Thank you Tor for providing an ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I am very hesitant to start new series, having been left hanging too many times. But the opening of this book hooked me and wouldn’t let go. “The Dead Cat Tail Assassins are not cats. Nor do they have tails. But they are most assuredly dead.”

From there, Clark does a good job of telling a story while weaving in world building. Subtle details are mentioned, like “fire-fox fur,” that don’t relate to the plot but hint at a rich, well-thought out world. The reader finds out about the world and its history throughout the book, so you never feel the plot is put on hold to explain things.

The main character is a fresh voice in fantasy. She is a fierce feminist that does what she wants without any regards to feminine expectations. When she snaps back “well actually” to a man I almost passed my drink through my nose. And the mystery is compelling, with resolution involving both physical and mental fights. I’m reminded a bit of The Lies of Locke Lemora, but with nods to the Caribbean instead of Europe.

Overall, I highly recommend this story and look forward to more to come in this series!

Step into the shadowy alleys of Tal Abisi with P. Djèlí Clark’s The Dead Cat Tail Assassins, and get ready for equal parts snark and fantasy in an urban-esque setting. If you’re looking for conventional, you're in the wrong necropolis.

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins follows an undead assassin in bustling Tal Abisi, a city teeming with magic, crime, and assassination plots. The sharp-witted Eveen is tasked with a mission during the Festival of the Clockwork King. As she confronts her target, she is forced to grapple with memories she shouldn't have and a vow she can't break, leading to a chaotic and action-packed adventure.

The story blends fantasy, mystery, and wry humor, creating a fast-paced read that delves into themes of memory, identity, and free will. As Eveen grapples with her undead existence and loyalty to a mysterious goddess, she becomes entangled in a web of betrayal and secrets that threaten to upend her world. 

Clark’s world-building is as immersive as always, but it's funnier here than in his fantastic and beloved A Master of D'Jinn. Tal Abisi is a city that feels more alive (and undead) with every word. From the bustling markets to the shadowy corners where gods and necromancers play their dangerous games, the setting is meticulously crafted without bogging down the pace. Reminiscent of The Craft Sequence by Max Gladstone, Clark's vivid world-building, god-based magic system, and winking humor imbue every chapter with a good time.

What sets this 224-page novella apart is Clark’s ability to blend historic, urban, and darker fantasy elements with levity and unexpected heart. The fight scenes are adrenaline-fueled, and the narrative twists keep you guessing. It’s a story that’s as much about personal discovery as it is about navigating a world where the lines between life, death, and identity are blurred.

The supporting cast adds depth and complexity—each character bringing their own flavor to the mix. Clark excels at creating flawed, devil-may-care characters who you can’t help but root for, even if they’d stab you for a coin.

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins is a street-lethal, action-packed story that defies expectations with a refreshing take on the fantasy genre. These are the kinds of back alleys, dangerous alliances, complicated characters, and twists of fortune that keep us coming back to fictional worlds for more adventures. So, grab your sharpest blade and join us on the streets of Tal Abisi.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for an Advanced Reader Copy - pub date 8/6/2024. Sometimes an author is just so good at making a fantasy world feel completely normal that you forget to ask many questions about it. In this book, Clark manages the trick because Tal Abisi makes perfect sense. Of course, there is magic but its regulated. Of course, there is a ruling party. Of course, there is a rich legend/myth tradition that leads to festivals like that of the Clockwork King (all the best worlds have these things). Most importantly, of course, there are guilds of undead assassins who operate by very specific rules. Eveen is one of these and she is top-notch, only ever having bent the rules once (don't worry, you find out later). Sure, she can't remember anything prior to when she woke up dead, with a headful of murder-techniques and not a single clue about who she was prior. But that, too, is normal. In a way, this conceit of Clark's world makes the most sense; if you aren't carry any mental or emotional baggage, it has to be so much easier to take on contracts to "ship" people.

The problems start when Eveen is handed a contract that she cannot see her way to completing, breaking the most important rule. Cue the pell-mell rush to find out why this contract was set, who is trying to pull strings, and can Eveen and her target live through the night. To be honest, Clark packs so much into the story that it is almost a shock when you're watching the sun come up with the characters. You have your action sequences with cinematic fight scenes, you have backstory moments, you have mystery-solving. Admittedly, some of this goes so fast that you realize you've been taking some world dynamics for granted but it's pretty glorious.

