What do you think?
Rate this book
Vox Swift #1
Thornbury Confidential
ASIN moved from less recent edition here
When part-time private investigator Vox Swift gets called to the scene of a crime, she finds it’s no ordinary case. A dead elf, drugs, infidelity, and an old job tangle together and challenge Vox’s ability to solve the mystery. As the bodies pile up and the suspect list grows Vox has to decide who to trust – the beautiful new widow or the mysterious young mage. Sex, lies, magic, and murder … just a typical day in Thornbury.
A cold blooded murder, a hot widow, and too many suspects…
"The elf had been cut in two. Not a magical murder then, which was too bad. I would have felt more at home with a magical murder. You know where you stand with magic. And Thornbury’s rife with magic. Too much magic for one city, but not enough to explain this murder."
When part-time private investigator Vox Swift gets called to the scene of a crime, she finds it’s no ordinary case. A dead elf, drugs, infidelity, and an old job tangle together and challenge Vox’s ability to solve the mystery. As the bodies pile up and the suspect list grows Vox has to decide who to trust – the beautiful new widow or the mysterious young mage. Sex, lies, magic, and murder … just a typical day in Thornbury.
A cold blooded murder, a hot widow, and too many suspects…
"The elf had been cut in two. Not a magical murder then, which was too bad. I would have felt more at home with a magical murder. You know where you stand with magic. And Thornbury’s rife with magic. Too much magic for one city, but not enough to explain this murder."
347 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 8, 2016
3 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Beth Lyons
11 books8 followersI grew up in a family of readers. Sunday was the best day of the week because we went to the library. My parents would head upstairs to the main library, and I'd head downstairs to lose myself in the children's library. The day I got to join them in the main library was a great day.
I got a love of science fiction from my father and a love of mysteries from my mother. I read widely -- fiction, nonfiction, history, poetry, philosophy... Reading is one of the joys of my life.
I've lived on both coasts and in Europe. I've been a printer, baker, teacher, editor, bike mechanic, and bookseller, but "writer" is the best job in the world.
I live and work in Portland, Oregon with my wife. I enjoy writing science fiction and fantasy. I'm particularly interested in the intersections of humans and other animals. I am proud to say that my veganism influences my writing.
I got a love of science fiction from my father and a love of mysteries from my mother. I read widely -- fiction, nonfiction, history, poetry, philosophy... Reading is one of the joys of my life.
I've lived on both coasts and in Europe. I've been a printer, baker, teacher, editor, bike mechanic, and bookseller, but "writer" is the best job in the world.
I live and work in Portland, Oregon with my wife. I enjoy writing science fiction and fantasy. I'm particularly interested in the intersections of humans and other animals. I am proud to say that my veganism influences my writing.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 20, 2018
"Thornbury Confidential" is a murder mystery set against a fantasy world full of elves, dwarves, wizards, humans, and magic in a modern day urban city.
Vox Swift is our narrator and is an androgynous female lesbian elf working part time for a curmudgeon wizard. He acts like he doesn't need her so she's always trying to prove herself and become the master P.I. that she isn't yet.
Vox is basically straddling identities in many ways: between genders, jobs, homes, magic vs non-magic abilities, and her romantic loves. While figuring out the murder mystery, she's also figuring out herself.
Despite the murder, the story is pretty light and I found the read entertaining and quite humorous. Nothing made me laugh out loud but Vox can be bumbling and character dialogue is filled with witty and sarcastic quips. There are potential romantic love interests but there's nothing steamy here and any sex scenes are off page.
As the mystery goes, there's a larger story at play and I felt that the author did a good job of keeping me guessing. She teases a lot so it's hard to know if you're on the right track or not.
The strange part is that the story ends without really being wrapped up. There's a part two in this series (so far) so perhaps we'll get more resolution there. This style of ending dropped down my rating some (from about 4 stars to 3.7) but, overall, I really liked all of the characters and the style of the read.
Currently, this is on Kindle Unlimited or can be picked up for $0.99. Both books in the series only comes to $1.98 and I'd say it's worth it just for the entertainment value from the character interactions alone.
Recommend.
Vox Swift is our narrator and is an androgynous female lesbian elf working part time for a curmudgeon wizard. He acts like he doesn't need her so she's always trying to prove herself and become the master P.I. that she isn't yet.
Vox is basically straddling identities in many ways: between genders, jobs, homes, magic vs non-magic abilities, and her romantic loves. While figuring out the murder mystery, she's also figuring out herself.
Despite the murder, the story is pretty light and I found the read entertaining and quite humorous. Nothing made me laugh out loud but Vox can be bumbling and character dialogue is filled with witty and sarcastic quips. There are potential romantic love interests but there's nothing steamy here and any sex scenes are off page.
