Siren Teeth

Conscripted into an organization that protects the rest of the world from the supernatural, an apprentice field agent with a unique, if seemingly underwhelming, power must face ghosts, demons, and his own crippling self-doubt if he intends to survive his first week on the job.

Genre: Paranormal urban fantasy
Structure: 1st of a trilogy
Rights available: World English / Translation / Film & TV
Audience: Crossover literature
Word count: 116,000 approx
Timeline: Present
Setting: Somewhere in Ireland
Narrative Perspective: Narrated in 3rd person past tense

Comparables

“The Stranger Times” by C. K. McDonnell and “Sworn Soldier” series by T. Kingfisher

Synopsis

It’s been nearly five years since Murphy survived being kidnapped by a hag. Nearly five years since he was conscripted into the Order, an organization that protects humanity from the supernatural. As the next part of his training, Murphy needs to accompany his mentor Jack into the field. He’s supposed to be getting shown the ropes. But nothing is ever simple when dealing with the supernatural.

A masked creature is stealing magical items from a market for the occult and the vendors suspect one of their own. A vengeful ghost has been kidnapping the people she holds responsible for her creator’s disappearance. A strange sickness is spreading through the quiet town of Grayling, putting everyone who catches it into an endless sleep plagued by nightmares. And something truly sinister is going on beneath the surface in Ward Way, where a cult is planning to conduct a ritual they refer to as ‘the ascension.’

Murphy has been told he’s special, that the abilities he was born with make him uniquely suited to be an operative. But does he really have what it takes or is he just a liability?

Teaser

“I’m telling you I left it right here,” the portly man said, slapping a hand against the counter. “I paid, I went to the bathroom and, when I got back, someone had taken my wallet.”
“No one stole your wallet, Barry,” the barman groaned, rubbing his forehead.
“I’m afraid I have to disagree.”
Murphy’s eyes widened as a man sitting at the end of the bar stood up. He was older, but tall, if slightly lanky. His silhouette was largely obscured by a long black coat. His hair was also black, in a slightly grown out buzzcut, with faint grey speckling along the sides. Dress pants, dress shirt, dress shoes. All a different shade of black. It made his already pale skin look positively sickly.
Everyone inside the canteen stared as he stepped forward. “Your wallet was indeed stolen, Barry,” he said, tucking his hands behind his back. His voice was somber even as he offered a knowing smile. “By someone in this very room.”
“Listen, fella,” the barman said, “there’s n—”
“No need for you to stroll in out of nowhere and start stirring up trouble?” The man squinted at the barman out of the corner of his eye. “Is that what you were going to say, Mr. Tager?”
The barman gaped as the man paced past him.
“As for the wallet, it was taken last night like you said. But not while you were in the bathroom. It was actually taken when the ghost arrived. While everyone was fumbling to get indoors and thinking no one would notice, someone took the opportunity to steal it off the counter.”
He paused as he reached the edge of the bar, the crowd around the canteen gazing slack-jawed at their strange guest.
Jack folded his arms. “Just get to the point already, Abel.”
The man in black glanced at him, inclining his head. His hand shot forward, pointing at a man sitting at the table beside him.
“You, Joseph Campbell,” he declared, “you’re the thief.”
The look of shock on Joseph’s face lasted barely a second before it was replaced with a scowl.
“Do you hear yourself?” he scoffed, slumping his elbows onto the table. “You just came into town this morning. How the heck would you know what happened last night?”
Abel blinked as if barely listening. “Then you’re claiming you are innocent?”
“Stating,” Joseph replied evenly.
“In that case, you wouldn’t mind showing the contents of the left pocket of your satchel?” Abel said, flicking his pointer like a whip.
Again, Joseph’s surprise was quickly overtaken by anger. One of the other men placed a testing hand on his bag and Joseph snatched it aside.
“Listen here,” he snarled, standing to his feet, “I don’t appreciate you insulting my character in front of my friends.”
“I’m simply pointing out facts,” Abel said. He raised his hands placatingly even as he continued to grin behind them. “It’s not my fault if they reflect poorly on you as a person.”