Magic for Liars

A Novel

By: Sarah Gailey

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Paperback | 5 May 2020

At a Glance

Paperback
336 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
20.8 x 13.8 x 3.1

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Two Enigmatic Sisters
A Brilliant, Terrifying Secret
A Perfect Lie

Ivy Gamble was born without magic and never wanted it.

Ivy Gamble has an almost-sustainable career as a private investigator, and an empty apartment, and a slight drinking problem. She doesn't in any way wish she was like Tabitha, her estranged, magically gifted twin sister.

Ivy Gamble is a liar.

A darkly enchanting debut novel from the award-winning Sarah Gailey, perfect for fans of Charlie Jane Anders and Megan Abbott, following the harrowing search for a killer at a private academy for mages hidden in modern-day Northern California.

About the Author

Sarah Gailey came onto the speculative scene in 2015 and has since become one of the sharpest, funniest voices in pop culture online, going viral frequently for their stories and joie de vivre. They are a regular contributor to multiple websites, including Tor.com, where their Women of Harry Potter series recently won a Hugo finalist for Best Related Work. Gailey's nonfiction has appeared in Mashable and The Boston Globe, and writes short fiction for various popular outlets.

Industry Reviews

Praise for Magic for Liars

A private investigator takes a job investigating a murder at a magic school in California. Our PI never developed magic ability, much to her dismay--so we enter that world with the same longing for specialness that she does. Whether it's the 'murder investigation' part of that summary that grabs you or the 'magic school' part, this winsome, clever book will definitely engage you.--Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Divergent series

"A queerer, older, quicker-paced Harry Potter, concerned with the childhood grudges that adults can't get over."--Refinery 29

"We can't wait to see what Sarah Gailey does next!"--Crimereads, the most anticipated crime books of summer

"With winks to multiple genres, Sarah Gailey's Magic for Liars shows that their talent has no trouble extending to a full-length novel."--Culturess

"In a very short time, Sarah Gailey has distinguished themself as one of science fiction's best new writers." --BoingBoing

"The world has little mercy; but it does have heart, and like Ivy, it carries on despite its scars."--NPR

"Magic for Liars is a perfect, spare, delectable novel that features a masterful narrative structure, terribly human characters occupying realistically magical settings, and more. The prose is spot-on and paints an intimate, flawed portrait of how a world like Gamble's would function, from the moment she tells the disbelieving bartender magic exists to the moment she walks out on her sister. I can't recommend it highly enough." --Tor.com

"There's something for almost all readers here... Gailey shows us that humans are humans, even when they are magic, and they are still flawed, damaged, and oh-so-interesting" --Booklist (starred review)

"Clever and fast-paced... a wonderfully quirky mystery filled with inviting characters and gripping surprise twists." --Publishers Weekly

"A poignant and bittersweet family tragedy disguised as a mystery but with a magic all its own." --Kirkus

"Veronica Mars with a bit of Harry Potter" --The Nerd Daily

"Sarah Gailey mashes hard-bitten detective noir into the magical YA world of Harry Potter in Magic For Liars... a Syfy series waiting to happen." --AV Club

"The sharpest female protagonist of the summer"--The Mary Sue

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