Sully’s investigation will drag her away from the comforts of home in New Amsterdam, the beautiful but useless hyacinth macaw that used to be her boss, and the loving arms of her undead girlfriend, in a thrilling race against time, demonic forces and a shadowy conspiracy that will do anything to keep its hold on power and ensure that Sully takes their secrets to her grave—as soon as possible.

G.D. Penman’s imaginative The Year of the Knife is a fun, fast-paced urban fantasy mystery with an engaging set of characters, most notably Agent Sully of the Imperial Bureau of Investigation.

Recent Press & Endorsements

The Lesbian Review – “Top 100 Lesbian Vacation Novels” – Full Article

Gill Chedgey, Nudge Books (4 stars) – “Agent Sully … is a kick ass heroine, a kind of adult Harry Potter meets Katniss Everdene and is the tour de force that drives this novel along.… The writing is fast paced, imaginative with an underlying intelligence that gives credence to the infrastructure of the magical aspects of crime and policing.” – Full Review

Indiepicks Magazine – “Fans of urban fantasy, stories featuring LGBT characters, or even just those looking for a fun and energetic read are highly encouraged to give it a look.”

The Lesbian Review – “The Year of the Knife was a good book and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a a fast-paced tale, a little magic or perhaps some alternate history. I enjoyed GD Penman’s ease at storytelling and I’ll definitely look for more works by the author in the future.” – Full Review

Gareth L. Powell, BSFA award-winning author of Ack-Ack Macaque – “An addictive blend of magic and murder noir.”

Robyn Bennis, author of The Guns Above  – “Penman writes with the wit and charm of a foul-mouthed Terry Pratchett. His Agent Sully is what Dirty Harry would be if he was a lesbian witch fighting demons alongside the cast of Yes, Minister. She can be my date to the Imperial Bureau of Investigation Ball anytime.”

Book Addict Live (5 stars) – “I devoured this book, it was full of so many different paranormals which I loved. … I really got immersed in this world and thought it was well done. I don’t remember ever quite reading a book like this before, and considering all the paranormal books I have read, I’m pretty impressed. Sully has to be the biggest badass witch I have ever read about. I just loved her character. … I would love a sequel please Mr. Penman.” – Full Review

Ani’s Book Blog (5 stars)– “The story is fast paced. There are no dull moments, non-stop action and writing is really good. Story grabs you from the first moment and you can’t put the book down till the very last pages.” – Full Review

Book Reviews Express (4 stars) – “G.D. Penman has created an amazingly intricate world with well thought out characters…. I loved getting to know the characters and the world that is so similar yet so different from my own world. Based on the ending, I’m really hoping for a sequel! I want to know more about the history of this world and what will become of it in the future. This is definitely a book I would recommend to people who want a new magical take on the world.” – Full Review

Married Book Nerds (4 stars) –  “I really enjoyed this book. A LOT. It starts from that stunning first line, grabs you and does not let you go. I could not put it down.” – Full Review

TRL Reviews (4 stars) –  “Penman has a knack for speculative fiction, especially involving magic, necromancy and, oddly enough, colonialism.” – Full Review

Lin’s Perspective (4 stars) –  “If you are into magic and all the supernatural stuff with demons, vampires, skin walkers and more, I highly recommend you pick this one up and you [will] not be disappointed.” – Full Review

The Mystery Corner – “It was a delightful read to discover layer after layer of mystery unfolding. I was really impressed with what happened and … the reasoning behind all the murders.” – Full Review

BrizzleLass Books –  “I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Sully through to the end of this fantastic urban fantasy.” – Full Review

I Love Books Club –  “Crazy demons, dark magic, and a mysterious conspiracy, oh my!  The Year of the Knife is one crazy book, and you should probably read it with the lights on. … If you have read BookBurners by Brian Francis Slattery, Margaret Dunlap, Max Gladstone, and Mur Lafferty ,or A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess–I would recommend this book to you–however this is an adult book so there are mature themes.” – Full Review

Happy Mom Blogger  – “The Year of the Knife is a compelling tale of magic and monsters and a hold-onto-your-seat kind of story. The book isn’t for the faint of heart and each descriptive scenario is well thought out. Full of magic and comical moments, The Year of the Knife is fun and compelling read with a very surprise twist at the climatic ending.” – Full Review

Ruthie Jones, Reading By Moonlight – “All of the characters are completely engaging, and while The Year of the Knife has plenty of magical gore and gruesome mystery, it has has quite a bit of humor as well. Sully is quick with her snappy answers and retorts, and she has an abundance of bravado. The entire story is gripping and full of non-stop action! The Year of the Knife has plenty of plot twists, but hold on to your seat as the story unfolds into its dramatic climax. You don’t want to miss it!” – Full Review