1883. Cairndale Institute lies in ruins, the orsine finally destroyed. With Marlowe presumed dead, the Talents and their companions have found themselves separated - and struggling to survive.

Charlie believes Marlowe is alive in another world, and is determined to find a way to get him out. Together with Komako, Oskar and Miss Davenshaw, he seeks clues to the whereabouts of another orsine - while Miss Davenshaw knows of an old Talent who might have some answers, and Alice and Ribs go in search of the children named in a strange burned journal.

In a journey that will take them from Valladolid to Paris to Alexandria, Egypt, the Talents soon learn that they are not as alone as they might think, meeting a shapeshifting boy whose skills rely on the bodies of the dead, and a young bone witch who can bring the dead back to life. As the mystery of the second orsine deepens, the gang assembles to find themselves hunted by a new, more powerful enemy - one who will not stop until every Talent in this world is destroyed.

One thing is clear: a war is coming.

Praise for Ordinary Monsters (Book One of The Talents Trilogy):

'Ordinary Monsters is a towering achievement: a dazzling mountain of wild invention, Dickensian eccentrics, supernatural horrors, and gripping suspense. Be warned... once you step into this penny dreadful to end all penny dreadfuls, you'll never want to leave'
Joe Hill, #1 New York Times bestselling author of HEART-SHAPED BOX

'Expansive in scope and storytelling, Ordinary Monsters builds an electrifying Victorian world: grimy but luminous, magical but deadly, with a cast of diverse and gripping characters that feel entirely modern'
Cari Thomas, bestselling author of THREADNEEDLE

'Haunting, tense, earth-shattering ... A riveting mix of magic and terror'
Tamora Pierce

'Murky as London smog, dark as black pudding, this is a gaslit gothic tour de force . . . The fantasy is so rich and the atmosphere so immersive in this stand-out debut, that it's easy to overlook the crispiness of the writing and the brilliantly propulsive plotting. And while drughrs, litches, keywrasses and orsines make for a wonderful new language of dread, it's the characters that carry the day'
Daily Mail

'An engrossing piece of Gothic, Dickensian fantasy, centred around children gifted with magical powers . . . Miro's meaty, detailed execution lends his story weight and depth and commands respect'
Financial Times

'A thrilling blend of fantasy and horror, richly imagined and masterfully executed'
SFX

'A fantasy series so ambitious that it makes The Lord of the Rings look like a stroll in the Shire . . . Spanning the globe and crammed with good versus evil battles and hair's breadth escapes, this book is great fun despite frim subject matter, thanks to J. M. Miro's darkly witty style . . . Remarkably fresh'
Daily Express