The Thief Who Pulled on Trouble's Braids by Michael McClung

The surface is decorated with blood, treachery, and cynical banter, but on the inside is an inspiring account of loyalty and dedication. Kerf’s crooked staff! Wonderfully concise with all the fat smartly trimmed away, The Thief Who Pulled On Trouble’s Braids is a truly remarkable, thrilling, and unforgiving story, perfectly wrapped in a little package. With aid from unexpected places and a thief’s network of resources, she’ll go any length, and face any adversary, to lay this nightmare to rest. Her path of vengeance is hindered by deceit, magic, and immortals, but she refuses to let this crime go unanswered. When Corbin fails to retrieve the item the following day as promised, Amra is immediately swept into a whirlwind investigation of his heinous death, set on bringing justice to her friend’s murderer. The two being thick as thieves, both in literal and figurative senses, Amra agrees without much question.

Trouble comes knocking when Corbin Hardin appears on Amra Thetys’ doorstep with an unknown artifact in tow, requesting she hold onto it for safekeeping. “If you have to ask, you wouldn’t understand.” Time is running out for the small, scarred thief.

She needs to find the Blade, and soon, or she’ll be joining her colleague in a cold grave instead of avenging his death. Trouble is, Amra hasn’t got the least clue where the Blade might be. A nightmare assortment of enemies, including an immortal assassin and a mad sorcerer, believe Amra is in possession of The Blade That Whispers Hate-the legendary, powerful artifact her friend was murdered for-and they’ll do anything to take it from her. Revenge, however, might be hard to come by. But when a fellow rogue and good friend is butchered on the street in a deal gone wrong, she turns her back on burglary and goes after something more precious than treasure: Revenge. Thieves don’t last long in Lucernis otherwise. Amra Thetys lives by two simple rules-take care of business, and never let it get personal.

The Thief Who Pulled on Trouble's Braids by Michael McClung