Die and Stay Dead (Trent series #2)

Out of print

It’s happened again. Another brutal murder, this time in Greenwich Village. But this investigation is different. It could be the beginning of the end. When Trent realizes that he and the Five-Pointed Star are following the trail straight to Erickson Arkwright, the last surviving member of a doomsday cult, he knows that’s not an exaggeration. Back in the day, the Aeternis Tenebris cult thought the world would end on New Year’s Eve of 2000. When it didn’t, they decided to end it themselves by summoning Nahash-Dred, a powerful, terrifying demon known as the Destroyer of Worlds. But something went wrong. The demon massacred the cult, leaving Arkwright the sole survivor.

Now, hiding somewhere in New York City with a new identity, Arkwright plans to summon the demon again and finish the job he started over a decade ago. As Trent rushes to locate a long-lost magical artifact that may be the only way to stop him, the clues begin to mount…Trent’s forgotten past and Arkwright’s might be linked somehow. And if they are, it means the truth of who Trent really is may lie buried in the twisted mind of a madman.

Reviews

“Smart and fast-paced…The fighting and introspection are finely balanced in this well-developed magical world, which includes harsh costs and sacrifices that don’t always pay off. Each character has a strong voice, allowing for quick engagement even if the reader missed the first book. The strong writing and open ending will leave fans hungry for the next installment.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Fans of the first book, Dying Is My Business (2013), will give this one a very enthusiastic thumbs-up, and urban-fantasy readers who missed that book can jump right in with this one since the author provides sufficient background to allow newbies to understand the setup. A strong follow-up to a promising debut; expect further Trent adventures to follow.” — Booklist

“Extremely fast paced, this noir-influenced urban fantasy has more than a touch of horror…New York is almost a character in the series…Full of clever bantering.” — Library Journal

“A gritty and appealing dark fantasy series I can really sink my teeth into.” — Black Gate

“Kaufmann keeps the tension high in this energetic page turner.” — Rue Morgue

“A satisfying urban fantasy…Tense, pulse-pounding action sequences…St. Martin’s Press scored publishing success with the first adventure featuring the enigmatic Trent, and urban fantasy fanciers will be likely be pleased by his return.” — Diabolique Magazine

“This story is just crying out to be translated into the visual medium. I’m imagining something that draws on Big Trouble in Little China, Angel Heart and National Treasure….What’s really the juicy sweet spot of this story [is] the author’s envisioning of New York City as a special, magical and very old place….Kaufmann weaves a pretty compelling mystery story. This is a book you ought to be reading.” — The Urban Politico

Nicholas Kaufmann