Precinct Series by Keith R.A. DeCandido

Humans and elves, dwarves and gnomes, wizards and warriors all live and do business in the thriving, overcrowded city of Cliff's End, to say nothing of the tourists and travelers who arrive by land and sea, passing through the metropolis on matters of business or pleasure -- or on quests. The hard-working, under-appreciated officers of the Cliff's End Castle Guard work day and night to maintain law and order as best they can... moreHumans and elves, dwarves and gnomes, wizards and warriors all live and do business in the thriving, overcrowded city of Cliff's End, to say nothing of the tourists and travelers who arrive by land and sea, passing through the metropolis on matters of business or pleasure -- or on quests. The hard-working, under-appreciated officers of the Cliff's End Castle Guard work day and night to maintain law and order as best they can. Gan Brightblade is one of the world's greatest heroes and a personal friend of the Lord and Lady of Cliff's End. So when he's brutally murdered in grubby lodgings in Dragon Precinct, on the eve of a great quest, the Captain of the Guard puts his two best investigators on the case. The half-elf Danthres Tresyllione and ex-soldier Torin ban Wyvald soon discover that the crime scene is empty of any forensic evidence -- physical or magical. They have no clues, and the heat is on.The Lord and Lady want their friend's murder solved -- now. The populace is mourning the loss of a great hero. The ever-unhelpful Brotherhood of Wizards could take over the case at any minute. And then another member of Brightblade's party turns up dead.... less

All in all, this is a fascinating excursion in genre-bending; worth a try even for readers who usually take either their procedurals or their fantasies unadulterated." -Booklist on Dragon Precinct Humans and elves, dwarves and gnomes, wizards and warriors all live and do business in the thriving, overcrowded port city of Cliff's End, to say nothing of the tourists and travelers who arrive by land and sea, passing through the metropolis on matters of business or pleasure-or on quests... moreAll in all, this is a fascinating excursion in genre-bending; worth a try even for readers who usually take either their procedurals or their fantasies unadulterated." -Booklist on Dragon Precinct Humans and elves, dwarves and gnomes, wizards and warriors all live and do business in the thriving, overcrowded port city of Cliff's End, to say nothing of the tourists and travelers who arrive by land and sea, passing through the metropolis on matters of business or pleasure-or on quests. The hard-working, under-appreciated officers of the Cliff's End Castle Guard work day and night to maintain law and order as best they can. Arra Cynnis is the youngest child in one of the most powerful families in the wealthy district of Unicorn Precinct. When she's found murdered, with the culprit's identity hidden from the magical examiner's spells, the Captain of the Guard sends his best investigators. Ex-soldier Torin ban Wyvald and half-elf Danthres Tresyllione have two viable suspects: Arra's fiance, who is the cousin of another member of the Castle Guard, or the unknown person with whom Arra was having a torrid affair. Torin and Danthres must navigate the difficult political waters of Cliff's End's upper classes in an attempt to determine the girl's killer. Complicating the case is the unexpected appearance of Torin's estranged father, who has come to return the detective to his far-off homeland of Myverin, and he won't take no for an answer . . . . At last, an all-new adventure of the Cliff's End Castle Guard! "Dungeons and Dragnet... As a take-off of the standard crime drama, Dragon Precinct succeeds nicely. Dressed in sword-and-sorcery trappings, the cliches of the genre are given a fresh twist. I would like to see more stories in this same setting." -The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society Authors and Editors less

