Kill the Beast

A ruthless faerie bounty hunter finally gets a shot at revenge in this rewarding quest fantasy, Swift’s debut. Lyssa Carnifex—aka the Butcher—has devoted her life to hunting deadly faerie creations known as Hounds, though she’s never been able to track down and slay the Beast of Buxton Fields, the Hound who killed her brother. When the eccentric and extremely wealthy Lord Alderic Casimir de Laurent hires her to kill the Beast, Lyssa jumps at the job. Two things complicate this quest: first, the Beast can only be killed with a sword forged from items owned by its victims; and second, Lyssa’s witch ally, Ragnhild, foretells that Lyssa will only be successful if she and Alderic work together. The pair form an unlikely but banter-filled alliance, as they collect ingredients and dodge the faerie-loving Hound-wardens. The final twist will come as no surprise to any seasoned fantasy reader, but the predictable ending still delivers hefty emotional payoff. Lyssa is a stellar protagonist and readers will find it easy to invest in her story. Meanwhile, the colorful side characters, especially Ragnhild, do their best to steal the show. With a well-drawn cast and a charming fairy tale quality, this should win Swift plenty of fans. Agent: Valerie Noble, Donaghy Literary. (Oct.)