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The Strangest Criminals by Blake Polden

$29.99

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Welcome to Public Unrest: part cult, part crime syndicate, all chaos.

Sally Li didn't mean to become a key player in the magical underworld. She just wanted to grow her weird, glowing plants in peace. But in the city of Strange-a seaside town with more secrets than seagulls-peace is in short supply.

Sal cultivates Tinker, a rare, memory-meddling plant grown for Public Unrest: a secretive, enchantment-fuelled crime syndicate hidden beneath the city. Its network is everywhere-through laundrette spin cycles, bakery ovens, and broom cupboards in takeaway shops-and it runs on a potent mix of magic, tech, and ruthless charm.

To the outside world, Sal is just another StrangeEats delivery rider. But underground, she's Fix: the Orchard Manager, growing the most valuable (and volatile) product in the Family's supply chain. She's protected, surveilled, and suspiciously well-treated. Which means she's either very important-or dangerously expendable.

When a turf war brews and Sal's chosen family-her girlfriend Lucy and her flatmate Matti-get tangled in the fallout, she's forced to confront how deep she's in and who's really calling the shots. Is she building something worthwhile or just tending the roots of a new kind of cult?

Set in a world where spells are bought online and secret doorways open through household appliances, The Strangest Criminals is a sharp, funny, and subversive crime fantasy about loyalty, found family, and the cost of choosing the wrong kind of magic. Perfect for fans of Neverwhere, Rivers of London, and The Thursday Murder Club-with a rebellious heart and a criminally good sense of humour.

ORDER A SIGNED & GIFT-WRAPPED COPY FOR YOU OR A FRIEND

Welcome to Public Unrest: part cult, part crime syndicate, all chaos.

Sally Li didn't mean to become a key player in the magical underworld. She just wanted to grow her weird, glowing plants in peace. But in the city of Strange-a seaside town with more secrets than seagulls-peace is in short supply.

Sal cultivates Tinker, a rare, memory-meddling plant grown for Public Unrest: a secretive, enchantment-fuelled crime syndicate hidden beneath the city. Its network is everywhere-through laundrette spin cycles, bakery ovens, and broom cupboards in takeaway shops-and it runs on a potent mix of magic, tech, and ruthless charm.

To the outside world, Sal is just another StrangeEats delivery rider. But underground, she's Fix: the Orchard Manager, growing the most valuable (and volatile) product in the Family's supply chain. She's protected, surveilled, and suspiciously well-treated. Which means she's either very important-or dangerously expendable.

When a turf war brews and Sal's chosen family-her girlfriend Lucy and her flatmate Matti-get tangled in the fallout, she's forced to confront how deep she's in and who's really calling the shots. Is she building something worthwhile or just tending the roots of a new kind of cult?

Set in a world where spells are bought online and secret doorways open through household appliances, The Strangest Criminals is a sharp, funny, and subversive crime fantasy about loyalty, found family, and the cost of choosing the wrong kind of magic. Perfect for fans of Neverwhere, Rivers of London, and The Thursday Murder Club-with a rebellious heart and a criminally good sense of humour.

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testimonials

  • "Funny, high-octane, and character-driven, this is a worthy successor to Rivers of London and Pratchett. Remember the name Blake Polden." — Wren James, Carnegie Long-listed Author

  • This book was amazing! I read it in two days and couldn’t put it down; every character was brilliant, and I kept telling myself that I would just read one more chapter before taking a break. That never happened, and I am so hooked on the world that has been created here.

    There is a lovely found family vibe, with a really fun and exciting exploration of magic and how it works. I can’t wait for the next one! — Connor G, Kindle Review

  • For lovers of fantasy with a twist of comedy. I was hooked from page one. What might be lucky beneath the streets of your town? — Kristina, Kindle Review

  • An incredibly well written blend of the criminal underworld, mixed with a sprinkling of magical realism that makes the world feel familiar and new and exciting. Vibrant characters bring the story to life. — Caleb, Kindle Review

  • The Strangest Criminals is an absolute blast! Blake Polden blends urban fantasy with mob crime and magic in a way that is fast-paced, thrilling, and funny. This book was so original and unlike anything I've read before, blending magically seamlessly into the normal, from plants to AI. Such a unique and fresh story with memorable characters. Can't wait to read what's next! — William, Goodreads Review

  • A 5 star read that’s unlike anything I’ve ever read. You’ll be hooked from the beginning and become deeply invested in the characters. I can’t recommend this book enough! — Elyce, Kindle Review

  • I was hooked on the first page. I have completed this entire book in 3 days! The Strangest Criminals has made me laugh out loud, read passages to family members and discuss the book’s merits in length to anyone who will listen! A truly great read! — Ashlee, Kindle Review

  • This is so original, and I loved it. Great characters and a family, feel-good tone and magic what more can you ask for? — S Pullen, Kindle Review

  • I couldn't put this down. What a unique, chaotic, sad, wonderful book with lovely characters that jump off the page. Finished it in one day! — Kindle Review

BROWSE THE LIBRARY

Sunnywood House By Blake Polden Sunnywood House By Blake Polden
Sunnywood House By Blake Polden
$24.99

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Retired adventurers, a cursed debt and one last stand.

Sunnywood House was supposed to be a quiet retirement home for adventurers past their prime — a place to rest weary bones, swap old stories, and stay well out of trouble.

Trouble, unfortunately, has other plans.

When a cursed debt brings dark magic, mysterious enforcers, and an alarming number of undead rabbits to their doorstep, a stubborn group of ageing heroes find their home under threat. With nowhere else to go, they’ll have to decide whether they’re truly finished… or if they still have one last adventure left in them.

Joined by a scrappy new recruit who never expected to live with legends, the residents of Sunnywood House must rely on old tricks, unlikely friendships, and the kind of magic that doesn’t fade with age.

Perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club and Legends & Lattes, Sunnywood House is a cosy, comic fantasy full of British humour and heart — a found-family story about fighting for your home, even when the world insists you’re past your prime.