The Violently Departed - by Sarah J Daley (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Blending crime fiction and dark academia, The Violently Departed is a fast paced fantasy novel perfect for fans of An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson.

A missing nun found murdered, a school built on secrets, a haunted town. A new case for Hero Viridian: half-demon, disgraced ex-nun-turned-investigator.

With the stink of demonic involvement surrounding the murder, who better to deal with it than a woman with something to prove, eyes of literal flame and a direct connection to hell?

However, when those who sought her help turn against her, a vulnerable Hero must rely on an unlikely partner, Oleander Keen - a Demonhunter who has already tried to kill her.

"With charming wit and masterful craft, Sarah J. Daley presents your new favorite half-demon detective Hero Viridian, a uniquely complex and ferocious character I'd follow to Hell and back. Atmospheric prose, seamless worldbuilding, and clever, buddy-cop hijinks make The Violently Departed a fast-paced fun and darkly delightful read."
- Salinee Goldenberg, author of Way of the Walker

Review Quotes

"A fast-paced, stylish crime thriller stabbing into the heart of a vicious dark academia."
- Cameron Johnston, author of First Mage On The Moon

"Atmospheric prose, seamless worldbuilding, and clever, buddy-cop hijinks make The Violently Departed a fast-paced fun and darkly delightful read."
- Salinee Goldenberg, author of Way of the Walker

"Abandon ennui, all who enter here and descend into the hellish, lyrical delights of The Violently Departed - half literary epic, half thriller, entirely a masterpiece!"
- Patricia A. Jackson, author of Forging A Nightmare

"Clever, entertaining and imaginative, this was a wholly enjoyable read."
- Gabriela Houston, author of Binding the Cuckoo, The Second Bell and The Bone Roots

"In The Violently Departed, Sarah J Daley has constructed yet another world I want to visit populated by characters I'm not sure I should hug, shake, chat up, or flee. It's wonderfully confusing!"
- R.W.W. Greene, author of Mercury Retrograde

"The reader is swept along by Daley's silky-smooth prose, and by the time I got to the breathless conclusion, I realized I'd been up all night."
- Khan Wong, author of Circus Infinite and Down in the Sea of Angels

"A barnstorming pandemonium of devils, bar-fights, and battle-nuns, but above all, a hell of a good time."
- S K Horton, author of Gorse and Ragwort

"With humour, pathos, and not a little arson, The Violently Departed is a spellbinding whodunnit filled with twists, turns, and infernal machinations."
- MK Hardy, author of The Needfire

"equal parts Sherlock Holmes and Constantine"
- Dan Hanks, author of Swashbucklers and The Way Up Is Death

About the Author

Sarah J. Daley is a former chef who lives and writes in the Chicagoland area with her husband, son and very fat cat. Her debut novel, Obsidian, was a finalist for the 2022 Compton Crook Award. She has also published with Warhammer's Black Library and continues to churn out work featuring indomitable MCs who get dumped into impossible, and usually violent, situations. She is also a proud stepmother to three adult children who definitely don't consider her wicked.