A murdered Crown examiner. A trail designed to lead nowhere. And a group of strangers about to uncover a secret someone is willing to kill to protect. Christopher Brightbane came to Durnwick looking for little more than a place to disappear. Instead, one violent night at the Silver Stag pulls him into an investigation that should have ended with a simple arrest. It doesn't. Alongside the quick-witted Egon, the determined Mara, and a growing circle of unlikely allies, Christopher begins following a trail of missing records, false bandits, hidden messages, and powerful men who would rather see the truth buried. But in Aldevor, every answer creates another question. Why was a Crown examiner murdered? Why are shipments vanishing between Durnwick and Oakshield? And why does someone seem to know where the investigation will lead before Christopher and his companions do? As the conspiracy reaches beyond the streets of Durnwick, Christopher is forced to confront not only the danger ahead-but pieces of a past he thought were long behind him. The False Trail is Book One of Shadows of Aldevor, an adult fantasy mystery combining medieval adventure, political intrigue, hidden histories, sharp banter, and an ensemble cast of unforgettable characters. For readers who enjoy character-driven fantasy, mysteries woven into secondary worlds, dangerous journeys, conspiracies, and friendships forged under pressure.