As the mystery goes, there's a larger story at play and I felt that the author did a good job of keeping me guessing. She teases a lot so it's hard to know if you're on the right track or not.
The strange part is that the story ends without really being wrapped up. There's a part two in this series (so far) so perhaps we'll get more resolution there. This style of ending dropped down my rating some (from about 4 stars to 3.7) but, overall, I really liked all of the characters and the style of the read.
Currently, this is on Kindle Unlimited or can be picked up for $0.99. Both books in the series only comes to $1.98 and I'd say it's worth it just for the entertainment value from the character interactions alone.
Recommend.
February 24, 2016
A good book can capture you in the first few pages. But a good writer knows that it’s possible to hook you in the first sentence and reel you in by the end of the first paragraph.
Beth Lyons is a good writer.
“It might sound ghoulish, but I’d been waiting for a murder case to come along. I just didn’t recognize that’s what this was right away. A dwarf burst into the office, but I barely looked up from my book. We get all kinds at Boleian Investigations, and an out of breath dwarf isn’t all that unusual up on the third floor.”
And with that opening we enter the world of “Thornbury Confidential” and Vox Swift, a young elf keeping secrets while trying to gain acceptance within Boleian Investigations.
Beth Lyons has managed to do something unusual with this book. She has taken a well-known genre—the detective novels of Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett---and updated it in refreshing ways while remaining true to the spirit of the genre. She has created a new sub-set of that genre that could be called Elf-Noir. She is particularly adept at world building. She manages to insert details of a world that includes humans, elves, dwarves and wizards without ever letting the details become a drag on the pace of the story. An example is in this exchange:
My stomach rumbled as I followed Duri Sholedaz through the streets of Thornbury. "You hungry?" I asked him. "I know this great little food cart not far from here. Couple of faes run it. Two blocks off Anson. You want a bite? Gibal?" Technically that word means food crumbs in your beard, but in Thornbury it's universal for takeout.
He scrunched up his face, "I have a dead elf in my sawmill, and you want gibal?" I shrugged. "No problem. Just an idea."
The story is fast paced and engaging right from the start with an elf who is murdered by being cut in half in a sawmill. As Vox navigates the murder case a wide variety of the city passes under scrutiny and adds dimension to the story. But central to the story is Vox. Vox is an elf with a secret and a lost love. As the story progresses Vox is engaging and quick-witted. Beth Lyons does a stellar job of creating a character that you can root for while showing what it's like to be young and still learning how to find a place in the world.
Ultimately I rank books based upon two tests. First--would I read it again? Second---do I want a second book about the characters? "Thornbury Confidential" aces both tests and in this case, passes a third test I don't usually have to apply. After reading the book on Kindle, I went back online and ordered a print copy. I want it on my bookshelf while I wait for the next Vox Swift book from Beth Lyons.
Beth Lyons is a good writer.
“It might sound ghoulish, but I’d been waiting for a murder case to come along. I just didn’t recognize that’s what this was right away. A dwarf burst into the office, but I barely looked up from my book. We get all kinds at Boleian Investigations, and an out of breath dwarf isn’t all that unusual up on the third floor.”
And with that opening we enter the world of “Thornbury Confidential” and Vox Swift, a young elf keeping secrets while trying to gain acceptance within Boleian Investigations.
Beth Lyons has managed to do something unusual with this book. She has taken a well-known genre—the detective novels of Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett---and updated it in refreshing ways while remaining true to the spirit of the genre. She has created a new sub-set of that genre that could be called Elf-Noir. She is particularly adept at world building. She manages to insert details of a world that includes humans, elves, dwarves and wizards without ever letting the details become a drag on the pace of the story. An example is in this exchange:
My stomach rumbled as I followed Duri Sholedaz through the streets of Thornbury. "You hungry?" I asked him. "I know this great little food cart not far from here. Couple of faes run it. Two blocks off Anson. You want a bite? Gibal?" Technically that word means food crumbs in your beard, but in Thornbury it's universal for takeout.
He scrunched up his face, "I have a dead elf in my sawmill, and you want gibal?" I shrugged. "No problem. Just an idea."
The story is fast paced and engaging right from the start with an elf who is murdered by being cut in half in a sawmill. As Vox navigates the murder case a wide variety of the city passes under scrutiny and adds dimension to the story. But central to the story is Vox. Vox is an elf with a secret and a lost love. As the story progresses Vox is engaging and quick-witted. Beth Lyons does a stellar job of creating a character that you can root for while showing what it's like to be young and still learning how to find a place in the world.
Ultimately I rank books based upon two tests. First--would I read it again? Second---do I want a second book about the characters? "Thornbury Confidential" aces both tests and in this case, passes a third test I don't usually have to apply. After reading the book on Kindle, I went back online and ordered a print copy. I want it on my bookshelf while I wait for the next Vox Swift book from Beth Lyons.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews