The Lavender Blade

Colton and Lucian make their living by fooling the rich. Lucian is the charming face of a staged exorcism, and Colton works the tricks out of sight. For years the act has paid, and neither of them has believed in any of it.

Then a real demon takes hold of Lucian's body and twists it into something monstrous. No priest, no ritual and no clever lie can reverse the damage. Colton, who has only ever faked the supernatural, must study genuine sorcery and throw out every rule that has guided their partnership.

The world is steampunk-flavoured, and sleight of hand sits beside real sorcery until the line between them blurs. Class divides run through the setting, and the marks the pair once fleeced belong to the same wealthy circles that shape their lives.

The book is a queer romance with a darker, horror-tinged edge. Possession drives the plot, and the con turns dangerous in earnest. The race is against the demon, which is steadily erasing the man Colton loves. An audiobook edition is narrated by Nicholas Boulton.