Description

Steel and iron. Tree and root. And a city crushed between.

In the ancient city of York, a master charm has been stolen. With it comes the power to raise an army of unstoppable metal guardians spread across not just Yorkshire, but the world.

Which is bad enough. But if the charm isn't recovered soon, the steel beasts won't be the only ones on the rampage.

Because Heather – near-goddess of the wood and wild, partner of the charm's creator – has her own ways of dealing with these things. She'll turn the city to mulch to reclaim the charm, and never mind the casualties.

DI Adams never asked to be the magical community's problem-solver, but with York teetering towards destruction, she's suddenly the only one standing between humanity and a full-blown nature-vs-machine catastrophe.

Armed with her invisible, caffeine-addicted dog, her duck, and allies with questionable loyalties, Adams plunges into the hidden underbelly of York in search of the thief. Never mind the implacable automations, ravenous beasts, and lurking toilet monsters – she's also got the horrors of people skills and some bendy physics to deal with, and she can't even arrest them.

But she's got to make this work. Time's running out. The charm is waking.

And when root rises to meet steel, it won't just be York that falls...

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This is book four in the DI Adams Mysteries, which began somewhat further south with What Happened in London, before heading to Yorkshire in All Out of Leeds.

The DI Adams Mysteries contain no graphic violence, scenes of a sexual nature, or strong language, but they do contain some blasphemy, as well as a truly disturbing level of caffeine consumption.