Strange Promises

“A zany urban fantasy series that blends the bureaucracy of The House in the Cerulean Sea with the action-adventure sequences of Dungeon Crawler Carl.” —BookPage

Return to a magical Singapore where every supernatural disaster generates paperwork, in Strange Promises, a new adventure in the DEUS Files, an urban fantasy series by author Jared Poon that is equal parts humor, action, and charm. 

Benjamin Toh is a middle manager in the Division for Engagement of Unusual Stakeholders (DEUS), so he’s used to handling extradimensional incursions, dangerous demigods, and ambitious bosses. Routine, until a cargo ship crash exposes a cache of smuggled magical artifacts, and two crew members are found sealed in impenetrable pearl.

Senior Management is eager to close the case quickly, pin the blame, and move on. But the details don’t add up.

Old records reveal a decades-old smuggling pipeline, a paper trail of investigations leading nowhere, and signs that the city’s supernatural criminal underclass—the wulin—may be involved. Following the trail will mean dealing with people Ben’s boss would rather avoid. Saving the crew would come at a cost to the country he’s sworn to serve.

As rumors stir and old rivalries fester, tensions between wulin Sects threaten to spill into open conflict. To uncover the truth and stop the bloodshed, Ben and his coworkers (plus one boyfriend, plus one cat) must use all their wits to navigate underworld politics, survive esoteric martial arts duels, and reckon with systems that may be failing those who depend on them.

Piece of cake.

Praise for the DEUS Files:

★ “Urban fantasy that vibes like The X-Men meets Parks and Recreation? A send-up of government bureaucracy that is also a magnificent homage to public service? Sign me up!” —Megan Bannen, USA Today bestselling author of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

★ “City of Others delights and charms, seamlessly blending action, magic, and romance. I absolutely adored this!” —Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

★ “A whip-smart urban fantasy humming with the vibrant energy of Singapore and its chaotic magical inhabitants.”—Molly O’Neill, author of Greenteeth

• Praise for the DEUS Files: 

  “Poon seamlessly blends action, magic, and romance. I absolutely adored this!" —Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

  "Urban fantasy that vibes like The X-Men meets Parks and Recreation? Sign me up!” —Megan Bannen, author of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

  “A whip-smart urban fantasy.” —Molly O'Neill, author of Greenteeth

  “By turns funny, philosophical, and delightfully bizarre." —M. Stevenson, author of Behooved

  "Full of wonder, tenderness, and breathtaking adventure. A fresh and captivating fantasy." —Kylie Lee Baker, author of Japanese Gothic