Play Dead
Table of Contents
Praise for
UNLEASHED
“From the San Francisco aura described in the first paragraph to the magic on the last page, this book never let up . . . There are very few books I want to read twice.
Unleashed
made me want to go back and reread books one and two. And before I was even done with
Unleashed
, I wanted to read it all over again.”
Unleashed
made me want to go back and reread books one and two. And before I was even done with
Unleashed
, I wanted to read it all over again.”
—BookSpot
Central.com
Central.com
“Magic, mayhem, and mystery make up
Unleashed
, a poignant yet often amusing urban fantasy that is filled with intrigue . . . a wonderful original urban fantasy whodunit.”
Unleashed
, a poignant yet often amusing urban fantasy that is filled with intrigue . . . a wonderful original urban fantasy whodunit.”
—
Genre Go Round Reviews
Genre Go Round Reviews
“Another solid, thoroughly enjoyable urban fantasy . . . Levitt’s newest novel is a fast-paced, entertaining game of hide-and-seek played in San Francisco . . . Readers who enjoy a thrilling tale with plenty of heart are sure to love this book.”
—
SFRevu
SFRevu
“As always, Lou, the dog/Ifrit, is both the perfect sidekick and conscience as this magical pair faces a bloodthirsty monster. Levitt has plenty of twists up his sleeve in this supernatural thriller.”
—
Romantic Times
Romantic Times
Praise for
NEW TRICKS
“A lively new take on working magic. Along with his original take on familiars (in the form of Ifrits), Levitt is doing very nicely at creating his own niche in the urban fantasy landscape.”
—
SFRevu
SFRevu
“A suspenseful tale that’s supported by strong characters and a delightful infusion of magic and mystery.”
—
Darque Reviews
Darque Reviews
“The second book in Levitt’s Man & His Dog series is just as clever and twisty as the first. Mason’s offbeat sense of humor and knack for finding trouble make him a likable, if somewhat cursed, hero. Lou, on the other hand, is a pure delight. This crime-fighting duo has plenty of bark and bite!”
—
Romantic Times
Romantic Times
“If you like urban fantasy, this one is a cut above the rest.”
—
CA Reviews
CA Reviews
“
New Tricks
came through in a huge way . . . This is urban fantasy at its best.”
New Tricks
came through in a huge way . . . This is urban fantasy at its best.”
—BookSpot
Central.com
Central.com
Praise for
DOG DAYS
“The supernatural lives, breathes, and slithers in a San Francisco where the dog days don’t just get you down; they eat you alive.”
—Rob Thurman, national bestselling author of
The Grimrose Path
The Grimrose Path
“A compelling magical mystery, filled with twists and some uncomfortable turns as it follows a likable new character through a mostly familiar San Francisco ... I thoroughly enjoyed
Dog Days
. It’s proof that there’s still a heck of a lot of potential for variation in the urban fantasy genre, and it’s a highly satisfying read . . . an excellent start to a promising new series.”
Dog Days
. It’s proof that there’s still a heck of a lot of potential for variation in the urban fantasy genre, and it’s a highly satisfying read . . . an excellent start to a promising new series.”
—
The Green Man Review
The Green Man Review
“Appealing, fully founded characters . . . Levitt promises to be a novelist worth watching . . . Readers will enjoy the roller-coaster ride through dangers both magical and mundane. Anyone who likes solid storytelling will enjoy
Dog Days
. Here’s looking forward to the next adventure.”
Dog Days
. Here’s looking forward to the next adventure.”
—
SFRevu
SFRevu
“Levitt has envisioned a lively world . . . [a] delightful take on good versus evil. Mason’s character, with his self-deprecating humor, beat-up van, and list of odd associates, is entertaining and engaging, and will certainly leave readers looking for more from this unlikely hero and his dog.”
—
Monsters and Critics
Monsters and Critics
Ace Books by John Levitt
DOG DAYS
NEW TRICKS
UNLEASHED
PLAY DEAD
NEW TRICKS
UNLEASHED
PLAY DEAD
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada
(a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)
Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.)
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(a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.)
Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India
Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand
(a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.)
Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196,
South Africa
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada
(a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)
Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.)
Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia
(a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.)
Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India
Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand
(a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.)
Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196,
South Africa
Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
PLAY DEAD
An Ace Book / published by arrangement with the author
PRINTING HISTORY
Ace mass-market edition / February 2011
Ace mass-market edition / February 2011
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
eISBN : 978-1-101-47778-6
ACE
Ace Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
ACE and the “A” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Ace Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
ACE and the “A” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
For my dad, Bill Levitt,
who would have liked this one
who would have liked this one
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks go out to all the readers who’ve supported Lou and the series. And Mason, of course, but we all know who the real star is.
ONE
THE RAIN WAS VICIOUS, DRENCHING THE STREETS, bouncing off the pavement and running down the gutters. The wind had picked up, driving the rain sideways at times, and the bobbing red and yellow and black umbrellas danced erratically as the wind swept through.
A nasty gust caught one woman’s black umbrella and flipped it inside out, instantly transforming it from a useful tool into a formless mass of wire and fabric. The woman clutched at it hopelessly and in faint surprise, as if she’d suddenly and unaccountably found herself holding a drowned bat.
Lou was one thoroughly wet dog, and he didn’t like it a bit. He crowded next to my feet, trying to keep under the umbrella as well, but he’s barely a foot tall, and by the time the rain reached him, the umbrella was essentially useless. He stopped every minute or so to give a vigorous shake, coupled with a sour glare in my direction. It was not fit outside for man nor beast, as they say. But the weather was entirely appropriate for my mission. I was on my way to see a black practitioner.
Black practitioners have a bad rep among the rest of us who aren’t and it’s not entirely undeserved, but not all of them are terrible people. I’d dealt with a few of them in the last few years, with mixed results. But I’d dealt with a couple of “normal” practitioners as well, with outcomes that were no better, and sometimes worse.
Still, normally I wouldn’t waltz off to the home of a black practitioner I didn’t know. They’re unpredictable, and a practitioner’s home is where he or she is most effective. There’s enough danger in the magical world as it is, without inviting more.
So when I got a call out of the blue inviting me for a talk, my first instinct was to politely decline. But the person on the other end of the line was courteous and persuasive, and by “persuasive,” I mean he mentioned a rather large sum of money. He wasn’t the actual practitioner, though. When you reach a certain level of fame, or maybe notoriety would be a better word, you never just call up someone yourself. You have people for that sort of thing. And the name he threw out was impressive—I try not to get involved with practitioner politics, but even I had heard of her.
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