Part of Series
Fairy tale, noun 1) A fantasy folk tale featuring magical, imaginary beings and lands. 2) An idealised situation. 3) A fabricated story, especially one intended to deceive. 4) The place where you learn the true meaning of ‘fear’. Everything is going well for Amy Matthews. Apart from the nightmares… Harker & Blackthorn expect trouble. They live and breathe it. None of them expect the current state of quiet to last. Considering the unspoken strain within the team, maybe a dose of trouble is just what they need. When people start to go missing from around Oxford, leaving only mysterious burned marks on the ground behind them, Amy is almost relieved. At least until she connects it with a slew of ‘fairy tale’ creature appearances. And not the good kind of fairy tales. Her life as a scientist is about to collide disastrously with her extra-curricular activities. Before they can say ‘Brothers Grimm’, Harker & Blackthorn are facing down impossible monsters straight out of the darkest parts of the human psyche. Meanwhile, Amy is struggling with her past. Panic over the future leads to a fatal lapse in judgement. One with the direst consequences. Amy and Rebekah are faced with a deadline: three days to go where no human should go, where logic holds no sway. If they fail, the missing will remain lost forever. And so will Harker & Blackthorn…
Author
Urban fantasy and historical fiction author J.A. Ironside masquerades by day as member of the county library service, which strangely enough has less to do with books than you would think.
Jules grew up in Dorset in a house full of books, which probably explains a lot about how her mind works. You might think that folklore, fringe science, history, physics, magic and supernatural mystery wouldn’t go all that well together, but she’s hell bent on proving they do. Her urban fantasy series Harker & Blackthorn is now ten books long and counting. It features a sentient museum because someone needs to keep track of what’s going on. Unveiled – another UF series set in the same universe – is now complete.
Jules is also determined to show that historical fiction can be both factually correct and funny. The King’s Knight series is set during the tumultuous reign of Richard II, while the sweeping Oath and Crown Duology – co-authored with Matthew Willis – follows the events leading up to and around the Battle of Hastings.
When pried her away from her books, Jules enthusiastically engages in martial arts and playing the piano, although never at the same time. At least not yet. She lives on the edge of the Cotswold way with her boyfriend creature and two hell’s kittens. Find out more at www.jaironside.com
