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Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
Original language
English
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THE LAST HOUR BETWEEN WORLDS

Melissa Caruso

The brilliant start of an exciting new series about rival guilds, reality-bending magic, and unexpected mystery by David Gemmell Award-nominated author, Melissa Caruso.
Kembral Thorne is spending a few hours away from her newborn, and she's determined to enjoy herself at this party no matter what. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work. She is a Hound, after all, and she can't help picking up the scent of trouble.

She's not the only one. Her professional and personal nemesis, notorious burglar Rika Nonesuch, is on the prowl. They quickly identify what's causing the mayhem: a mysterious grandfather clock that sends them down an Echo every time it chimes. In each strange new layer of reality, time resets and a sinister figure appears to perform a blood-soaked ritual.

As Kem and Rika fall into increasingly macabre versions of their city, they'll need to rely on their wits - and each other - to unravel the secret of the clock and save their home.

THE LAST HOUR BETWEEN WORLDS is packed with clever banter, high stakes, and dark magic. With a central rivals-to-lovers sapphic romance, Caruso crafts an exciting new world and accompanying magic system that will appeal to fans of fun, propulsive adventure fantasy with a cerebral twist like Genevieve Cogman's The Invisible Library and V.E. Schwab's A Darker Shade of Magic.

Melissa Caruso was born on the summer solstice and went to school in an old mansion with a secret door, but despite this auspicious beginning has yet to develop any known superpowers. Melissa has spent her whole life creating imaginary worlds and, in addition to writing, is also an avid LARPer and tabletop gamer. She graduated with honors in creative writing from Brown University and has an MFA in fiction from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Melissa's first novel, The Tethered Mage, was shortlisted for a Gemmell Morningstar Award for best fantasy debut.
Available products
Book

Published 2024-03-05 by Orbit

Book

Published 2024-11-19 by Orbit

Comments

An addictive read with an incredibly sympathetic heroine and a delightful relationship. I loved it and can't wait for more in this world.

A charming fantasy mystery that kept me guessing until the very last pageI completely adored this book and would read a dozen more of Kembral's adventures.

Equal parts sheer adventurous fun and creepy, dimension-bending tension, featuring a relatable and instantly engaging protagonist. This is totally unlike anything I've read before; Caruso has pulled off a wonderfully creative premise with skill and panache.

A witty, tense and imaginative triumph of a book! I lost many an unplanned hour inhaling THE LAST HOUR BETWEEN WORLDS. With its compelling magic, reluctant hero trying (and failing) to be on leave, and one increasingly surreal party, this tightly paced story will be a lasting favorite!

This twisty, locked-room mystery spans alternate dimensions, braiding romance and adventure into brilliant, time-looping fun. Perfect for fans of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.

A brilliant, breathlessly twisty fantasy adventure that I utterly adored. Melissa Caruso is a powerhouse.

Twisty, breakneck, and full of delightful surprises, THE LAST HOUR BETWEEN WORLDS is a book guaranteed to pull you out of a reading slump. Equal parts hilarious and poignant, this is Caruso's best work yeta time-loop, murder mystery party like you've never read before. I dare you to put it down.

This book is for those who dream of going to the ball inside the Goblin King's crystal bubble, but struggle with work-life balance and finding a good babysitter. A jewelled swirl of dangerous magic, fabulous outfits and reluctant heroism, Caruso's THE LAST HOUR BETWEEN WORLDS is fiendishly well-plotted, utterly enchanting and. surprisingly relatable.

Clever, empathetic characters, an unusual world, and a rapidly paced story that keeps readers guessing will delight fans of Caruso's and create new ones. Read more...

This book has everything you've been craving: sword fights, time loops, complicated feelings about parenthood, and banter with your sworn enemy. What an absolute delight!

A fantastical locked-room mystery where every peal of the clock peels away another layer of reality . . . THE LAST HOUR BETWEEN WORLDS is an absolute adventure, with a queer lead, a snarky rival and breath-takingly poignant moments. Reader, I inhaled it.

UK: Orbit UK

A heady, bizarre rush of murder mystery meets Alice's in Wonderland... If you're a fantasy romance fan who's been craving originality from the genre, this book is truly a breath of fresh air... THE LAST HOUR BETWEEN WORLDS isn't a breezy read, but it will stretch your imagination and leave you thinking. Read more...

Caruso never takes her foot off the gas, marrying riveting action with meticulous worldbuilding and eccentric characters through effortless prose. Readers will be hooked.

THE LAST HOUR BETWEEN WORLDS is a masterpiecefilled with excitement, romance, and characters you would protect with your life. The wobbly time effects in this book reach past its pages, making hours of reading blink by in a moment. Unmissable!

I love THE LAST HOUR BETWEEN WORLDS to pieces... A time-bending triumph, a compelling adventure... A very entertaining story, with a strikingly satisfying climax.

To say THE LAST HOUR BETWEEN WORLDS hits the ground running would be an understatement: This book starts at a sprint and never slows down. It's funny, and scary, and weird in the very best way. Melissa Caruso's writing is razor-sharp and this book is one heck of a page-turner.

Outrageously clever, with characters who are at times wantonly absurd, engaging, enraging, and intricate, this is a book for everyone who wants to escape reality though beware, it gets weirder the deeper you go.