The Hexologists: A Tangle of Time - by Josiah Bancroft (Paperback)

About the Book

"Hoping to help a new client, The Hexologists, Iz and Warren Wilby, enter the studio of a famously reclusive painter. They find her apartment violently ransacked and her body on the floor. With no one else to blame, the police point the finger at the Wilbies. But just as they begin to protest their innocence, an explosion ruptures the night, and they awake several hours earlier with no recollection of the corpse or crime. To make matters worse, their bag of magical artifacts, which contains the portal to their best friend (and all-around lovely dragon) Felivox has lost its power. And the painter's corpse is once again discovered, alongside one of Iz's hexes. To save their friend, solve a murder, and prove their innocence, the Hexologists will call upon old friends and enemies alike. Because magic is going haywire and the rules of their world are shifting like sand. The Hexologists always solve a case, but are they too late to untangle the threads of their new reality . . . or too early?"--

Book Synopsis

From one of the most exciting and original voices in fantasy comes the second book following the adventures of the Hexologists, Iz and Warren Wilby, as they tackle a case that could redefine the nature of magic itself.

As the nation's foremost investigators of the paranormal, Isolde and Warren Wilby are accustomed to bumping up against things that go bump in the night. They have made quite a name for themselves as the Hexologists: detectives of the uncanny, the monstrous, the strange. After a decade of wedded bliss and dozens of fantastical adventures, there is little in the world that can still surprise them.

But when a famous artist dies under suspicious circumstances, Isolde finds herself investigating a murder that may not have happened, and a crime scene that seems to shift beneath her feet. Not one to be easily thwarted, Isolde is compelled to take greater and greater risks in pursuit of her elusive answers. Meanwhile, the laws that govern magic appear to be breaking, and those cracks are spreading to the everyday world.

The mystery will carry the devoted duo to seedy underworlds, enchanted gardens, and subterranean military zoos. Old friends will come to the Wilbies' aid as they infiltrate secret societies, battle vicious imps, and flee from a pack of venomous wolves. Equipped with Isolde's hexes, Warren's muscle, and an enchanted bag full of magical relics, the Hexologists will have to risk life and limb to unravel the riddle at the heart of A Tangle of Time.
For more from Josiah Bancroft, check out:

The Books of Babel

Senlin Ascends
The Arm of the Sphinx
The Hod King
The Fall of Babel

The Hexologists
The Hexologists

Review Quotes

"Senlin Ascends crosses the everyday strangeness and lyrical prose of Borges and Gogol with all the action and adventure of high fantasy. I loved it, and grabbed the next one as soon as I turned the last page."
--Django Wexler, author of The Thousand Names on Senlin Ascends

"Senlin Ascends is one of the best reads I've had in ages . . . I was dragged in and didn't escape until I'd finished two or three days later."
--Mark Lawrence, author of Prince of Thorns on Senlin Ascends

"The Hod King is a compelling and original novel; the "Books of Babel" are something you hope to see perhaps once a decade - future classics, which may be remembered long after the series concludes."--Los Angeles Times on The Hod King

"An entertaining investigative romp."--Booklist on The Hexologists

"Bancroft brilliantly inaugurates a new fantasy series with this suspenseful and humorous introduction to "private investigators of the paranormal." This light and charming tale encompasses a twisty mystery, detailed Victorian-esque worldbuilding, and nuanced protagonists who love each other dearly, all relayed in Bancroft's superior prose. Readers will be eager to see how the series evolves."--Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"Bancroft has returned to the page in force, deploying his crystal prose and razored wit around a tale that mixes whimsy and threat in equal measure. He's a gift to the genre and we should support his work."--Mark Lawrence, author of The Book That Wouldn't Burn

"Bancroft is a wonder as ever! The Hexologists was a joyous delight on every page--buoyantly inventive, witty, poignant, gripping, and deeply satisfying."--Madeline Miller, New York Times Bestselling author of Circe

"Brilliant debut fantasy . . . This novel goes off like a firework and suggests even greater things in the author's future."
--Publishers Weekly, starred review on Senlin Ascends

"Characters and humor make this magic-meets-steampunk novel worth checking out."--Kirkus on The Hexologists

"Deeply compelling . . . A classic in the making."--B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog

"Fantastic! The Hexologists fizzes eloquently with wit and elegance, but also has marvelous worldbuilding and an excellent plot - and a central pair of characters who I quite simply love. A cocktail of a book made with the very best champagne."--Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library

"It's rare to find a modern book that feels like a timeless classic. I'm wildly in love with this book."--Pierce Brown, author of Red Rising on Senlin Ascends

"Josiah Bancroft's imagination will astound you. One of the most inventive fantasy authors out there." --Fonda Lee, author of the Green Bone Saga

"Senlin is a man worth rooting for, and his strengthening resolve and character is as marvelous and sprawling as the tower he climbs."--The Washington Post on Senlin Ascends

"This madcap thriller is recommended for readers who can't resist the rising wave of fantasy mystery series."--Library Journal on The Hexologists

"What is remarkable about this novel, quite apart from its rich, allusive prose, is Bancroft's portrayal of Senlin, a good man in a desperate situation, and the way he changes in response to his experiences in his ascent."--The Guardian on Senlin Ascends

"Wonderfully unique and superbly well written. I loved every page."--Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld on Senlin Ascends

About the Author

Josiah Bancroft is the author of five novels, a collection of short fiction, and numerous poems. His books have been translated into eight languages. Before settling down to write fantasy full-time, he was a college instructor, rock musician, and aspiring comic book artist. When he's not writing, he enjoys strumming a variety of stringed instruments, drawing with a growing cache of imperfect pens, and cooking without a recipe. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Sharon, their daughter, Maddie, and their two rabbits, Mabel and Chaplin.