Partners in Crime: A Fantasy Novella

When you're all alone, bereaved and running for your life, who will you call to for aid?

Kara Wunsch, a young thief in the city of Ülhard, is in crisis. Her latest heist has gone horribly wrong, and her best friend and partner of ten years lies slain on the street. Alone, desperate, and afraid, she turns to an unlikely source to help her complete the heist-the assassin who killed her father. Yet when Kara accosts Nico Klavbert, she finds not the hardened man his bloody reputation suggests. Instead, she discovers a strange camaraderie, rooted in Nico's affection for his own partner... the man he calls lover.

Partners in Crime is a fantasy adventure that takes the shape of a heist movie from the flintlock era, featuring a queer heroine coming to terms with her identity. Theft of Swords meets Set It Off as Kara must rely on a pair of brutally competent mercenaries for protection and aid. In order to carry off her ambitious theft and leave the city like she's always dreamed, she must learn to trust her new partners... and face what lies hidden inside her own heart.

◆ Reviews ◆

What Readers Are Saying about Emmylou Kotzé

THE BROKEN KNIGHT
Lovely blend of history and fantasy, especially fairy tales. Deep, emotional topics, complex characters. I loved that this story speaks about loss and grief, yet ends on a hopeful note still. The story is fast paced and suitable for readers who love modern literature, yet it is not simplistic or bland. Beautiful language.
(Amazon Reader)

FOREST OF THE MORNING
Nostalgic sword and sorcery vibes. Reminded me what it was like to be a kid/teen reading fantasy non-stop but without all the stereotypes and misogyny that soured the genre for me once upon a time. Just good old thrill of adventure in this one. And giant flying feathered carnivorous lizards. I will be jumping right on the sequel.
(Goodreads Reader)

◆ More by Emmylou Kotzé ◆

FOREST OF THE MORNING - This epic fantasy follows the adventures of five queer and diverse POV characters as they fight and fall in love amidst the storm of war. Dannine, the daughter of the tyrannical blood sorcerer, is tasked with capturing and corrupting a young mage-soldier, Albryan. But when he escapes and discovers a young woman, Velda, with mysterious powers, it could signal the end of the war. Meanwhile, the young assassins Nico and Fish enter an intrigue that may deepen their relationship from friends to lovers.

THE BROKEN KNIGHT - This short medieval fantasy novel follows an Anglo-Saxon warrior, Will, attempting to return home after a traumatic memory loss. Rescuing a mysterious girl in the woods sets him on a path towards faery intrigue and the mystery of his past life.

Winter of Sci-fi and Fantasy, Vol. 1 - This SFF anthology features a story by Emmylou Kotzé, "The Lost Child and the Hyaena," a space opera adventure following a battleworn female mercenary in a troubled galaxy far far away... inspired by African cultures.

Indie Bites 21: Bandits & Botany - This anthology of indie authors features a story by Emmylou Kotzé, "The Ranger and the Thief," in which a female ranger sworn to protect the endangered flowers of the sacred forest catches a half-feral girl child in the act of poaching.

DARK DEAD THINGS: ISSUE FIVE - This offbeat horror anthology features a story by Emmylou Kotzé, "Grace and the Cowboy," in which a young girl contemplates the true nature of the myriad monsters outside her shuttered upstairs window.

Fall Into Fantasy: 2024 Edition - This fantasy anthology from Cloaked Press features a story by Emmylou Kotzé, "What Makes a Man," a classic sword-and-sorcery adventure following a pair of lifebonded mercenaries as they attempt to protect a group of mage-gifted girls from a ruthless magic thief.