Dying is My Business (Trent series #1)

Dying is My Business (Trent series #1) Cover

Out of print

Given his line of work in the employ of a psychotic Brooklyn crime boss, Trent finds himself on the wrong end of too many bullets. Yet each time he’s killed, he wakes a few minutes later completely healed of his wounds but with no memory of his past identity. What’s worse, each time he cheats death, someone else dies in his place.

Sent to steal an antique box from some squatters in an abandoned warehouse near the West Side Highway, Trent soon finds himself stumbling into an age-old struggle between the forces of good and evil, revealing a secret world where dangerous magic turns people into inhuman monstrosities, where impossible creatures hide in plain sight, and where the line between the living and the dead is never quite clear. And when the mysterious box is opened, he discovers he has only twenty-four hours to save New York City from certain destruction.

Selected for the Los Angeles Times Holiday Book Gift Guide 2013.
Named one of Vampire Book Club’s Best Books of 2013.
Chosen as one of Badass Book Reviews’ Badass Best of 2013.

Important note: A small number of copies were printed without pages 309-341. If you have a misprinted copy, you can read or download the missing pages as a PDF right here: Pages 309 – 341

Reviews

“Filled with characters that should appeal to urban fantasy readers…and told with a real sense of style and wit, the book should have no trouble amassing an enthusiastic readership.” — Booklist

“This smartly told series opener by Kaufmann brings new twists to many of the standard tropes of urban fantasy.” — Library Journal

“Kaufmann…combines elements from myth, fairytale, horror, and even ’30s film romance and detective stories, for an imaginative, appealing take on urban fantasy that seems uniquely suited to New York City, past and present.” — Locus

“Awfully damn entertaining…Dark and funny…You could easily compare Dying to Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files books…Dying Is My Business is a solid entry in Nicholas Kaufmann’s new urban fantasy detective series. Wherever he takes the next books, I’ll be there, front and center.” — Tor.com

“Kaufmann’s novel bristles with suspense; the storytelling is well-paced and the narrative is packed with intrigue. The eternal theme of what it means to be human or monstrous…is in play here, and Kaufmann handles it with dexterity.” — Rue Morgue

“A frenetic, breakneck paced novel that’s half hardboiled New York City crime story and half spectacularly realized fantasy novel… Enough twists and turns to keep even the most jaded of urban fantasy readers on the edge of their seat.” — SF Signal

“Although Nicholas Kaufmann’s dark fantasy/urban noir Dying Is My Business is set in the Big Apple, it is a version of that metropolis that has rarely been seen before…The story moves forward at a blistering pace…If you’re in the mood for a fast, funny, inventive, and compelling read, your search is over. I strongly encourage you to check this one out.” — Mystery Scene Magazine

“Very rarely can you say that an author has literally reinvented a genre. But when it comes to this absolutely eye-opening story, readers will find that this author has found a way to do just that….Truly an unforgettable suspense novel that’s narrated with humor and a bit of sarcasm—something that is usually only done well by Dean Koontz with his Odd Thomas series. Creepy, fun, and immensely entertaining—this book is a definite keeper!” — Suspense Magazine

“A fun and unique story…If you like your Urban Fantasy spiced up with elements that have made the adventures of Marvel Comics’ heroes so exciting, powerful, and poignant, pick up Dying is My Business. You’ll be glad you did.” — Criminal Element

Dying Is My Business is an immensely enjoyable book. Nicholas Kaufmann is an excellent writer. [He’s] very good at creating reader investment, he’s got an excellent handle on grounded worldbuilding…and he has a flair for writing character.” — ChiZine

Dying Is My Business reminded me of The Bourne Identity with a massive fantasy kick.” — Vampire Book Club

“Kaufmann has created a seriously complex and interesting character…in Trent, and has surrounded him with a supporting cast of moody, counter-culture anti-heroes who make this one of the best books I’ve ever enjoyed. Dying Is My Business will grab you by the throat and throw you headlong into a version of New York City you never knew existed. I hope you don’t like sleep, because this is one book you won’t be putting down until you’ve finished it.” — Zombies & Toys

“Nicholas Kaufmann really knows how to build a story…I even did some housework to postpone reading the final chapter. That is how badly I want this story to still be going on right now.” — New Adult Addiction

Dying Is My Business is very, very good…sharp, dark humor…pure inventiveness.” — January Magazine

Dying Is My Business took me on a completely unexpected whirlwind…a very fast paced thriller in modern day New York.” — LazyDay.CA

Dying Is My Business is dark and action-packed, with great (and surprisingly believable) dialogue. Kaufmann does a great job incorporating everyday humour into the mix with some flair….If you like Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels with an urban twist, then Dying Is My Business should be right up your alley.” — Toronto Thumbs

Dying is my Business is hands down one of the best plots I’ve read and one wild ride from start to finish.” — Book Bliss

“Nicholas Kaufmann’s Dying Is My Business is urban fantasy-noir at its finest, full of marvelous imagination, snarky humor, Whedonesque romance, inventive mythology, and badass monsters! Fans of Richard Kadrey’s Sandman Slim will love it.” — Christopher Golden, New York Times bestselling co-author of Father Gaetano’s Puppet Catechism

“Kaufmann spins his yarn with relish and a gift for making the fantastical seem completely plausible – the perfect combination for an author of urban fantasy.” — Charles Ardai, Edgar and Shamus Award-winning author, editor of Hard Case Crime, and Consulting Producer of Haven

“There’s crazy, dark inventiveness on every page. Reminiscent of Roger Zelazny’s Amber books.” — Mike Carey, New York Times bestselling author of The Devil You Know and X-Men: Legacy

“Nicholas Kaufmann takes us into (and even under) the gritty streets to show us a New York City beyond anything we’ve seen. As we race to a truly apocalyptic conclusion you’ll root for the very human protagonists of this very inhuman world.” — David Wellington, author of 13 Bullets

“With Dying Is My Business, Nicholas Kaufmann reinvents the urban fantasy genre. And he gives us Trent — a complex, damaged and thoroughly badass new hero to save us from the forces of darkness.” — Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Dead Of Night and Extinction Machine

“Engrossing from the first page, Dying Is My Business is tremendous fun, packed with magic, plot twists, and thrills. Nicholas Kaufmann is an author to keep an eye on.” — Harry Connolly, author of the Twenty Palaces novels

Dying Is My Business is hot-paced adventure mixing the criminal underworld with otherworldy magic, and introducing a hero who is both cold-blooded and compassionately heroic.” – Laura Anne Gilman, author of Dragon Justice

“Surprising, thoughtful, and brilliantly conceived, Dying Is My Business kept me enthralled from the first page to the last.” — Tim Lebbon, New York Times bestselling author of Coldbrook

“Nicholas Kaufmann is the Christopher Moore of urban fantasy. Dying Is My Business is a smart, gleeful page-turner by an expert in the genre.” — Sarah Langan, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Audrey’s Door

Dying Is My Business is a delight, a fabulous blend of mystery, crime, fantasy and thrills!” — James A. Moore, author of Seven Forges and Subject Seven