Humans and elves, dwarves and gnomes, wizards and warriors all live and do business in the thriving, overcrowded port city of Cliff's End, to say nothing of the tourists and travelers who arrive by land and sea, passing through the metropolis on matters of business or pleasure--or on quests. The hard-working, under-appreciated officers of the Cliff's End Castle Guard work day and night to maintain law and order as best they can... moreHumans and elves, dwarves and gnomes, wizards and warriors all live and do business in the thriving, overcrowded port city of Cliff's End, to say nothing of the tourists and travelers who arrive by land and sea, passing through the metropolis on matters of business or pleasure--or on quests. The hard-working, under-appreciated officers of the Cliff's End Castle Guard work day and night to maintain law and order as best they can.A new drug called Bliss is sweeping across the slums of Goblin Precinct. It makes people feel better--but if they take too much, they overdose and die. It doesn't truly become a concern for the Castle Guard until one of the overdoses turns out to be a former elf lord who is wanted for war crimes.The Captain of the Guard must put his best detectives, the half-elf Danthres Tresyllione and the ex-soldier Torin ban Wyvald, on the case to find out what happened to the elf. But when the magickal examiner discovers the truth behind Bliss, it becomes a firestorm of controversy that brings the Brotherhood of Wizards into the case--and that never ends well...An all-new adventure of the Cliff's End Castle Guard! less

Humans and elves, dwarves and gnomes, wizards and warriors all live and do business in the thriving, overcrowded port city of Cliff's End, to say nothing of the tourists and travelers who arrive by land and sea, passing through the metropolis on matters of business or pleasure—or on quests. The hard-working, under-appreciated officers of the Cliff's End Castle Guard work day and night to maintain law and order as best they can.Cliff's End is rocked by the death of Lord Albin... moreHumans and elves, dwarves and gnomes, wizards and warriors all live and do business in the thriving, overcrowded port city of Cliff's End, to say nothing of the tourists and travelers who arrive by land and sea, passing through the metropolis on matters of business or pleasure—or on quests. The hard-working, under-appreciated officers of the Cliff's End Castle Guard work day and night to maintain law and order as best they can.Cliff's End is rocked by the death of Lord Albin. As soon as the funeral ends, Albin's son Blayk takes over and starts instituting wholesale changes in how the Cliff's End Castle Guard is run: enforced retirements of older guards (including Captain Osric), surprise promotions (including Grovis to replace Osric as Captain of the Guard), sword requalifications for all guards, and much more.Worse, Blayk has split up Lieutenants Torin ban Wyvald and Danthres Tresyllione and given them new partners. Lieutenant Dru, still devastated by the loss of Lieutenant Hawk, also has a new partner. All three detectives catch separate cases, but the more they investigate, the more they realize that all three are related—and connected to a conspiracy that targets the King and Queen themselves!An all-new adventure of the Cliff's End Castle Guard! less

"A fascinating excursion in genre-bending; worth a try even for readers who usually take either their procedurals or their fantasies unadulterated." —BooklistHumans and elves, dwarves and gnomes, wizards and warriors all live and do business in the thriving, overcrowded port city of Cliff's End, to say nothing of the tourists and travelers who arrive by land and sea, passing through the metropolis on matters of business or pleasure—or on quests... more"A fascinating excursion in genre-bending; worth a try even for readers who usually take either their procedurals or their fantasies unadulterated." —BooklistHumans and elves, dwarves and gnomes, wizards and warriors all live and do business in the thriving, overcrowded port city of Cliff's End, to say nothing of the tourists and travelers who arrive by land and sea, passing through the metropolis on matters of business or pleasure—or on quests. The hard-working, under-appreciated officers of the Cliff's End Castle Guard work day and night to maintain law and order as best they can. As Cliff’s End struggles to deal with a massive influx of refugees following a devastating fire in the neighboring city-state of Barlin, the docklands are rocked by a stunning tragedy: the legendary Pirate Queen has been murdered! Long the scourge of the Garamin Sea, the Pirate Queen’s death has ripple effects beyond Cliff’s End. Even as Lieutenants Danthres Tresyllione and Torin ban Wyvald investigate her murder, they find themselves embroiled in conspiracies, politics, and the arcane law of the sea—and of the land!An all-new adventure of the Cliff's End Castle Guard! "Dungeons and Dragnet... As a take-off of the standard crime drama, Dragon Precinct succeeds nicely. Dressed in sword-and-sorcery trappings, the clichés of the genre are given a fresh twist." —The Journal of the Lincoln Heights Literary Society Authors and Editors less