Illusions of Decency Launch

Today is the big day! Book four in the Misplaced Mercenaries series is ready to entertain. This time Sarah is on her own as she hunts down a notorious runecrafter she holds responsible for the death of an old friend. Surprised by his notorious status, Morholt sets off to rescue his ex-girlfriends–of which there are many–from the same zealots chasing him down. As we well know, Sarah always gets her man, but is Morholt the real bad guy here? It’s a Misplaced Mercenaries book. It’s hard to tell. You’ll have to make up your own mind and let us know.

Kirkus Review

Kirkus adored the novel. Check out the review here: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kevin-pettway/illusions-of-decency/

Just want to read it now? Here it is in full:

Two magic-wielding enemies form an alliance to fight a greater nemesis in this fourth installment of a fantasy series.

Two magic-wielding enemies form an alliance to fight a greater nemesis in this fourth installment of a fantasy series.Warrior/sorcerer Sarah scours cities and jungles in the Thirteen Kingdoms for evil runecrafters. She’s hunting one in particular: Morholt, who’s traveling with a small band of mercenaries. He aspires to be “one of the good guys,” and he insists that everyone in his group refrain from killing people. Sarah doesn’t want to murder anyone either, but she has questions she wants to ask Morholt, including why Finnagel, the chancellor in the Kingdom of Greenshade and her sorcerer mentor, gave the order to eliminate runecrafters. Morholt is racing to track down four ex-girlfriends, all of whom he taught magic and are in danger as a result. Sarah, meanwhile, gets help from the Temple of the Sky, whose knights are itching for a shot at Morholt. When the two adversaries’ clashes end in surprising casualties, both Sarah and Morholt shelve the no-kill rule. But as someone poses a threat to Keane, king of Greenshade and Sarah’s longtime friend, the two enemies will have to join forces against a mutual foe—Finn, the Temple, or perhaps something more powerful. Pettway’s latest volume is a brisk, uproarious fantasy. The story shifts through various third-person perspectives, with the brightest spotlights on Sarah and Morholt. Despite their flaws, these two immensely likable characters shine as this book’s leads. The players’ repartee provides much of the humor, such as Sarah’s assurance that she hasn’t killed someone: “He’s not dead, just a little dented.” The dialogue is unabashedly profane and oddly contemporary for the genre, though creative obscenities abound. Morholt’s apparent favorite is “toad dicks.” Readers just joining the series may want to start with the previous volumes, as this installment overflows with a huge cast and myriad nations and cities. While another entry is certainly possible, Pettway’s novel ends with a superb resolution. An amusing, quirky romp set in a magical, faraway land.

–Kirkus Reviews

Fourth Book Woes

Oh no, this is the fourth book. But it looks so good! I didn’t want to invest full price in four books today.

Well, you’re in luck! The first three ebooks in the series are on sale now through Friday, January 7th. A Good Running Away is free while Blow out the Candle When You Leave and Big Damn Magic are marked down to 99cents. We’ve never had them at these low prices. If you’ve been holding out, now’s the time!

Launch DAY

Now that you’re eager to get a copy for yourself, we’ll see you tonight at the LIVE launch on Twitch at 8pm Central time. Click here to go there now.

We’ll feature author Kevin Pettway, of course, along with cover designer Lena Shore and narrator Christopher C. Kelly.