DAW Books, Mass Market Paperback
September 6th, 2016 * ISBN: 978-0756408107
Sequel to A RED-ROSE CHAIN
CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES
The deeper October "Toby" Daye embroils herself in the politics of the Kingdom in the Mists, the more she comes to learn that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction...and for every choice she makes, every victory she wins, there will inevitably come a cost.
A cure for the ancient scourge known as elf-shot has been found, developed by Walther Davies, once Court alchemist to Lily of the Tea Gardens, now ally of October's. And as with all things which have the opportunity to change the balance of power, his cure must now be discussed, debated, and ruled upon by people who have never felt elf-shot's effects themselves, and who have the power to bury his work forever.
Can October preserve the cure? And is it the right thing to do?
Once Broken Faith is the tenth book in the October Daye series, a modern urban fantasy set in both the San Francisco Bay Area and the Faerie Kingdom of the Mists which overlays Northern California. It was released in North America by DAW Books on September 6th, 2016.
BACK COVER TEXT
Politics have never been October "Toby" Daye's strong suit. When she traveled to the Kingdom of Silences to prevent them from going to war with her home, the Kingdom of the Mists, she wasn't expecting to return with a cure for elf-shot and a whole new set of political headaches.
Now the events she unwittingly set in motion could change the balance of modern Faerie forever, and she has been ordered to appear before a historic convocation of monarchs, hosted by Queen Windermere in the Mists and overseen by the High King and Queen themselves.
Naturally, things have barely gotten underway when the first dead body shows up. As the only changeling in attendance, Toby is already the target of suspicion and hostility. Now she needs to find a killer before they can strike again, and with the doors locked to keep the guilty from escaping, no one is safe.
As danger draws ever closer to her allies and the people she loves best, Toby will have to race against time to prevent the total political destabilization of the West Coast and to get the convocation back on track...and if she fails, the cure for elf-shot may be buried forever, along with the victims she was too slow to save.
Because there are worse fates than sleeping for a hundred years.
REVIEWS
"In the 10th installment of the October Daye series (after 2015's A Red-Rose Chain), changeling detective October "Toby" Daye is caught up in a murder mystery involving the most powerful fae in North America. A cure for elf-shot, a poison that puts its victims to sleep for a century, has been discovered, and the high king of the fae has ordered a conclave to discuss its use. When a popular but controversial fae king is assassinated, it's the start of a tense, bloody affair. As other conclave attendees are struck down with elf-shot, Toby and her allies piece together the clues to discover who’d want to disrupt the event. McGuire continues her intricate blend of worldbuilding and mythology, using myth and lore as the underpinnings for what's essentially an ambitious, politically charged locked room thriller. The emotional core of the series is stronger than ever, with the action being immediate and visceral. McGuire quite satisfyingly continues the ongoing story while telling an intense and entertaining tale in its own right." - Publishers Weekly
"Ten books and still going strong: not many series can make this claim, no matter the genre, and yet Seanan McGuire's October Daye appears immune from the danger of 'wash, rinse, repeat' that can affect other book cycles. I guess it mostly depends on the eclectic nature of the author's writing, able to speak with many different voices in a wide range of stories, where the only common factor is given by strong, believable and easy-to-care-for main characters." - Space and Sorcery
[starts] with a splendidly domestic slumber party for the teens including Quentin and Chelsea.
Things never stay quiet for long with Toby though, and ... [it] doesn't take long for the first body to show up." Fresh Fiction
"Seanan McGuire's October Daye series is showing no signs of slowing down. This installment gave me all the things I love about these books. It's engaging, with plenty of action and great pacing. The world-building is interesting, consistent, and relevant to the story. And most importantly, McGuire gives me characters I care about. She draws them with depth and history. She makes me feel like I know them. I'm invested in their losses and wins, their friendships and enemies, and every step they take on their path to an HEA." - Red Hot Books