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Peter Hartog
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Pieces of Eight (The Guardian of Empire City Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Peter Hartog (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 68 ratings

How do you stop a killer who’s already dead?

Some secrets never die. When the mutilated corpse of an ex-con is found in the bowels of an old church, haunting Biblical verses scrawled at the crime scene speak of divine retribution, and a killer hellbent on revenge. For Special Crimes detective Tom “Doc” Holliday doesn't need his fickle clairvoyance to see that a murder like this is only the beginning.

With few leads and fewer suspects, Holliday and his quirky team of paranormal specialists embark upon an investigation that will lead them down a dark and twisted path, and test the bonds of family and friendship. From the frozen streets of Little Odessa to the diabolical wealth of Park Avenue, Holliday will need more than his Insight to hunt down an unstoppable killer.

But when Holliday suspects the killer might not be what it seems, he'll have to unravel a twisted web of greed and lies to save an innocent soul, or lose his own, and watch his world die.

Welcome back to Empire City!

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  1. Book 2 of 2
    The Guardian of Empire City
  2. Print length
    376 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    July 1, 2021
  6. Grade level
    12 and up
  7. File size
    4.5 MB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B096WWPF97
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 1, 2021
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.5 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 376 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 12 and up
  • Book 2 of 2 ‏ : ‎ The Guardian of Empire City
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 68 ratings

About the author

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Peter Hartog

Peter Hartog

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A native son of Massachusetts, Peter has been living in the Deep South for over 25 years. By day, he's an insurance professional, saving the world one policy at a time. But at night, well, no one really wants to see him fighting crime in his Spider-Man onesie. Instead, Peter develops new worlds of adventure, influenced by his love of science fiction, mysteries, music and fantasy. Whether it's running role-playing games for his long-time friends, watching his beloved New England sporting teams, or just chilling with a movie, his wife, two boys, one puppy and three cats, Peter's imagination is always on the move. It's the reason why his stories are an eclectic blend of intrigue, excitement, humor and magic, all drawn from four decade's worth of television, film, novels, and comic books. You can learn more about Peter and his writing projects at peterhartog.com, or send him a tweet @althazyr.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
68 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book entertaining with an intriguing plot and well-developed characters. The writing style receives mixed reactions, with some praising it while others find it challenging to follow.

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10 customers mention "Readability"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book entertaining with an intriguing plot, and one customer notes it's a neat blend of sci-fi elements.

"...It was a fun time, and I hope we won’t have long to wait for book three… because while the main storyline was resolved, there are still some..." Read more

"...The character development was in depth and very interesting. I can’t wait for the next book!" Read more

"...I was glad to see more of the enclave explored, with Holliday and the group venturing out of the city proper and into the surrounding countryside...." Read more

"Urban paranormality at its best. Great characters, intriguing plot and fantastic writing!..." Read more

7 customers mention "Character development"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one review noting how the cast is fully fleshed out and another describing it as a great fantasy noir detective character.

"...It’s an interesting mix of talents and personalities and half the reason I think this series is so much fun...." Read more

"...It’s definitely not what I expected. The character development was in depth and very interesting. I can’t wait for the next book!" Read more

"...Detective Holliday is the singular POV, the rest of the cast is fully fleshed out and wonderfully colorful...." Read more

"Urban paranormality at its best. Great characters, intriguing plot and fantastic writing!..." Read more

7 customers mention "Pacing"7 positive0 negative

Customers praise the pacing of the book as a superb sequel, with one customer noting how it perfectly builds on everything from the first book, while another describes it as a blend of urban fantasy, paranormal, and sci-fi elements.

"...With that said, I enjoyed this series immensely as they are quite different from the norm. It’s definitely not what I expected...." Read more

"...Pieces of Eight was a nearly perfect sequel to Bloodlines and I am so excited to see what the Guardian of Empire City must confront next...." Read more

"Urban paranormality at its best. Great characters, intriguing plot and fantastic writing!..." Read more

"Superb sequel. Pieces of Eight has taken the great fantasy noir detective character and world of the first book and brought it to new heights...." Read more

6 customers mention "Writing style"4 positive2 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing style of the book, with some praising its fantastic and sophisticated prose, while others find it challenging to follow.

"Cannot wait for the next book, Peter Hartog paints a vivid picture with his words." Read more

"...decent and secondary characters are interesting, but the main is basically a whining brat." Read more

"...Great characters, intriguing plot and fantastic writing! Besides, who other than a Hartog hero rides into battle blaring some Steppenwolf???..." Read more

"...For me these books were well written and had my attention...." Read more

An excellent follow up to Bloodlines!
5 out of 5 stars
An excellent follow up to Bloodlines!
I long awaited the audiobook release to Peter Hartog's Bloodlines, and boy did it not disappoint! Todd Menasses once again nails the narration, adding an extra layer to love to each performance in the story. I really loved the mystery in this one, I won't say too much to avoid spoilers (reviewing mysteries is tricky!) But I liked that this one went deeper into Tom "Doc" Holliday. The case he must solve is personal, darker, and in some parts very real to today's reality in some ways. The side characters remain excellent, if lessened in their page-time, they still appear enough to love them fully and add to the story. Peter is an excellent writer, capable of crafting these deep intricate thrillers with interesting characters set in a world that is similar to ours but wracked with the supernatural. Great stuff, and I look forward to whatever Peter writes next!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • A.J.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Urban fantasy meets paranormal meets sci-fi - in a fun read
    Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed the first book in this series, Bloodlines, when I read it, but this second book takes everything to a whole new level. I didn’t just enjoy Pieces of Eight, I loved it.

