A troll’s missing head could cause Markhat to lose his own. A Markhat story. All the finder Markhat wanted was a beer at Eddie’s. Instead he gets a case that will bring him face to fang with crazed, blood-craving halfdead, a trio of vengeful Troll warriors, and Mama Hog’s backstreet magic. Plus, the possible resurgence of the Troll War. All right in his own none-too-quiet neighborhood. Through the town of Rannit’s narrow alleys and mean streets, Markhat tries to stay one step ahead of disaster. And ignore Mama Hog’s dire warnings that this time, the head that rolls could be his own. This book has been previously published and has been revised and expanded from its original release. Warning: This book contains well-dressed vampires, extremely polite Trolls, and occasional bursts of humor. Avoid reading it when landing aircraft, welding in the nude, or taunting grumpy jackals while wearing pork chop earmuffs.

When the banshee howls, start looking for the lifeboats. The Markhat Files, Book 7Take a simple, three-day cruise on a lavish steamboat casino, they said. Just keep an eye out for trouble while the Regent rolls the dice, they said. Markhat should have known the maiden voyage of Avalante’s vampire-crewed Brown River Queen would be anything but a finder’s dream job. Especially when he charges a ridiculous fee—and gets it without a peep of protest. Then a pair of identical murderous maidens attack him and his lady love, and it doesn’t take a banshee’s howl to confirm his sinking suspicion he’s about to earn his fee the hard way. As the heavily guarded steamboat casts off, Markhat is forced to navigate shoals of old enemies, treacherous political undercurrents, and rogue waves of assassins. All to keep the walking dead from turning the Brown River Queen’s decks red with blood. Warning: This is a work of fiction. Please stop trying to apply it as a cream directly to your forehead. The characters depicted herein are quite real despite this disclaimer and will be deeply hurt if you peek ahead to the ending. This prose is certified gluten-free. Not intended as an emergency substitute Flight Manual, no matter what the nerds at Popular Mechanics claim. Review“... a fun ride; a great afternoon read. Highly recommended for fantasy or urban fantasy reader.”—Bear Mountain Books on The Cadaver Client“...a ripping and enjoyable yarn.”—Outlaw Reviews on The Banshee’s Walk“The Cadaver Client has the same world-building, sarcastic humor, and good pacing that made the previous stories in this series so much fun to read.”—Mrs. Giggles ReviewsBook DescriptionMarkhat should have known the maiden voyage of Avalante’s vampire-crewed Brown River Queen would be anything but a finder’s dream job. Especially when he charges a ridiculous fee—and gets it without a peep.Then a pair of identical murderous maidens attack, and it doesn’t take a banshee’s howl to confirm his sinking suspicion he’s about to earn his fee the hard way.As the heavily guarded steamboat casts off, Markhat is forced to navigate shoals of old enemies, treacherous political undercurrents, and rogue waves of assassins. All to keep the walking dead from turning the decks red with blood.

Six tales of magic, mirth, mystery, and monsters, together for the first time! In this anthology you get: "Keeping the Peace" -- The Troll War is over, save for a lone sorceress and the renegade general she's spent years tracking down. But the general holds a secret... "The Harper at Sea" -- Jere the Harper, afloat on a raft, in the midst of the Great White Sea. His only hope is rescue -- but will the merfolk be his undoing? "Waking the Master" -- The old wizard's house is clever, hard-working, and eager to please. So when the Master oversleeps, the House decides to take charge. "The Truth About Arphon and the Apple Farmer's Daughter" -- Jere the Harper once again finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Can he sing his way out of trouble, or has the harper sung his last? "One Such Shore" -- Silicy takes to the Sea to pursue her dreams. But the Sea is a perilous place, and the storms Silicy faces may force her to seek a new shore. "Tinker Bell, Cannon Dale, and the All Wheeling Nick of Time"-- Elves. Bicycles. Shotguns. Whiskey. Just another day for Tir Na Nog's foremost bicycle repairman -- but a night is falling that will change him forever.

