Undone Deeds
Authors: Mark Del Franco
“Take a walk on the Weird side.”
—Rob Thurman,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Basilisk
uncertain allies
“Incredible world-building. There are layers and layers of it, and the political wrangling is incredibly detailed and well thought out.”
—
Dangerous Romance
“Outstanding entertainment.”
—
Romantic Times
unperfect souls
“Peeling back layers in Del Franco’s mystifying Weird series only whets the appetite for more.”
—
Romantic Times
“What’s not to like?… I thoroughly enjoyed reading
Unperfect Souls
and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys contemporary fantasy.”
—
Fantasy Literature
“[A] hidden gem.”
—
Night Owl Reviews
unfallen dead
“[A] fast-paced ride through the Weird side of town…. Rob Thurman and John Levitt fans will want to check out this urban fantasy series.”
—
Monsters and Critics
“Enthralling urban fantasy…. Mark Del Franco provides a spectacular paranormal police procedural.”
—
Alternative Worlds
“One of the most compelling aspects of this first-person detective series is the evolutionary track taken by its damaged yet persistent hero…. a gritty, compelling mystery. In the hands of a talent like Del Franco, murder, revenge, and attempted world conquest add up to urban fantasy at its best.”
—
Romantic Times
“Connor is an engaging character with a real heart and a sense of humor that humanizes him to the reader. The world that he lives in is well constructed and easy to sink into. I also find it incredibly refreshing to read [about] a male protagonist when so much paranormal fiction is dominated by female protagonists. Del Franco has created the perfect hero for the modern age.”
—BookFetish
“Damaged druid Connor Grey is back in his third mystery, which ramps up the magical action considerably…. lots of snarky characters to keep things fun.”
—
Locus
unquiet dreams
“A tale filled with magic, mystery, and suspense….
Unquiet Dreams
is a well-written story with characters that will charm readers back for another visit to the Weird.”
—
Darque Reviews
“
Unquiet Dreams
is an urban fantasy wrapped around a police procedural, and that makes for a fast-paced, action-packed novel…. a great new urban fantasy series.”
—
SFRevu
“A solid adventure filled with unique characters and plenty of fast-paced suspense.”
—
Pulp Fiction Reviews
“It’s back to the Weird for the second chapter in this striking first-person druid-detective series. Del Franco’s clear and textured voice ensures that readers [invest] instantly in characters and story. Waiting for the next installment will be tough.”
—
Romantic Times
“Readers who like a mystery as the prime plot of an outstanding fantasy (think of Dresden) will thoroughly be entertained and challenged by
Unquiet Dreams
. This is a great new series.”
—
Genre Go Round Reviews
“Mark Del Franco is a master at combining modern fantasy with crime detective mystery. Fans of either genre are sure to find a good read in
Unquiet Dreams
.”
—
BookLoons
unshapely things
“A richly detailed world…. It will pull you along a corkscrew of twists and turns to a final cataclysmic battle that could literally remake the world.”
—Rob Thurman,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Basilisk
“An engaging urban fantasy…. a bravura finale.”
—SF Reviews.net
“[An] entertaining contemporary fantasy mystery with a hard-boiled druid detective…. a promising start to a new series.”
—
Locus
“Masterfully blends detective thriller with fantasy…. a fast-paced thrill ride…. Del Franco never pauses the action…. and Connor Grey is a very likable protagonist. The twisting action and engaging lead make
Unshapely Things
hard to put down.”
—
BookLoons
“The intriguing cast of characters keeps the readers involved with the mystery wrapped up in the fantasy…. I look forward to spending more time with Connor in the future and learning more about him and his world.”
—
Gumshoe
“A wonderfully written, richly detailed, and complex fantasy novel with twists and turns that make it unputdownable…. Mr. Del Franco’s take on magic and paranormal elements is fresh and intriguing. Connor Grey’s an appealing hero bound to delight fantasy and paranormal romance fans alike.”
—
The Romance Readers Connection
“Compelling and fast-paced…. The world-building is superb…. Fans of urban fantasy should get a kick out of book one in this new series.”
—
Romantic Times
“A very impressive start. The characters were engaging and believable, and the plot was intriguing. I found myself unable to put it down until I had devoured it completely, and I’m eagerly looking forward to the sequel.”
—
BookFetish
Ace Books by Mark Del Franco
The Connor Grey Series
UNSHAPELY THINGS
UNQUIET DREAMS
UNFALLEN DEAD
UNPERFECT SOULS
UNCERTAIN ALLIES
UNDONE DEEDS
The Laura Blackstone Series
SKIN DEEP
FACE OFF
mark del franco
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
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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.
UNDONE DEEDS
An Ace Book / published by arrangement with the author
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Ace mass-market edition / February 2012
Copyright © 2012 by Mark Del Franco.
Cover art by Craig White.
Cover design by Judith Lagerman.
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.
EISBN: 9781101578667
ACE
Ace Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
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ACE and the “A” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
For my mom
Thanks as always to Anne Sowards, my editor, for her input and advice. Sara and Bob Schwager have been copy editors for the Connor Grey series from the beginning, and I am thankful for their knowledge (and recollection!) on each successive book.
My family members have always been among my biggest advocates, and I am deeply appreciative of their continued support.
Finally, a special thank-you to my partner, John Custy, without whom I would have stopped writing long ago.
Please note that a short section of “The Second Coming” by W. B. Yeats makes an uncredited appearance (for stylistic reasons) within the text. The poem, one of my favorites, has had a strong influence on the Connor Grey series—as has Yeats in general. Sharp-eyed readers will notice that the titles of the first two books in the series can be found in, respectively, Yeats’s “The Rose in the Deeps of His Heart” and “The Stolen Child,” and his ideas about gyres and geometry inspired much of the concept of Connor’s world. You cannot go wrong reading his poetry.