The Dagger and the Flame cover art

The Dagger and the Flame

The City of Fantome, Book 1

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The Dagger and the Flame

By: Catherine Doyle
Narrated by: Freddy Carter, Emily Carey
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About this listen

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

‘SIZZLING. STUNNING. SPECTACULAR.’ – Lauren Roberts

The ‘highly addictive’ (The Guardian), most fiery enemies-to-lovers romantasy of the year. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo and Stephanie Garber.

In the dark underbelly of a beautiful city, two rival assassins are pitted against each other in a deadly game of revenge, where the most dangerous mistake of all is falling in love…

In Fantome, Shade-magic is a deadly commodity controlled by two enemy guilds: the Cloaks and the Daggers – the thieves and the assassins. On the night of her mother’s murder, 18-year-old Seraphine runs for her life. Seeking sanctuary with the Cloaks, Sera’s heart is set on revenge.

But nothing can prepare Sera for the moment she finally comes face-to-face with Ransom, heir to the Order of Daggers. And Ransom is shocked to discover that this unassuming farmgirl wields a strange and blazing magic he has never seen before…

Praise for The Dagger and the Flame:

‘Lush world-building, witty dialogue and romantic tension abound in a highly addictive fantasy romp.’ – The Guardian

‘Romantic, dramatic and dark.’ – The Daily Mail

‘Packed full of Doyle's trademark lush description and snarky banter, The Dagger and the Flame is a sprawling adventure through the treacherous streets of Fantome. Enemies to lovers, sworn-to-kill-each-other-but-let's-kiss, swoony romance, perilous mystery, cute animal sidekicks – it ticks every romantasy box and will delight fans everywhere.’ – Melinda Salisbury, author of The Sin Eater's Daughter

‘Fast paced, and exciting and clever, and because it’s Catherine Doyle, it’s beautifully written, too. Oh, and did I mention it’s really, really hot?’ – Louise O’Neill author of The Surface Breaks

‘Gorgeous and ruthless: stand back everyone, the true rivals to lovers has arrived.’ – Sarah Rees Brennan, author of Long Live Evil

‘Gorgeous, thrilling, and devastatingly romantic. The Dagger and the Flame is guaranteed to be your new obsession.’ – Katherine Webber, co-author of Twin Crowns

‘Deftly plotted.’ – The Bookseller Buyer’s Guide

‘Catherine Doyle returns to her roots with a tale of enemies to lovers that will have readers captivated. A tense, twisting story peppered with Doyle’s signature banter, this is a must-read for romantasy fans.’ – The Irish Examiner

‘In this glittering young adult fantasy, Doyle plays with themes of magic, intrigue, friendship, family, morals and love in this story of cloaks and daggers.’ – Children’s Books Ireland, Recommended Reads

The Dagger and the Flame was Children's #1 bestseller in the TCM chart on 28 September 2024, and #9 on the New York Times bestseller list of Young Adult Hardcover books on 10 October 2024

©2024 Catherine Doyle (P)2024 Simon & Schuster, UK
Action & Adventure Literature & Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy Revenge Heartfelt

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All stars
Most relevant  
I haven’t felt this alive reading an enemies to lovers romantasy since reading The Crimson Moth at the beginning of the year. This book was unbelievable, and the narrators were both wonderful. I need Freddy Carter to narrate my every thought.

The best book I’ve read in a while!

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I enjoyed this story much more than I thought I would. To be honest, I only downloaded it as Freddy Carter was one of the narrators but it was a really enjoyable listen. The story flowed and there were plenty of good surprises to keep you hooked. I look forward to the next one in the series.

A very easy and enjoyable listen

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really well thought out story and characters....,very nicely written. ..can't wait for the next 😃

fantastic narrating!captivating story

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Fantastic performance of the male character 👏
Loved the story, the characters, the pace, the hatered and the slow burn.
was not a fan of the female lead performance but it got better in the end. the kind of a skill that comes with practice I suppose.
will be waiting for the next part.

petition for more audiobooks by Freddy Carter

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loved the sera and ransom banter, especially via paper airplanes. not really a character i didnt enjoy. i look forward to book two...

a new favourite devoured in hours

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Thank you to both voice actors, who did a marvellous job bringing the story to life. Also, what a treat to have British voices. Just get this audio version, you will not regret it.

What a good book, and such a great audiobook

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The magic system is a well constructed and interesting one - though I'm not sure all later uses fit the established rules. I liked the main characters, who had believable and reasonable motivations. Both narrators were good.

Interesting magic and believable romance

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The narrators voices try to out do each other in cracking in the mistaken belief they’re imbuing emotion rather than just wishing they’d drunk a glass of water! The lead characters are young adults but they’re voiced like young children and the disconnect is totally unconvincing. I tried to stick with it for the first dozen or so chapters but honestly didn’t care who killed who or why. If you like this sort of plodding nonsense then good for you, but I’m off to read something that’s narrated by someone who can embue the characters with a life more interesting than watching paint dry.

Boring of Bored Town in the Country of Boredom

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