The Liars Knot, M. A. Carrick
The Liars Knot, M. A. Carrick
List: $44.99 | Sale: $31.50
Club: $22.49

The Liar's Knot

Author: M. A. Carrick

Narrator: Nikki Massoud

Unabridged: 23 hr 13 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Orbit

Published: 03/22/2022


Synopsis

A clever con artist, a legendary vigilante, and a dashing crime lord must fight to free their city from the clutches of a dark and ancient magic in the second novel of M. A. Carrick's “utterly captivating” Rook & Rose trilogy. (S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass)

TRUST IS THE THREAD THAT BINDS. AND THE ROPE THAT HANGS. In Nadežra, peace is as tenuous as a single thread. The ruthless House Indestor has been destroyed, but darkness still weaves through the city’s filthy alleys and jewel-bright gardens, seen by those who know where to look.

Derossi Vargo has always known. He has sacrificed more than anyone imagines to carve himself a position of power and influence among the nobility, hiding a will of steel behind a velvet smile. He'll be damned if he lets anyone threaten what he's built.
 
Grey Serrado knows all too well. Bent under the yoke of too many burdens, he fights to protect the city’s most vulnerable. Sooner or later, that fight will demand more than he can give.
 
And Ren, daughter of no clan, knows best of all. Caught in a knot of lies, torn between her heritage and her aristocratic masquerade, she relies on her gift for reading pattern to survive. And it shows her the web of darkness that traps her city.
 
But all three have yet to discover just how far that web stretches. And in the end, it will take more than wits and knives to cut themselves free.

Praise for the Rook & Rose trilogy:

“Lush, engrossing and full of mystery and dark magic . . . Jump in and get swept away.” —BookPage

“Will catch hold of your dreams and keep you from sleeping.” —Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Calculating Stars

“I was unable to put it down.” —Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

“Exactly the fantasy adventure novel you're craving.” —Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne

“A fantastically twisty read.” —Fran Wilde, author of the Bone Universe trilogy

"Immersive…a feast to savor slowly." —BuzzFeed

"For those who like their revenge plots served with the intrigue of The Goblin Emperor, the colonial conflict of The City of Brass, the panache of Swordspoint, and the richly detailed settings of Guy Gavriel Kay."—Booklist (starred review)

About M. A. Carrick

M. A. Carrick is the joint pen name of Marie Brennan (author of The Memoirs of Lady Trent) and Alyc Helms (author of The Adventures of Mr. Mystic). The two met in 2000 on an archeological dig in Wales and Ireland -- including a stint in the town of Carrickmacross -- and have built their friendship through two decades of anthropology, writing, and gaming. They live in the San Francisco Bay Area.


Reviews

Goodreads review by jessica on December 03, 2021

this book (and, by extension, series) is the holy grail of world-building and characterisation. the nuance, the intricacy, the intention behind everything is so well thought-out and expertly crafted. and while i do appreciate good world-building and characters, im definitely much more of a plot kind......more

Goodreads review by Petrik on September 27, 2024

The Liar’s Knot took its time to get its gear running, but the moment it started, the M.A. Carrick duo proved why this is a stronger installment than its predecessor. I would be lying if I said I did not struggle with the first half of The Liar’s Knot, the second book in the Rook and Rose trilogy by......more

Goodreads review by EmmaSkies on September 05, 2023

What’s great about the second book in a series - especially in a fantasy series - is that the groundwork of the intense worldbuilding has been laid and now it’s just a big playground for the characters. AND THAT’S WHAT THIS WAS. THE CHARACTER WORK IN THIS IS IMPECCABLE. This series has some of my fa......more

Goodreads review by a foray in fantasy on January 20, 2022

So so so good— my favorite slow burn finally paid off! Vargo is better than ever! Alsius (SOCKS) is so adorable! The found family is just mmmmmmmm! Ren is finally getting in touch with her heritage! Just a little slower paced than last time, but still completely engrossing story. How am I supposed to......more

Goodreads review by Robin on March 20, 2025

i just be out here collecting stoic men like infinity stones here for [redacted] queening out as the rook and then going back to the suffering of the everyday Bookstagram | Blog......more


Quotes

"Utterly captivating. Carrick spins an exciting web of mystery, magic, and political treachery in a richly drawn and innovative world."—S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

"The Mask of Mirrors kept me up reading way past my bedtime. A web of intrigue, magic, and the art of the con this novel will catch hold of your dreams and keep you from sleeping."—Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Calculating Stars

The Mask of Mirrors ushers you into the fascinating city of Nadezra, replete with complex politics, intricate magic, and mysteries that readers will be racing to unravel. Wonderfully immersive—I was unable to put it down.”
 —Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

"For those who like their revenge plots served with the intrigue of The Goblin Emperor, the colonial conflict of The City of Brass, the panache of Swordspoint, and the richly detailed settings of Guy Gavriel Kay."—Booklist (starred review)

The Mask of Mirrors is exactly the fantasy adventure novel you're craving: an escape into a vast, enchanting world of danger, secret identities, and glittering prose.”—Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne

“The richly layered city of Nadezra, combined with the deeply intertwined politics and rivalries of its residents, creates a perfect backdrop for the enchantment of Carrick's plot and characters. A fantastically twisty read.”
 —Fran Wilde, author of The Bone Universe trilogy

"Lush, engrossing, and full of mystery and dark magic, The Mask of Mirrors is sure to please fantasy readers looking to dial up the intrigue....Jump in and get swept away."—BookPage

“From the first page, I was utterly entranced by this glittering world filled with masked vigilantes, cunning conwomen, and dark magic. A sheer delight!”
 —Katy Rose Pool, author of There Will Come A Darkness

“An intricate, compelling dream of a book that kept me turning pages, with a world and characters that felt deeply real and plenty of riveting twists and turns. I loved it!”
 —Melissa Caruso, author of The Obsidian Tower