Cleland Smith
A killer who dreams another's dreams. A mother whose secret will sire a nightmare.
The Black Doe assassins are legends, shadows who never leave a target alive, but when Bridei is sent to end the threat of a rising warlord, she is stabbed with her own knife, crucified, and left to die. If she is to fulfil her mission, retrieve her stolen memories, and earn her fee, she must live, and she must kill.
Tisiphone's sons are raised on tales of the Black Does and tales of Rome. They carry great potential: the blood of Cruithne, which grants them the chance to become chieftain, married with that of the mighty Roman general, Agricola.
Yet as the invaders encroach ever further north, Tisi finds herself keeping a deadly secret, and what was once a blessing may soon become a curse.Each woman will do anything to protect what’s hers. Come Bealltainn, there’ll be blood on the bracken.
What people are saying...
"Smith's historical fantasy novel takes a grim journey through myth-laden ancient Scotland following an assassin whose deadly mission evolves into a deeper struggle with identity and fate. A harsh, evocative vision of Celtic lands where memory, violence, and myth shape every destiny." — Kirkus Reviews (recommended review)
"Hauntingly beautiful, an exceptional book." — Anna Smith Spark, author of the Empires of Dust trilogy
"A haunting, elemental tale of motherhood and sacrifice, seamlessly combining history and mythology with an authentic Scottish voice. Lyrical and gripping right up to the final incandescent page. One of the best Scottish fantasies I've ever had the pleasure of reading." — Neil Williamson
"Bloody and brilliant. Black Doe packs a hefty emotional punch among the fighting, plotting, magic and mythology of a time we know so little about." — Cameron Johnston
"Through the stories of two women and their gradually intersecting narratives, both beautifully crafted, Black Doe draws back the curtain on a past we think we know, but which is in fact as strange and forbidding as the folkloric creatures that live alongside its people. An accomplished novel which wears its considerable research lightly, Cleland Smith is a skilful storyteller. This haunting historical epic will linger long after you finish reading." — Lucy Holland
"Beautifully written, Black Doe is a deft historical fantasy tale that manages to be both thrilling and heart-rending at once." — Shona Kinsella
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At least, that's the plan. When Kester infects Alexis Farrell with one of his signature viruses, showing her what he is capable of first-hand, she employs him to head up her new viral design department at techno-pharmaceutical giant V. Farrell will stop at nothing to make Kester a star, but not everyone is a fan. Those offended by what he represents, those he has betrayed, his own suppressed ambitions and forgotten promises - Kester is racking up enemies and they are about to come together in an attempt to destroy him.
What people are saying...
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