    It’s a blend of science fiction and paranormal fantasy, set on a future Earth where magic has made a comeback, creatures from other dimensions have found their way to our world, and society has become relatively fragmented. Cities govern themselves and each has its own set of rules and beliefs its citizens are encouraged to follow. This story is set in Empire City (formerly New York City), so some of the locations named are familiar.

    The same group of core characters from book one are still around in book two. Leyla is a witch with an affinity to frost, and a top-notch hacker. Deacon is a gruff (and sometimes difficult to like) character with a questionable past and abilities that allow him to deal with supernatural enemies pretty effectively. I’m still not quite sure how his abilities work, only that they’re tied to his past with a sketchy cult/church group. Besim is a humanoid alien species with some psychic powers and a ton of corporate and celebrity resources. Then there’s our main character, Tom Holliday, with his Insight—that doesn’t always work when or how he needs it to. It’s an interesting mix of talents and personalities and half the reason I think this series is so much fun.

    And when paranormal occurrences and undead perpetrators are thrown into the mix, it gets really interesting. Not only that, but there were a few major twists in the story and big reveals that I was not expecting. It was a fun time, and I hope we won’t have long to wait for book three… because while the main storyline was resolved, there are still some personal elements the characters are dealing with that weren’t.

    As I said above, I loved this book. So if crime stories with fantastical elements are your thing, definitely check this one out.
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  • Juno
    5.0 out of 5 stars wow, what a ride
    Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I don’t usually write reviews because, let’s face it, many books are not extraordinary. With that said, I enjoyed this series immensely as they are quite different from the norm. It’s definitely not what I expected. The character development was in depth and very interesting. I can’t wait for the next book!
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  • Justin Gross
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Nearly Perfect Sequel to Bloodlines!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I read Bloodlines earlier this year as part of a blog tour with Storytellers on Tour and absolutely loved it. I was also lucky enough to work with the author again when I helped do a cover reveal for the sequel, Pieces of Eight. I really love this cover and the books look great side by side. The cover reveal also had a short Q&A and if you’d like to check that out, you can do so here. So, to say that I was excited to finally read Pieces of Eight would be massive understatement!

    “Remember when you didn’t believe in vampires, Holliday?” Deacon countered with a sly grin.

    Pieces of Eight picks up a couple of months after the events of Bloodlines and sees our intrepid group of supernatural detectives investigating the brutal murder of an ex-convict. Seeing as how I have the actual worst memory in existence, I was very happy that the events of the first book were recounted over the course of the first couple of pages, with our main character Tom “Doc” Holliday ruminating on his time working in the Special Crimes Unit. I must say that I really like the voice that Holliday is written in. It’s so unique! He’s this cynical hardboiled detective straight out of a dime noir novel, yet at the same time he has a PhD in literature (hence the Doc moniker) and often quotes Shakespeare. Although Detective Holliday is the singular POV, the rest of the cast is fully fleshed out and wonderfully colorful. The gang’s back together, with Deacon, Besim, and Leyla bringing their individual strengths to the investigation and, unlike so many other stories told from a first person POV, they all have their time to shine and their backstories are further fleshed out, along with Holliday’s. One of the things Hartog excels at is his characterization and I think the best compliment I can give him is to say that I want to continue walking with these characters for years to come.

    Empire City itself is such a cool setting and the worldbuilding was such that it feels like a living, breathing city. I was glad to see more of the enclave explored, with Holliday and the group venturing out of the city proper and into the surrounding countryside. And, although they never leave Empire City, we get to learn some more about a few of the other enclaves, like Deacon’s Confederate States of Birmingham. Bloodlines featured cyborgs and genetically engineered vampires and Pieces of Eight did not disappoint by adding kobolds and other supernatural creatures into the mix. There’s such a neat blend of sci-fi, detective noir, thriller, and fantastical elements that anything seems possible and could be believable. I think the fact that there is so much that I am curious and want to know more about is a testament to just how interesting of a world that Hartog has created. I feel like its a given that the series will always take place within Empire City and I couldn’t be happier exploring more of the enclave and its denizens.

    "We became Theseus, racing from the admin building and into the regimented maze of stacks, hunted by the dreaded Minotaur. Except this monster carried guns instead of horns. Death came calling regardless of the method, and we needed to be quick and quiet if we were getting out of here alive."

