The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne

1 

That morning, with the dawn hanging wet and pale over the marshes, Scarlett McCain woke up beside four dead men. Four! She hadn t realized it had been so many. No wonder she felt stiff. 

She tipped her prayer mat from its tube and unrolled it on the ground. Sitting cross-legged upon it, she tried to meditate. No luck, not with four corpses staring at her and a knife wound throbbing in her arm. A girl couldn t concentrate in those conditions. What she needed was food and coffee. 

She got to her feet and glared down at the nearest body. It was a portly, black-bearded Woldsman in a denim shirt and jeans. He looked old enough to be her father. Perhaps it was her father. His face, half resting on mud and stones, wore an aggrieved expression. 

Yeah, we ve all got problems, Scarlett said. You try to rob me, that s what you get.  

She stepped over the man and went down to the lake to inspect the animal snares. Yet again her luck was poor. The traps were broken, the noose strings bitten through. At the end of a smear of blood, a rabbit s head lay tilted in the bent, wet grass. The long rust-brown ears were cocked upward as if giving her a furry two-finger salute. It was like the mud-rats had deliberately left it that way.

Scarlett McCain swore feelingly in the direction of the forest. Then she took a penny from her pocket and transferred it to the leather cuss-box hanging at her neck. Already in the red! And she hadn t even had her breakfast. 

Back at camp, she brewed coffee over the remains of the night s fire. She drank standing up, straining the dregs through her teeth and spitting the black grit into the water of the stream. It would be a clear day; cool at first, but no rain. The hilltops of the Wolds were picked out in buttery yellow, the western flanks still dark and blue. Way off, beyond the edge of the marshes, Scarlett could see the streetlights of Cheltenham showing

Jonathan Stroud is the author of the New York Times bestselling Bartimaeus trilogy, the Lockwood & Co. series, and the stand-alone titles Heroes of the Valley, The Leap, The Last Siege, and Buried Fire. He lives in England with his wife, Gina, and their three children. To learn more, visit jonathanstroud.com.

"The vivid setting, rapid-fire dialogue, and nonstop action will propel readers through this raucous, rousing rumble. A blast for action fans, with potential for a long run." Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Just the kind of setting where adventure fantasy thrives. Add razor-sharp banter and you can lay the smart money on another Stroud winner." Bulletin, starred review

"Stroud expertly builds flawed characters, cahoots close and tender, and a fully realized setting in this rollicking series opener, employing arch phrasing, witty rapport, and quick pacing alongside the brutally rendered truths of a world intent on controlling outlaws of every type." Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Stroud s world building is exceptional, his compelling characters easy to root for. There s real suspense and surprise, along with some truly terrifying moments, though plenty of banter and scheming keeps things fun." Booklist

"Intricate worldbuilding and a compelling heroine will appeal to readers who like Rick Riordan Presents, as well as the works of Philip Pullman and Garth Nix." School Library Journal