“The Skull in the Tree” Accepted for Publication in Fantastic Detectives

Those of you who follow me on social media might have already seen this announcement, but my fantasy mystery novelette “The Skull in the Tree” is set to be published in Fantastic Detectives!

On leave after the birth of her daughter, Knight-Mother Arlise Dun just wants to reach Quiet Cove before the first snowfall…until her widowed host reveals a skull inscribed with terrible curses is perched in the tree outside. Her duty is clear: break this maledict and find the vile soul responsible. But when her investigation uncovers something even more sinister, Arlise finds herself fighting alongside an unlikely ally. Can they unravel the curse before more lives are lost?

“The Skull in the Tree” will be my first new release featuring Arlise Dun since “The Gale at Quiet Cove” was published way back in 2020. Being set roughly a year afterward means this happens later in her life than any of my other published stories have ventured so far. Although there are quite a few connections to those stories, this one is just as enjoyable on its own.

Published by Tannhauser Press and Worlds Enough, Fantastic Detectives will feature a dozen tales of crime and magic. There isn’t a firm release date yet–a few issues along the way have put the good folks over at Worlds Enough behind schedule–but the lead editor tells me they’re shooting for late summer. Once we have something solid, I’ll be sure to pass along all the details in another post right here on this blog.