Devon Monk's feisty heroine, Allie Beckstrom, returns inMagic Without Mercy, the penultimate novel in this magical urban fantasy series.

'We knew as soon as we stepped out on those streets, we were walking blind, into a war. All of us were going to have to bear the pain of paying the price for the magic we called upon. And I was going to have to bear the pain of carrying a weapon that made me face what I had become. A killer.'

Allison Beckstrom's talent for tracking spells has put her up against some of the darkest elements in the world of magic. But she's never faced anything like this.

Magic itself has been poisoned, and Allie's undead father may have left the only cure in the hands of a madman. Hunted by the Authority - the secret council who enforces the laws - wanted by the police, and unable to use magic, she's got to find the cure before the sickness spreads beyond any power to stop it.

But when a death magic user seeks to destroy the only thing that can heal magic, Allie and her fellow renegades must stand and fight to defend the innocent and save all magic . . .

If you love urban fantasy with a magical twist, then you'll love Devon Monk'sMagic Without Mercy.

'Fiendishly original and a stay-up-all-night read' Patricia Briggs

'Allie's adventures are gripping and engrossing, with an even, clever mix of humour, love, and brutality'Publishers Weekly

'Devon Monk's writing is addictive, and the only cure is more, more, more' Rachel Vincent

Devon Monk has one husband, two sons, and a dog named Mojo. She lives in Oregon and is surrounded by colourful and numerous family members who mostly live within dinner-calling distance of each other. Devon's previous novels,Magic to the Bone,Magic in the Blood,Magic in the ShadowsandMagic on the Stormhave also been published by Penguin. Visit her on the web at www.devonmonk.com.