The sequel to Comeuppance Served Cold will be out in 2027! The Corbeau Charm continues the adventures of Comeuppance Rather.
Our favorite con artist, now using the name Vivien Underhill, infiltrates the wealthy Bascombe family, leaders of Santa Barbara society, as she searches for a magic charm that lets the holder find whatever they desire. It’s an ability some people would kill for. In fact, the family patriarch, Frank Bascombe, died suddenly not too long ago. His death was ruled an accident… but there are questions. And who slashed up the exquisite custom-made top hat hidden in the attic?
Vivien knows that a local hatmaker, Sidney Frost, has ties to both the family and the charm. He’s been targeted, first with threats against his business and then eviction. Sidney’s a private guy, and he doesn’t want to accept Vivien’s help. That decision could prove fatal.
As she searches, Vivien meets a chaotic widow, her dutiful younger daughter, and a fiancé with a checkered past. She matches wits with a veteran newspaper reporter, a hostile housekeeper, and an herbalist who may not be on the right side of the law.
From a 1933 Santa Barbara eagerly awaiting the Repeal of Prohibition, to a Colorado silver mining camp in the 1860s, The Corbeau Charm explores the meaning of families, legacy and safety. I had a lot of fun writing it, and researching it (train ride to Santa Barbara! Yaay!)
And hats! Lots of hats! Any excuse, right?
I’m excited to be working with Word Horde, a small press with its roots firmly planted in speculative fiction. Word Horde has published genre legends like John Langan and Laird Baron, Nadia Bulkin and Molly Tanzer. While mostly a horror house, Word Horde branches out into fantasy and dark fantasy. They basically publish what their discerning readers will enjoy. They were so welcoming to The Corbeau Charm, and to me, and I can’t wait to see what they do with the book! I’m looking to more Comeuppance capers.