Barbara Hambly possesses a masterful way of spinning stories that range from fantasy to historical fiction. Her twisty plots involve memorable characters, lavish descriptions, and inventive devices. Her work spans the Star Wars universe, antebellum New Orleans, and various fantasy worlds, sometimes linked with our own. Hambly has proven that it is possible to succeed as a writer, despite many claiming it was impossible.
Fifteen years ago, musician sleuth and free man of color Benjamin January survived a ghost-hunting trip to a haunted house . but one of his party did not. Who - or what - killed British explorer Deverel Wishart? January is determined to finally solve the cold case, in this historical mystery set in New Orleans.
Welcome to Hollywood of the 1920s: a world filled with glamour, fake names . . . and the occasional felony! July, 1924. After nine months of living in Hollywood and working as a companion to her beautiful silent-movie star sister-in-law, young British widow Emma Blackstone is settling into her new role: doctoring film scenarios whenever the regular scenarist is overwhelmed with work, which seems to be most of the time. Shoots for the Western movie Our Tiny Miracle are in full swing, with little seven-year-old Susy Sweetchild playing the lead and acting most professionally. Maybe too professionally, Emma thinks, shocked to the core when the child star is nearly killed in a stunt scene and her mother - former screen siren Selina Sutton - seems only to care that Susy gets the job done. But Emma's concerns only worsen when news reaches her that Susy and her mother have been kidnapped. The ransom note says to keep the cops out of it, so it's up to Emma and Kitty to find them before the unthinkable happens and Emma is forced to rewrite Our Tiny Miracle with a far more tragic ending . . . New York Times bestselling author Barbara Hambly once again brings the glamour and intrigue of Hollywood to life! An unputdownable mystery for fans of female-fronted historical mysteries set in the roaring twenties.
May, 1924. When renowned film director Ernest Zapolya calls Emma Blackstone - companion to Hollywood movie star Kitty Flint - and demands to see Kitty at once, Emma's not surprised. Until, that is, he adds that lives depend on it. Emma and Kitty investigate, and after a shocking discovery, the lives on the line soon include their own...
"Something is amiss with the world's magic. Spells don't work the way they used to--when they work at all. Only the powers of the Crystal Mages remain as they were, powers founded on the use of the mystical element adamis, the harvesting of which has enslaved the peoples of the Twilight Lands. They need a hero. At the same time, ravenous beasts have begun to appear, legendary creatures that seem to be proof against any magic. And Clea Stylachos, granddaughter of a great sage of the Twilight people, has reason to fear that the Crystal Mages, instead of seeking to defeat these insanely destructive monsters, are attempting to weaponize them in their quest for power. Clea's only hope to save her people is a wizard who retains his power, one who will not betray her, either to the great merchant houses or to the all-entangling web of the Crystal Mages. But that wizard--Ithrazel the Cursed--wants nothing to do with saving the world, helping a hero, or unraveling the terrible secret at the heart of the Crystal Mages' plans"
New Orleans, 1840. Benjamin January has little use for politicians, but when a giant rally is planned to stir up support for the Whig presidential candidate, he finds himself intrigued. Trouble is brewing though, both political and romantic, and soon January finds himself investigating a murder ... with an innocent woman's life on the line.
After six months in Hollywood, Emma Blackstone has come to love her new employer, movie-star Kitty Flint. So when Kitty's accused of murder, Emma's certain she's been framed. But who by? And why? From spiteful rivals to jealous boyfriends, the suspects are numerous - and as Emma investigates, it's soon clear Kitty's hiding something .
A whirlwind fantasy classic set in the richest world imaginable, with unforgettable characters and the highest stakes - The Armies of Daylight is the third and final book in Barbara Hambly's epic Darwath Trilogy.
A whirlwind fantasy classic set in the richest world imaginable, with unforgettable characters and the highest stakes - The Walls of Air is the second book in Barbara Hambly's epic Darwath Trilogy.
A whirlwind fantasy classic set in the richest world imaginable, with unforgettable characters and the highest stakes - The Time of the Dark is the first book in Barbara Hambly's epic Darwath Trilogy.
1840. When Eve Russell vanishes into thin air, her frantic parents call on free man of color Benjamin January for help. Did the teenager run away - or was she kidnapped? The answer lies in distant New York, a hotbed of new religions, of human circuses . and of dangerous slave traders. If January uncovers the truth, will he ever get home to tell it?