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A whip-smart adventure fantasy packed with reality-bending magic, and sapphic romance, The Last Hour Between Worlds is the brilliant launch of a new series from David Gemmell Award-nominated author Melissa Caruso.

In the Deep Echoes, no one can save you.

Star investigator Kembral Thorne has a few hours away from her newborn, and she just wants to relax and enjoy the year-turning party. But when people start dropping dead, she’s got to get to work. Especially when she finds that mysterious forces are plunging the whole party down through layers of reality and into nightmare.

One layer down: It's no big deal. Stay alert, and you’ll be fine.

Two, three layers down: Natural laws are negotiable, and things get very strange.

Four layers down: There are creatures with eyes in their teeth and walls that drip blood. Most people who fall this far never return.

Luckily, Kem isn’t most people. But as cosmic powers align and the hour grows late, she’ll have to work with her awfully compelling nemesis, notorious cat burglar Rika Nonesuch, for a chance to save her city—though not her night off.

For more from Melissa Caruso, check out:

Swords and Fire
The Tethered Mage
The Defiant Heir
The Unbound Empire

Rooks and Ruin
The Obsidian Tower
The Quicksilver Court
The Ivory Tomb

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The Echo Archives

"A charming fantasy mystery that kept me guessing until the very last page—I completely adored this book and would read a dozen more of Kembral's adventures."
Shannon Chakraborty, New York Times bestselling author of The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi
“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!"
Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author
"A brilliant, breathlessly twisty fantasy adventure that I utterly adored. Melissa Caruso is a powerhouse."
Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne
“The Last Hour Between Worlds is a masterpiece—filled 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!”
Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter
“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.”
Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld
"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."
Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light
"An addictive read with an incredibly sympathetic heroine and a delightful relationship. I loved it and can't wait for more in this world."
Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library
"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!"
Sunyi Dean, author of The Book Eaters
"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 yet—a time-loop, murder mystery party like you've never read before. I dare you to put it down."
Kritika H. Rao, author of The Surviving Sky
"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!"
Sam Hawke, author of City of Lies
"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."
K. A. Doore, author of The Perfect Assassin
"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."
Anna Stephens, author of Godblind
"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."
Leife Shallcross, author of The Beast's Heart
"Caruso never takes her foot off the gas, marrying riveting action with meticulous worldbuilding and eccentric characters through effortless prose. Readers will be hooked."

Publishers Weekly
“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.”
Locus
"A heady, bizarre rush of murder mystery meets Alice 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 will stretch your imagination and leave you thinking."
BookPage
"Like if a game of Clue also took place in the multiverse. Caruso keeps the wild premise in check with a smart writing style that delivers well-timed moments of levity."
NPR

On Sale: Nov 19, 2024
Page Count: 432 pages
Publisher: Orbit
ISBN-13: 9780316303644

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Melissa Caruso

About the Author

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.

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Melissa Caruso

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The Echo Archives