The dead cannot lie. But they can accuse. And in Ashveil, where corpses whisper secrets to those who dare listen, twenty-four-year-old Lyra Kaine has become the kingdom's most dangerous truth-seeker.

As apprentice to the Royal Necromancer, she possesses a forbidden gift that allows her to commune with the recently deceased for exactly seven minutes before their souls slip beyond reach forever. When a series of brutal murders begins decimating the noble houses, Lyra finds herself thrust into a deadly investigation that will test every limit of her abilities. Each victim she questions reveals fragments of a conspiracy so vast it threatens to topple the throne itself.

The trail of bodies

Leads through twisted court politics, ancient magical bloodlines, and whispered rumors of a plot that reaches the highest echelons of power. But the dead remember imperfectly, their final moments colored by fear and confusion, and Lyra must piece together their fractured testimonies while her own master falls under suspicion.

Complicating everything

Is Cael Thorne, the queen's disgraced former guard captain, who carries his own scars and secrets. As they're forced into an uneasy alliance, Lyra discovers that trust is as dangerous as necromancy in a palace where everyone wears masks and no one is above suspicion.

Every death-speaking

Drains a piece of her soul, leaving her weaker and more vulnerable. Every answer she uncovers spawns three more questions. And time is running out as the killer grows bolder, striking closer to the throne with each passing day.

In a world where magic

Exacts a terrible price and the truth can be more deadly than any blade, Lyra must decide how much of herself she's willing to sacrifice to stop a murderer who seems to be always seven minutes ahead. Because the final corpse she interrogates might reveal the most devastating secret of all—one that will force her to choose between saving the kingdom and avenging the sister whose death still haunts her every waking moment.

Perfect for fans of epic fantasy

With intricate mysteries, morally complex characters, and magic systems that demand sacrifice, Seven Minutes Past Murder delivers a spellbinding tale of necromancy, betrayal, and the deadly cost of speaking for those who can no longer speak for themselves.

Sample Reading Extract

Seven minutes. That's how long Lyra Kaine can commune with the dead before their souls fade forever. As a necromancer's apprentice in the kingdom of Ashveil, she's used her forbidden gift only in training—until nobles start dying under mysterious circumstances.