If the first line doesn't make you buy this book, you should turn in your fantasy-lover's badge. City of Lies got me through sitting seven hours in an airport, and proves that a tale about the one who risks his life to thwart assassins can be as compelling as any assassin's tale. -- ROBIN HOBB
City of Lies grips from the first line . . . a compelling fantasy whodunnit - imagine Agatha Christie channelled through Robin Hobb - and a page-turning coming-of-age tale. -- Eric Brown * GUARDIAN *
A tale of poisoners, deceit and treachery that will surely keep readers entranced. I don't read many stories as twisty and unpredictable, especially in the latter chapters, as this one, and I loved what Sam Hawke did. -- TERRY BROOKS
Sibling protagonists anchor this sinuous story of old grievances coming to a boil. Hawke writes with nuance about the loves, loyalties, ambitions and resentments that bind her characters together and threaten to tear them apart. -- KATE ELLIOTT
Sam Hawke does a marvellous job . . . keeping the action tense and the mood fraught, with each plot twist and revelation driving you on to a shocking and satisfying conclusion. City of Lies combines a locked-room mystery with a spy thriller and action-packed fantasy to create an experience that leave you reading late into the night. * SFX magazine *
Absolutely loved this; the world building is brilliant, the mystery and crime elements merge seamlessly into a fantastical world of poisoners, warrior-guilds and ancient magic. But the heart of the story is the central characters, they're written with such depth: flawed, human and likeable. City of Lies is a wonderful read and one that I'd highly recommend to all lovers of fantasy. -- JOHN GWYNNE
An enormously enjoyable read, one of the best new fantasies I've seen in a long time. -- ADRIAN TCHAIKOVSKY
With lush worldbuilding and a tight, twisting plot, City of Lies plants Hawke as a bold new fantasy voice. -- LAURA LAM
Without doubt the best fantasy novel I read this year. With an opening line that resonates and it's sprawling epic world full of political shenanigans and betrayal it is the very definition of a literary page turner. * LIZLOVESBOOKS 'Top 10 of 2018' *
City of Lies is one of the standout debuts - and books - of the year, and stands alone while opening the door for sequels already in the works - and which I'll definitely be reading! * FANTASYHIVE *
Part murder mystery, part political thriller with a fantastical heart . . . I was utterly engrossed from beginning to end. * THE ELOQUENT PAGE *
A tightly wound and ever escalating plot is complemented by the cast's refreshing nuances . . . even when magic comes into play the story never loses its essentially human and relatable scale, making it stand out from more sprawling, cinematic fare. A well-crafted debut with believable political intrigues, solid world-building, and original characters. * KIRKUS REVIEWS *
An absolute revelation . . . the book really blew me away when I first read it, evoking subtle shades of Robin Hobb's Farseer books . . . if you haven't checked out Sam's writing, you really need to. She is a shining star in the genre. * OUT OF THIS WORLD SFF REVIEWS *
'Sam Hawke injects her story with charismatic prose, characters with flair and also has one of the best opening lines that I've ever read in speculative fiction.' * Mihir Wanchoo at FantasyBookCritic *
