The Case Files of Henri Davenforth
The Shinigami Detective—the woman famous for killing the most destructive rogue witch of the century. Who apparently comes from another world with better technology, which Magical Examiner Henri Davenforth finds extremely fascinating. He does hope she has some magical and detective knowledge, though, because she’s his new partner despite him not wanting one. Although considering how creative and dangerous crime is getting in Kingston, he might need all the help he can get.
Magic and the Shinigami Detective - Case File 1
When the Night Foxes boldly break into the Fourth Precinct’s Evidence Building, it causes quite the stir. The break-in is daring enough, but their method shreds the magical wards and protections on the building like confetti paper. To say the police are ‘alarmed’ by this is the understatement of the century.
As a Magical Examiner, Henri Davenforth is of course immediately called in. Quite to his astonishment, Captain Gregson has him work the case like a detective. Even more astounding, he assigns Henri a partner.
The Shinigami Detective.
The woman is famous for killing the most destructive rogue witch of the century, and no one is quite certain where she’s from. Every officer in the precinct is either in awe of her or a little frightened by her. Henri is just baffled. What is he supposed to do with a partner?
Hopefully killing one witch makes Jamie Edwards enough of an expert on magic to be helpful, as the thieves aren’t content to just break into one building. They in fact seem to have an agenda, as with each theft, they take magical objects. It’s all mounting to a dangerously powerful magical construct capable of toppling the wards on any building.
And no one has any idea what the thieves’ true target is.
Audiobook
Charms and Death and Explosions (oh my!) - Case File 2
Humanity seems determined to come up with increasingly clever ways to murder one another. They seize upon new technological advances in a way that’s alarming, their creativity and blood-thirstiness knowing no bounds.
When a charm maker is blown up inside his own vehicle, for once it’s not Henri Davenforth’s expertise needed: it’s Jamie Edwards’, the Shinigami Detective. Car bombs are something only she has ever dealt with. However, it soon becomes evident that the dead charm maker dabbled in something he should not have, inciting disastrous results.
The dangers he unleashed upon Kingston threaten thousands of lives and it launches a race requiring not only Jamie and Henri’s expertise, but the Kingsmen’s as well to beat the menace spreading through the city.
Meanwhile, the murderer is still at large, leaving Henri and Jamie to wonder: what will blow next?
Audiobook
Magic Outside the Box - Case File 3
Henri is quite accustomed to dangerous and unusual cases landing in his lap. Being partnered to the Shinigami Detective likely has something to do with it. What he is NOT accustomed to is the queen herself marching into his lab and handing them such a case.
Former Royal Mage Joseph Burtchell was found dead in his home, all signs pointing to murder. However, it’s in question as to how the murderer accomplished the deed—the house was locked, the wards fully up, and the body bearing a peculiar wound.
It’s a locked room mystery, one with a suspiciously absent murder weapon and lack of suspects. Henri’s left baffled. Jamie’s excited, relishing the challenge the case represents.
Who’s powerful enough to thwart a royal mage’s wards and murder him undetected?
Audiobook
Breaking and Entering 101 - Case File 4
Since Jamie and Henri agreed to be Kingsmen consultants, they’d not had much call to actually consult. Which is a fortuitous thing, as Henri is up to his neck in labwork and interviews for a new Magical Examiner due to Sanderson’s departing. He is hardly in any position to add more tasks onto his shoulders.
Which, naturally, means two disasters strike at once.
In a brilliant coup, a group of thieves have struck the railroad and stolen a breathtaking three hundred thousand pounds in gold. No one has any idea how, who, or where the ingots have gotten to. The Kingsmen on the case are baffled, as this is hardly their normal purview. They naturally reach out to their Kingsmen consultants, which mean Jamie and Henri are now on the week-old case.
To spice things up further, someone is routinely sneaking through the palace wards and lurking about the grounds, and no one has any idea how the breach is occurring. Seaton’s beside himself trying to figure it out and Henri has been drawn in to assist him.
As Jamie would say: When it rains, it pours.
Audiobook
Three Charms for Murder - Case File 5
It takes more than three charms to commit murder.
When an old childhood friend comes to Henri asking for help in solving his parents’ murders, Henri agrees immediately. He knows this case is not going to be easy. Mr. and Mrs. Atwood’s bodies had been found magically posed to mimic a statue, and the investigator in charge ruled it a murder-suicide. Which is simply not feasible according to the Atwood children.
Aware this is a high society case and all attention will be on them, the team makes their way out to the Atwoods’ vacation home. Upon arrival, Jamie and Henri are horrified to find most of the trace evidence destroyed by incompetence, the bodies unpreserved, and the case file a single page of notes. To top it all off, the local police force wants nothing more than to see them fail.
Add in a string of suspicious burglaries, compromised wards, arson, and a suspect who will do anything to keep the truth under wraps, and Jamie and Henri are ready to commit murder themselves.
Grimoires and Where to Find Them - Case File 6
How do you catch an elusive thief?
There is nothing more delightful than a bookfaire with his lady love. At least, until Henri learns that a grimoire belonging to the dangerous Reaper’s Set has been stolen without its protective box. When Henri and Jamie go looking for answers, they are horrified to discover more than one volume has been stolen.
Jamie has never seen Henri so livid or frightened. The spells in the grimoires, unchecked, are powerful enough to make a building melt. Literally. Melt. They need to find them quickly, for the war-era grimoires could tear the city apart--and have already gotten a head start.
With the thief nowhere to be found and still stealing grimoires, Jamie, Henri, and Seaton are more than ready to catch him.
Please.
And thank you.
Death Over the Garden Wall - Case File 7
Three modus operandi to die. Four employees, six house guests, and not a single witness.
Confusing clues and no helpful leads cloud the death of Countess Giada Barese, who washed up on shore two weeks after her mysterious disappearance. Henri and Jamie have no idea if her death is a homicide, suicide, or accidental death, for nothing adds up.
There is something strange going on, though, Jamie’s sure of that. The countess was found wearing mismatched slippers, her lover disappeared the next day, and everyone is acting shifty.
Jamie feels like she’s playing a game of Clue, one she’s determined to win. Where’s a candlestick when you need one?
This Potion is Da Bomb - Case File 8
Yay first Queen's Own case! Yay first international case! Blowing people up with bombs, not so yay.
This is supposed to be a murder-suicide but the case smells. And not just because the dead potion maker lacks knowledge about the cure he supposedly created. Jamie’s got a smoking crater of an office (and body), a queen breathing down her neck, a witness clinging to life, and no answers.
One thing she knows for certain, however–this potion is a cure to die for.
All in a Name - Case File 9
Someone left Jamie a prezzie and she would like to return it with a no thank you.
It all starts with a dead Robert Martin, the man who killed RM Burtchell. Jamie doesn’t know how, but it’s obvious he was yanked out of high security prison, murdered, and dumped on her front doorsteps.
Now the situation is entirely out of control. Someone obviously wants her attention–her people are being targeted and hurt, they can’t catch a lead, and it’s bringing up Belladonna vibes.
Jamie would like to request a new plot device.