Magic Steps (The Circle Opens, Book 1)

The first book in an extraordinary new fantasy quartet by acclaimed fantasy author Tamora Pierce.

Lady Sandrilene fa Toren knows all about unusual magic - she herself spins and weaves it like thread. But when she witnesses a boy dancing a spell, even she is confounded. To her dismay she gets news of a mysterious murderer stalking a clan of local merchants. The killer employs the strangest magic of all: the ability to reduce essence to nothingness. As the murders mount and the killer grows bolder, Sandry's teaching takes on a grave purpose. It becomes clear to everyone that the killings can only be stopped by the combined magic of two people: the young teacher and her even younger student.

TAMORA PIERCE is the critically acclaimed author of more than twenty novels, including the Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens quartets, The Will of the Empress, Melting Stones, and, most recently, the New York Times bestselling Beka Cooper trilogy. She lives in New York State with her husband, Tim, and her seven cats and two birds. Visit her online at www.tamorapierce.com.