All three of Wistril's magical misadventures are included in this complete compilation of cantrips and catastrophes! Wistril Besieged -- Wizard Wistril's wants are simple -- four meals a day, a steady supply of honey-gold Upland beer, and above all else, peace and quiet. All but the latter are in plentiful supply at Castle Kauph. Despite secreting himself on the edge of the Wild, Wistril finds himself battling an army of relentless mercenaries while the entire population of the nearest village takes refuge in his home. Even Kern, Wistril's long-suffering, sharp-tongued apprentice, isn't sure whether the army or the houseguests will prove to be Wistril's undoing! Wistril Afloat -- Wistril doesn't believe in lake monsters -- until they invade the lake that just happens to provide Wistril's favorite fish dinners. Faced with the choice of adjusting his menus or daring the wilderness around Lake Ovinshoon, Wistril and Kern soon have bigger problems than mere lake monsters on their hands. Because while Wistril wishes only to study the beasts, others wish to hunt them and skin them. Will Wistril's peaceful White Chair magics prevail against a ruthless band of wyvern-hunters who have only profit on their minds? Wistril Betrothed -- If ever there was a determined bachelor, thought Kern, his name was surely Wistril. So when Wistril's wife-to-be shows up with a pursuing army on her heels, life at Castle Kauph is turned upside down. And when another suitor for Lady Emmerbee's hand arrives, with a dark and menacing wizard of his own in tow, it's up to Kern and the rest of Castle Kauph to get Wistril wed without losing his head! White Chair wizard, gourmand, beer fancier, scholar. Wistril of Kauph is all that, and more. Join him for a taste of classic high fantasy well seasoned with humor and a dash of adventure! From the PublisherJintsu Electronic Texts was created as an electronic book imprint in 2001. The philosophy behind Jintsu is that electronic media is perfect for novellas, novelettes and short novels, works that are easy to read on screen and do not cost much to print out. About the AuthorFrank Tuttle lives and works in rural Mississippi. He's been reading works of fantasy since discovering "The Lord of the Rings" in elementary school, and writing fantasy for nearly as long. "Wistril and Kern," he says, "are my homage to all the Fletcher Pratt and L. Sprague de Camp and Poul Andersen I read as a kid. These are straight-up 'dragons and magics' fantasy stories; I still think that skies full of dragons and castles full of ghosts make wonderful tales. I hope you like them, too."

Can a haunted man help the dead find peace? Markhat is a Finder, charged with the post-war task of tracking down sons and fathers gone suddenly missing when an outbreak of peace left the army abandoned where they stood. But now it’s ten years on after the war, and about all he’s finding is trouble. This time, trouble comes in the form of a rich widow with a problem. Her dearly departed husband, Ebed Merlat, keeps ambling back from the grave for nocturnal visits. Markhat saw a lot of during the war, but he’s never seen anyone, rich or poor, rise from the grave and go tromping around the landscape. But for the right price, he’s willing to look into it. As a storm gathers and night falls, Markhat finds darker things than even murder lurk amid the shadows of House Merlat. This book has been previously published. Warning, this title is rife with the walking dead, sarcastic butlers, barking dogs and ghostly dances.

Fantasy

Demons in a feeding frenzy drive the world-weary Markhat to the brink… A Markhat story. Quiet, hard-working seamstresses aren’t the kind that normally go missing, even in a tough town like Rannit. Martha Hoobin’s disappearance, though, quickly draws Markhat into a deadly struggle between a halfdead blood cult and the infamous sorcerer known only as the Corpsemaster. A powerful magical artifact may be both his only hope of survival—and the source of his own inescapable damnation. Markat’s search leads him to the one thing that’s been missing in his life. But even love’s awesome power may not save him from the darkness that’s been unleashed inside his own soul. Warning: This gritty, hard-boiled fantasy detective novel contains mild romance and interludes of suggestive hand-holding.

No secret stays buried forever.A Markhat novel.When patron of the arts Lady Erlorne Werewilk hires Markhat to identify the parties who are stealthily mapping out the Lady’s estate by moonlight, Markhat anticipates the usual—greedy relatives or rapacious neighbors plotting a land grab. After all, muses Rannit’s most feckless Finder, the Lady runs a colony filled with young artists. Aside from snits over color and perspective, how dangerous could a squabble over a backwoods house possibly be?With new partner Gertriss in tow, Markhat takes the Lady’s case. Before the first night is done, the house is visited by murder, mayhem, and the haunting wail of what may be a genuine banshee, come to herald not just one death, but the deaths of all within. Trapped in a house under siege, Markhat must make a desperate gamble with an old enemy to win the race to unlock the secret that lies beneath the Lady’s lands. And find a way to turn that secret against the powerful forces converging on House Werewilk.Warning: This Markhat adventure involves suggestions of impending matrimony, full-scale gluttony, and misuse of fermented beverages. Persons with weak constitutions or persons currently at the halfway mark of a thousand-meter tightrope walk above a crocodile-infested river should refrain from reading this work of fiction in dimly-lit drawing rooms, which should never be constructed above crocodile-infested rivers in the first place.Reviewo Long and Short Reviews, “…If you enjoy detective mystery stories, some good action and adventure, and a bit of romance with some paranormal thrown in, then this is the book for you.”o Outlaw Reviews, “… The Banshee’s Walk turned out to be a ripping and enjoyable yarn.”o The Romance Reviews, "…and in the midst of the mayhem, he and Darla confront the very simple question "Will you, or won’t you?" And the answer is – read the book!”Book DescriptionWhen patron of the arts Lady Erlorne Werewilk hires Markhat to discover who is stealthily mapping out her estate by moonlight, Markhat suspects greedy relatives or land-hungry neighbors. After all, muses Rannit’s most feckless Finder, the Lady runs an artist’s colony. Aside from snits over color and perspective, how dangerous could a squabble over a backwoods house possibly be? With partner Gertriss in tow, Markhat takes the case. Before the first night is done, the house is visited by murder and the haunting wail of a banshee, come to herald not just one death, but the deaths of all.