THE ASSASSIN'S CUNNING
Book Two of the Assassin Without a Name Series
About the Book
The Assassin's Cunning is coming July 18, 2023!
Some days it just seems like everyone wants you dead.
The deadline for the Black Guardsmen to leave Alchester has come and gone, and now it’s up to the Assassin Without a Name to act on his threat. While he’s not above killing every last one of the mercenaries for the trouble they’ve caused him, he decides on a different course of action when Gwendolyn Goddard requests a meeting. In exchange for killing a rival, she offers to call off her Blackguard watchdogs. The catch? The mark is Atticus Drake, a person whose value alive far outweighs his value dead.
Meanwhile, the Warders and Jakaree continue to pursue their dark agendas. For the Warders, frustration leads to more direct action against the Assassin Without a Name and his continued interference. The Jakaree, content to work in the shadows, find the urgency to complete their mission heightened when one of their most feared high priestesses comes to check on their progress. No one is immune to her displeasure when she learns of the Assassin Without a Name’s part in foiling their plans, least of all the Jakaree high priest, Onius, who she charges with assassinating the assassin.
Deception, intrigue, danger, science run amuck, and half the city wanting him dead? It’s just another day in the life of the Assassin Without a Name.
- Audiobook
- Coming soon to Google Play and Kobo
Wine List
Most wines in the Assassin Without a Name series are fictitious, though many are based on characteristics found in the many wines of our world.
Barmeda sherry
A dry, light, and smooth sherry with a slightly salty tang.
Crusus Sabeler
A sweet white with a fine bouquet and nutty flavor. A member of the shiraz family of wines. The best shiraz wines come from grapes grown in terraced vineyards.
Mullender
A dry red.
Characters
Abelard Whitfield
Trader, vintner.
Ao-utet
Jakaree priest. Second to Onius.
Aravar Tillwood
An artificer.
Ashunde Roe
Bishop, necromancer.
Assassin Without a Name
Witty assassin with a penchant for murder and fine wine. True identity unknown.
Atticus Drake
A founding member of the Progressive Society.
Brady Marsh
A thief.
Braeden
Thief's apprentice. Member of Alchester's thieves' guild.
Darius Vilhelm
A noted businessman known for his negotiating skills.
Elizabeth West
A thief. Former love interest of the Assassin Without a Name.
Evelyn
Owner of Mullin's Pawn Shop.
Father Kem
A priest who believes that even the truly lost can be saved.
Falofogus
Warder imperator.
Geoffrey Belford
Captain of the Black Guard.
Gwendolyn Morgan (Goddard)
A member of the Progressive Society. Wife of Reynold Morgan.
Kaileesh
A sly Southlander.
Malakai
All around scallawag. Informer.
Mason Gould
The Assassin Without a Name's brother-in-law.
Mathilda
A witch. Her familiar is a raven named You.
Nathaniel Manes
Warder compulsor.
Olivia Gould
The Assassin Without a Name's sister.
Onius
Leader of the Jakaree.
Ophelia
Proprietor of The Lazy Minstrel.
Qess Lendin
Combat engineer working for the Progressive Society.
Raed Lendin
Combat engineer working for the Progressive Society.
Reubin Kariaktos
Mentor and teacher to the Assassin Without a Name.
Reynold Morgan
Gentleman founder of the Progressive Society. Brother of Gwendolyn Morgan (Goddard).
Ridlin
Owner of Ridlin's Den.
Saminid
The Keeper. Collector of rare tomes and documents.
Samuel
Atticus Drake's driver.
Tate
Professor working on projects for the Progressive Society.
Thjorn "Heavyhammer" Targalas
Leader of Alchester's Thieves' Guild.
Thomas Thornton
A trader, gentleman adventurer, and one-time alias used by the Assassin Without a Name.
Walter Goddard
Gentleman, founding member of the Progressive Society.
William Wright
Inspector of the King's Magistrates.
You
A crow who isn't particularly fond of the Assassin Without a Name. Mathilda's familiar.
Places
Alchester
The capital city of Kallendor. At the direction of King Classus, Alchester has become the hub for Kallendor's airship adoption, including development and research as well as an evergrowing infrastructure for commerce by air.
Barmeda
A small Seacean vineyard located close to the western outlet of the Bay of Lochwell. Known for their exquisite sherry.
The Groggery
A hole-in-the-wall grogshop buried beneath a dilapidated tenement.
Kallendor
The Land of the Horse Lords is a place of grassy plains, wooded glens, and meadows. Kallendorans are a proud people: strong, noble, and dignified. Though many make their way in life as farmers, merchants, shepherds, and cavalry soldiers, as a people they have cultivated superior skills and experience as horse breeders. The horse is central to their lives; more than a few profess to have learned to ride before learning to walk. Many see the advance of technology as a threat to their traditional way of life, though its adoption seems inevitable given their king's support for it. Kallendor is one of the four fiefdoms created after the fall of the high king five hundred years ago.
Lady Bellum's
Tavern with a pleasant atmosphere.
Lady Smither’s Bathhouse
A bathhouse.
The Lazy Minstrel
A shat hole-in-the-wall tavern run by a woman named Ophelia.
Lockley’s Depository
A bank.
The Mulling Mule
A wineshop of dubious quality.
Mullin’s Pawn Shop
A pawn shop whose owner, Evelyn, isn't above delving into the black market when there's money to be made.
Pannernine’s
A wineshop.
Ridlin’s Den
Part gaming hall, part grogshop, all cesspit. Owned by Ridlin.
The Shambles
The seediest of boroughs in Alchester. Not a place for decent people or even indecent ones.