Normally, I would say I have qualms about character growth but this is a short piece and Eveen, at least, really grows all sorts of layers as the story goes on. She might not necessarily change but you discover more depth to her and I approve of this as an alternative to a massive character arc. The other characters are, by space limitations and story convention, more sketchily drawn but I still came away with glimpses into their workings.

Overall, a fast fun romp into a fantasy world of violence and rules and lines drawn or crossed.

If I have an auto-buy author at this point, it’s P. Djèlí Clark.

This novel has so many interwoven details. It’s such a fun world. Yes, there are undead assassins and magical cataclysms and clockworks, but it never seems like too much. The characters act in a very modern way; not that they’re referring to modern things, but there is a refreshing lack of fantasy character propriety. It’s humorous in the way that something like the Dungeons and Dragons movie should be, when at it’s best. The jokes never undercut the characters’ stories.

This was such a fascinating story of a merry band of assassins in a really cool world. It was a lil hard to get into at first because it felt like we came in right at the middle of the story and were expected to follow along. I loved the Caribbean influence in this.

THE DEAD CAT TAIL ASSASSINS by P. Djèlí Clark

Happy pub day to this very fun novella!

This story follows Eveen, an undead assassin who is part of the Dead Cat Tail Assassins guild. The members of this guild are held to 3 unbreakable vows by the Matron of Assassins - the contract must be just, only the contracted may be killed and you must finish the job once you accept it. During the Festival of the Clockwork King, Eveen accepts a contract that turns her world upside down and has her reconsidering her vows.

I LOVED Ring Shout so I was really excited when I saw that Clark had another novella coming out. The Dead Cat Tail Assassins didn't disappoint - it was such a blast to read!

I feel like fantasy novellas are hard because you have such a short span of pages to build a whole world and explain all these magical elements. Clark did a fantastic job on both fronts and pulled me right into the story, from start to finish.

He also seems to excel at writing wonderfully badass and strong female characters, and I am here for it! The females in this book made my heart happy 🥹

It was interesting to learn about the other assassins' powers and personalities as well. Their varied talents made for some epic fight scenes 👊🏾

I really hope this turns into a novella series - I'd love to read more stories in this world! If you're looking for a short and fun fantasy romp, make sure to check this one out 👌🏾

Whenever I read a book by P. Djèlí Clark I feel like I'm being thrown into the middle of a story and we are usually running at full speed. The greatest part is that it only takes a few pages to catch up with everything that is going on and more just keeps happening.

His stories are never overly complicated or overdone but they also have just enough details and flair to really bring out the characters and scenes of the story. I never want the story to end but can't wait to find out what happened at the same time.

"Aeril's fiery tits!" I have so many mixed feelings regarding this novella.
First things first, the name drew me in. Dead. Cat. Tail. Assassins. What's not to love?
I feel like this book had all the makings of an amazing story. An undead assassin who is hired to kill someone... who she can't kill. And she has less than 12 hours to figure out what to do about it. Because the third law of the guild is to "always complete your contract" or the goddess steps in.
By the end of this book, I was starting to feel like "contract" wasn't even a real word. It was used on almost every page, and I felt it could have been unsaid due to the readers knowing what was being spoken about. Also, Eveen saying "Aeril's fiery tits!" every. other. page. made me want to pull my hair out. There was a lot of repetitive words and phrases such as these. And new age vernacular like 'mansplain' which felt out of place in the setting. There was also more dialogue than action, which made the overall book rather dull.
This book had world-building in spades... on the surface. You have an assassin goddess who people pledge their souls to after they die. You have some magic. And Necromancers. Science. World jumping. Animated skeletons. Dark magic seekers. Legends. A magic veil. So all the makings of an amazing fantasy world... but didn't use any of it! Everything is spoken about, as in character A tells character B how things work. We are repeatedly told instead of shown everything, which caused the world to feel rather two dimensional and flat. The world was just a setting and not a tangible part of the story, unlike most fantasy novels.
There were too many characters, half of which I don't even remember. I did like that we got to meet some of the different assassins and noted that each assassin handles their job a certain way and with their own particular skill set. But besides a short showdown with a few of them, they're otherwise forgotten as soon as they're off page. Mostly the characters were all dull and lackluster. None of them had any personality, even Eveen and Sky. The big bad was also just your generic "insert bad guy here" with no traits past wanting main character dead.

Overall, the book was just okay. It had so much potential; it just needed to be fleshed out and built upon.

