ismae books

Surviving on the streets of Dockhaven took quick hands and the instincts of a gutter rat.

Schmalch was a good thief, just not a lucky one. Thanks to the rain, he hadn’t even picked enough pockets to stay drunk and sleep dry. If only he could earn a spot on a crew, he wouldn’t have to spend his days scrounging anymore, but every opportunity he had went keel-up.

When a simple pickpocketing goes awry, two strangers offer him another shot at a crew-if his luck doesn’t sink him again. Schmalch may only want a few coins and a safe place to sleep, but a secret lab, an unwanted prophesy, and a fancy pistol will lead him to a back-alley deal that will change his life forever.

A prequel to the award-winning Things They Buried, A Good Thief follows Schmalch on a gritty adventure down some of the nastier byways in Dockhaven, the planet Ismae’s greatest port city.