.
At the heart of the mayhem is a mysterious clock that sends the ballroom down into strange and otherworldly new layers of reality every time it chimes. As the party plunges through increasingly dangerous versions of their city, Kem will have to rely on her wits – and Rika – to unravel the mystery before catastrophe is unleashed on their world.
‘A time-bending triumph, a compelling adventure . . . A gorgeous, witty, fast-paced and atmospheric novel’ Locus
‘Melissa Caruso’s writing is razor-sharp and this book is one heck of a page-turner’
Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of The Wyld
‘An absolute delight!’
Alix E. Harrow, author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January
‘A brilliant, breathlessly twisty fantasy adventure that I utterly adored’
Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne
Five-star reader reviews:
‘Oh dear god I loved this book . . . I hope I can convince some of you to read this when it’s out, because WOW’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I just loved every second of this’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘What a book! I immediately fell in love with it . . . Definite 5 stars!!’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A queer, locked-room, time-hopping fantasy? Yes please! . . . I really hope there are more adventures for Kembral and Rika because this wasn’t nearly enough!’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Absolutely adored this book . . . a swashbuckling good time’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I absolutely love this book’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A stunning blend of fantasy and intrigue, masterfully weaving together high-stakes action and deeply emotional storytelling’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘This was such a thrilling read. I loved every second of it’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘This was such an exciting book and is one of the best page-turning fantasy books I’ve read all year. It was fun, it was weird, a bit camp, and a lot bad ass’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘It is truly brilliant and deserves to be read by everyone’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Reviews
This twisty, locked-room mystery spans alternate dimensions; braiding romance and adventure into brilliant, time-looping fun
I love The Last Hour Between Worlds to pieces . . . A time-bending triumph, a compelling adventure . . . A gorgeous, witty, fast-paced and atmospheric novel
A brilliant, breathlessly twisty fantasy adventure that I utterly adored. Melissa Caruso is a powerhouse
Twisty, breakneck, and full of delightful surprises, The Last Hour Between Worlds is a book guaranteed to pull you out of a reading slump. Equal parts hilarious and poignant, this is Caruso's best work yet - a time-loop, murder mystery party like you've never read before. I dare you to put it down
A heady, bizarre rush of murder mystery meets Alice's in Wonderland . . . This book is truly a breath of fresh air
This book is for those who dream of going to the ball inside the Goblin King's crystal bubble, but struggle with work-life balance and finding a good babysitter. A jewelled swirl of dangerous magic, fabulous outfits and reluctant heroism, Caruso's The Last Hour Between Worlds is fiendishly well-plotted, utterly enchanting and surprisingly relatable
The Last Hour Between Worlds is a masterpiece - filled with excitement, romance and characters you would protect with your life. The wobbly time effects in this book reach past its pages, making hours of reading blink by in a moment. Unmissable!
A witty, tense and imaginative triumph of a book, I lost many an unplanned hour inhaling The Last Hour Between Worlds. With its compelling magic, reluctant hero trying (and failing) to be on leave, and one increasingly surreal party, this tightly paced story will be a lasting favourite!
Clever, empathetic characters, an unusual world, and a rapidly paced story that keeps readers guessing will delight fans of Caruso's and create new ones
Caruso never takes her foot off the gas, marrying riveting action with meticulous worldbuilding and eccentric characters through effortless prose. Readers will be hooked
A fantastical locked-room mystery where every peal of the clock peels away another layer of reality . . . The Last Hour Between Worlds is an absolute adventure, with a queer lead, a snarky rival and breath-takingly poignant moments. Reader, I inhaled it
An addictive read with an incredibly sympathetic heroine and a delightful relationship. I loved it and can't wait for more in this world
To say The Last Hour Between Worlds hits the ground running would be an understatement: This book starts at a sprint and never slows down. It's funny, and scary and weird in the very best way. Melissa Caruso's writing is razor-sharp and this book is one heck of a page-turner
This tale has twists and turns aplenty. On top of the witty banter between the female protagonists, the story flows like an Agatha Christie novel . . . This is a different kind of adventure that readers of Caruso's fantasies with a romantic and mysterious twist will enjoy
Melissa Caruso's writing is utterly captivating! Fresh world, twisty mystery, and a main character you'll want to back to the ends of every world. The intersection of motherhood and magic adds a richness to the world that immediately glued me to the page
Outrageously clever, with characters who are at times wantonly absurd, engaging, enraging, and intricate, this is a book for everyone who wants to escape reality - though beware, it gets weirder the deeper you go
A charming fantasy mystery that kept me guessing until the very last page - I completely adored this book and would read a dozen more of Kembral's adventures
Equal parts sheer adventurous fun and creepy, dimension-bending tension, featuring a relatable and instantly engaging protagonist. This is totally unlike anything I've read before; Caruso has pulled off a wonderfully creative premise with skill and panache
This book has everything you've been craving: sword fights, time loops, complicated feelings about parenthood, and banter with your sworn enemy. What an absolute delight!