This was fantastic. It is FULL of detailed world building, without any of the awkward info-dumping exposition that often accompanies a that. Clark wove all the details into natural dialogue. I don’t normally go gaga for world-building, but I have to praise Clark’s genius here!


This is a short book that is so full of story and action, it’s hard to believe it all fits within 250 pages. I highly recommend this for fans of: detailed world-building, magical systems tied to gods, assassin guilds, quippy badass heroines who (literally) cannot be killed, cities during carnival-time, and worlds full of clockwork mechanisms that no longer work. I hope Clark writes more in this world, there is so much left to explore.

Clark is becoming an auto-read author for me, I jumped on this book as soon as I saw it. My thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the free advance copy. Happ pub day, today, August 6th!!

This is my first read from the author, and I really enjoyed the inventive world-building. The plot is fast-paced with a badass FMC, and I thought the characterization was strong for the short length.

The world is brought to life seamlessly alongside the plot. Rich in sensory information, the city of Tal Abisi truly feels alive. The blend of cultural influences from old world Europe to Africa to Jamaica make for a unique and fascinating backdrop. Similarly, we come to know our undead assassin, Eveen the Eviscerator, through reveals along the way. I loved the crew of assassins she encounters in a series of tense fights. The time travel plot was well illustrated which contributed to the ease and enjoyment of the read.

Towards the end, there were some overt elements of satire introduced that threw off the previous tone of the book for me. I didn’t dislike them, it was just surprising given what came before was more subtle. This style of humor may be typical of the author and just unexpected to me since I hadn’t read him before.

This is definitely one to check out if you’re a fan of fantasy, strong characters, and a whole lotta action!

The worldbuilding and characterization … yessssssss!!! The opening up with advetnure on its orbit, I was IMMEDIATELY immersed! I agree that this is a great book to pick you up after a slump!!!

Eveen is a Dead Cat Tail Assassin and her latest contract may be her last...

This was such a fun novella! The assassins in this world are undead and bound to the goddess called the Mistress of Assassins. There are 3 rules that must be followed, but the most important is that you must kill the person you were contracted to kill. Otherwise....the consequences are dire, and not just for the assassin.

The world building is phenomenal for a novella--especially a fantasy novella (though there is a hefty splash of sci-fi involved). We may stay in just one town, but we get to visit so many locations, including The Shimmer, a place where magic seems to run wild and giant clockwork creations wait the return of The Clockwork King. I love the banter between the characters, especially when Eveen calls Finnek her friend and he...doesn't agree.

I really enjoyed reading this novella and kind of hope that we maybe get to visit Tal Abisi again, maybe to experience the legend of the Clockwork King, Pirate Princess, and Golden Bounty

P Djeli Clark has a knack for worldbuilding and characterization like no other. I adored the the opening of the book and the way it set the tone for the advetnure that followed, but also the way that it immediately entrenched us in the world without it feeling bogged down or info-dumpey. The adventure that followed was delightful, as well. This is a great short book/novella to pick you up after a slump

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Books Publishing, and P. Djèlí Clark for my advanced copy of The Dead Cat Tail Assassins in exchange for an honest review!

In Clark's latest publication, we follow Eveen, a member of the Dead Cat Tail Assassins Guild on a night of mystery surrounding her latest contract. The assassins are all undead, have pledged their afterlife to the guild, and have no memory of doing so or memories from their life while still breathing. Unfortunately for Eveen, her target triggers something from her past--which should absolutely not be possible.

This premise checked all the boxes for me in theory, but in practice, I wasn't hooked. With this being on the shorter side, all of the plot points felt rushed. Everything was wrapped up too quickly and I just wasn't invested in these characters. I was also thrown by a random dialect added toward the end of the book. The author's attempt at phonetically writing this dialect so that the reader had to sound out each word was offputting--I was pulled out of the story immediately.

Overall, this was a solid 3-star book for me. I wish it would've been longer so that the reader could live in this world a little longer, get to know the characters a little better, and really give the plot a chance to thrive. The ending leaves room for a sequel if Clark wants to expand on the assassins guild. I would probably pick up a second book because this one was quick, fast-paced, and easy to dive into.

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins is P. Djèlí Clark's newest fantasy novella. It's an action-packed and fast-paced story filled with assassins, gods, and morally grey characters.

Eveen the Eviscerator is part of the Dead Cat Tail Assassins, a guild of undead assassins who work at the behest of a matron goddess. They have no memories of their former lives. During one assignment, Eveen experiences a memory. What follows is a humorous adventure in search of answers.

