The Menagerie has worked together for years. Established as a group by Arthur Conan Doyle they work to defeat supernatural evil and protect the world from danger. But Doyle is more than the author that we have grown to love. A sorcerer and alchemist, his mystical abilities have kept him alive for more than his natural lifespan.

His fellow members of the Menagerie are:

Eve – a vampire. But she is no ordinary vampire. Her name is a "dead" give-away, for Eve is truly the mother of all vampires.

Ceridwen – Princess of the Fey. One-time faery lover of Doyle and mistress of elemental magic.

Dr Leonard Graves – a scientist and adventurer. Oh, by the way, he's also dead.

Danny Ferrick – As with most sixteen year old boys his mother wonders if he is somehow possessed. But it is much more than that – he is a demon.

Clay – immortal and a shapeshifter. He has existed since the beginning of time and is said to have been moulded from His clay.

Squire – a hobgoblin. Short, ugly and strangely charming.

When Ceridwen's evil aunt Morrigan seeks out the powerful sorcerer Sweetblood they think that she is only looking to harness his power for evil. When they discover her true intentions – to bring the Nimble Man to Earth they know that she plans to release the ultimate evil on the world and it will take all of their abilities to defeat her; if such a victory is actually possible.

The Nimble Man is the first book in The Menagerie series and introduces the magical team to the reader. I have read a number of similar stories but usually the heroes are a predictable combination of elves, goblins and knights. All whiter than white with good oozing from every pore. The Menagerie have their flaws and each has a past that adds an extra dimension to their character.

There have been other series featuring a similar group of adventurers but they are usually much lighter in style. The Nimble Man has grim violent moments and you can never be totally sure that the main characters will survive. This is definitely dark fantasy for grown-ups!

Golden and Sniegoski have created an original, fast moving exciting story that keeps you hooked from the first word to the very last. I look forward to reading more of their adventures in the future.

Synopsis
They are beings of myth and legend. They possess powers beyond imagining. They are our only hope . . . The Menagerie

Behind the facade of a stately Boston brownstone, humanity's last defenses are being marshaled. Called to action by the enigmatic, brilliant man known only as Mr. Doyle, they hail from all planes of existence and are born from an array of supernatural and otherworldly backgrounds and bloodlines. But as the group struggles to come to terms with their shadowy pasts, personal demons, and conflicting loyalties, their greatest challenge awaits them.

Together, they will confront the minions of utter darkness, who have already begun their quest to resurrect the most malevolent of the fallen angels--whose wrath against mankind knows no bounds...