This book is set in the world of The Goblin Emperor. Thara Celehar, who helped the titular emperor discover who had killed the old emperor, has been granted a living in Amalo. He’s in a bit of a weird place – directly reporting to the Arch-Prelate, but not really part of the local hierarchy. So he’s having to make the best of being there.
The story concerns three different murders he ends up investigating. One brings him into the world of Amalo’s opera houses. Another sends him to a far off town to put down a ghoul. In another, he tracks a man who appears to be changing names and murdering a series of new wives.
Through all of these, he’s meeting an interesting cast of characters – I can’t say this book is truly a cozy book, but it has a lot of that vibe. It’s very richly drawn – I’m going to read more of this series because I’m sure the story will be interesting, but I also want to see more of the journey that our protagonist and the friends he’s gaining go on.