I am so impressed with Clark's world-building. Although this is a novella, he manages to create a complex, imaginative, and immersive world. I felt like I was walking alongside these characters as I read. Not entirely familiar with Clark's writing, I was pleasantly surprised by the dark comedic tone of the book. It strikes a good balance of levity, fun, and seriousness.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the advanced reader's copy of The Dead Cat Tail Assassins.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Tor for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I straight up thought this book was something else based on it's title and cover alone. And boy was I wrong.

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark is a fantasy novel about a group of assassins. Eveen the Eviscerator is skilled, discreet, professional, and here for your most pressing needs in the ancient city of Tal Abisi. Her guild is strong, her blades are sharp, and her rules are simple. Those sworn to the Matron of Assassins—resurrected, deadly, wiped of their memories—have only three unbreakable vows. First, the contract must be just. That’s above Eveen’s pay grade. Second, even the most powerful assassin may only kill the contracted. Eveen’s a professional. She’s never missed her mark. The third and the simplest: once you accept a job, you must carry it out. And if you stray? A final death would be a mercy. When the Festival of the Clockwork King turns the city upside down, Eveen’s newest mission brings her face-to-face with a past she isn’t supposed to remember and a vow she can’t forget.

I have no words. This book is brutal and doesn't hold a single punch back. Be prepared.

This is a fantasy novella about an assassin’s guild with Eveen as the main undead assassin. Her previous life’s memory has been wiped in exchange for immortality in service of the guild. The novella reflects Clark’s intricate worldbuilding and as in previous books, there are bad ass women characters and some great dialogue. The book was fast paced and I read it in one day.

My only wish was that the story had been fleshed out more than could be done in a novella. I felt this story deserved to be more of a novel, in accordance with the very detailed world the author created. I wanted more character development and an expansion of the plot. The Dead Cat Tail Assassins reads as perhaps the first story in a series. While not as tight of a story as his previous novella Ring Shout (which I loved), Clark has still created another enjoyable read set in an imaginative world.

Thank you to Tor.com Publishing and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Tor books and NetGalley for the review copy!

Wow. How have I not read anything by P. Djèlí Clark before? A major oversight on my part because this novella was F.U.N.
Our main character, Eveen is a member of The Dead Cat Tail Assassins, an elite group of (undead; NOT a Zombie! There’s a difference, ok?) Assassins working in the ancient city of Tal Abisi. The cardinal rules of the profession: The contract must be just, you can only kill the contracted, and once you accept a job you have to carry it out. Eveen is a consummate professional, but even she can have a bad day at work occasionally. You see, she’s been contracted to kill someone she can’t and now it’s a race against the clock to save her own (undead) skin and the person she’s supposed to kill.

A lot of people think the longer the book, the more developed the world and the more in-depth the characterizations will be, and that isn’t necessarily true. Creating a world that feels lived in and characters that feel distinct and interesting is difficult even if you have 500+ pages, but to do it in novella form? It. Is. Hard.

What makes it so difficult? Every word and page must be intentional; there is quite literally no room for filler, but from the first line of the story, I was absolutely hooked, and I could not put it down. The characters are vivid, the world is fleshed out, the magic system makes sense (!!! This is big for me), the action is fast paced, and the writing is snappy and funny. I truly couldn’t ask for anything more in a book that only had about 220 pages.

P. Djèlí Clark wrote what novellas should all aspire to be and I can’t wait to read more of their books in the future!

This was nothing like what I’ve read before I like the twist on the assassins. This book was at good YA sci-fi fantasy . So don’t look for spice but a great story . It may come off a little slow with building the story hang in there the ending is work the build up.

Thank you to Tordotcom for the review copy. My opinions are my own.

From the first line to the end, this is a fast paced story that takes place over the course of a single night. Eveen is an undead assassin contracted to ship someone off the mortal coil, and the contract is binding. But as an undead, Eveen has no memories of what her life was like before becoming undead, until looking at the face of her latest contract.

This story is interesting with some twists and turns with plenty of hints as to what is going on. I read this with my eyes, but I think this would also be a really good audio book, especially with two characters at the end having accents that begged for audio (I kinda pictured Tia Dalma (from Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End) accent but in written form).

Read this if you enjoy sci-fi stories like Sliders (TV show), Looper (movie), or Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, but want a blending of magic, undead, and gods.