    Pieces of Eight is a great sequel, as it perfectly builds on everything from the first book. The enemy is that much more closer to home, with the first victim being found in the church that Holliday attended as a child. The stakes, both personal and otherwise, are that much higher and I was kept on the edge of my seat as the revelations flew past and Doc and crew went deeper into the investigation. So absorbed was I in the story, the near 400 pages flew by like nothing. There were only a few things that brought down my rating of Pieces of Eight and they’re mainly nitpicky things. The most egregious thing came at the end and led to the final confrontation falling a bit flat for me. It’s not that the ending was bad in any way! In fact, I may have shed a tear or two. But, the way the main conflict was resolved felt a little too much like Doc was using a loophole that was maybe a little too convenient. Even so, it’s a small gripe that didn’t really affect my overall enjoyment.

    Pieces of Eight was a nearly perfect sequel to Bloodlines and I am so excited to see what the Guardian of Empire City must confront next. Hartog’s character work is so well done that choosing a favorite character is almost impossible. While parts of the ending fell a little flat for me, my overall enjoyment of the book was not affected. The Guardian of Empire City series has become one of my favorites and I can’t wait for the next entry.

    “Eight to die for their crimes. Eight to suffer as he has suffered. Eight meaningless, hopeless, soulless pieces upon the Board, then none. You cannot stop me, Guardian. Nothing can.”
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  • Gail B.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
    Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Cannot wait for the next book, Peter Hartog paints a vivid picture with his words.
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  • Liberato
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Follow Up! Where's Act 3?
    Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Urban paranormality at its best. Great characters, intriguing plot and fantastic writing! Besides, who other than a Hartog hero rides into battle blaring some Steppenwolf??? Keep em coming please!
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  • christopher bellin
    3.0 out of 5 stars meh
    Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Would like to give this more stars but I just don’t like the main character. The story is decent and secondary characters are interesting, but the main is basically a whining brat.
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  • JW
    5.0 out of 5 stars Superb sequel and one-of-a-kind writing voice!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Superb sequel. Pieces of Eight has taken the great fantasy noir detective character and world of the first book and brought it to new heights. Hartog’s first-person writing voice is one-of-a-kind – direct, filled with personality, funny, snarky, and at times biting, raw, and honest. Doc Holliday takes us deeper into his personal life and past while solving a very exciting and surprising mystery at work in Empire City (chapter 17… just wow). By the midpoint I was suspecting everyone! This is an entertaining supernatural crime mystery/thriller with a whole lot more – there are themes running through Pieces of Eight about family, religion, and lots more that I don’t want to spoil. I have to mention two final things – Hartog has a rare gift for nailing analogy as a writer. Amazing. Second, Deacon is my favorite! I can’t wait for THE DEVIL’S SHARE to release.
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  • Matthew Hinton
    4.0 out of 5 stars Almost as good as the first one
    Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed this sequel almost as much as the first one. I hope a third volume follows soon.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Cheryl Bez Publishing
    4.0 out of 5 stars An enthralling sci-fi fantasy follow up to Bloodlines
    Reviewed in Canada on January 28, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This book is the second in a series and picks up where Bloodlines leaves off, in the footsteps of a die-hard detective and his crew. The book makes it hard to believe Holliday and his team will be able to solve the bizarre series of murders and mysteries surrounding the old neighborhood of Little Odessa in what is called Empire City in the story. So much goes wrong and the odds are firmly stacked against them all the way. It makes a compelling read.
    The tale is intricately woven, well-written and engrossing. You root firmly for the heroes and feel every setback and blow to their case and every threat to their lives.
    One small thing bugged me a little – that in the heat of final scenes, there are long cutaways to explain connections and character arcs. I would have personally enjoyed a more fluid, uninterrupted crescendo, but that's just me.
    I recommend this book for fans of apocalyptic sci-fi/fantasy, hard-boiled mysteries and symbolism.
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  • Kiwi_26
    5.0 out of 5 stars Dystopian detective story with future tech, magic and a bit of paranormal(ish) activity
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 24, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This is Peter Hartog’s second novel in the Guardian of Empire City series and takes place several month’s after the climactic end of book one, Bloodlines which I have read, reviewed and thoroughly enjoyed. In fact, it was my read of 2021.

    I guess in musical terms, this is the tricky second album and I was excited to rip into book two and see what new mystery and case file lay in store for Tom ‘Doc’ Holliday and co and whether it could live up to the story delivered in book one.

    Yes, is the short answer.

    There was a little bit of recap referencing in the opening chapter or two which I didn’t need but once the formalities were over and the case started it grabbed from the off and didn’t relinquish its fast pace until the final page. There is no idling in this book.

    I have to say, I was impressed by the narrative. The main characters are all unique and well established, the character dialogue flows seamlessly and each voice is so recognisably distinct. The plot was intricately structured and was a delight reading as its many layers unfolded. The action is full-on and steeped in jeopardy with a sense that no one, especially Doc was safe.

    The setting too is expanded upon and I got a real feeling for this immense city and its surroundings the further in the story went. As I referenced in my review of book one, it is reminiscent of Megacity One/Bladerunner and who in their right mind wouldn’t love that imagery!

    I like that all of the protagonists are flawed in one way or another yet somehow just seem to fit together to make a whole. A real odd-bunch that just seems to work. As well there are some new characters introduced which could potentially play a wider part in the next book. I guess it is a watch this space to find that out.

    There is an underlying ‘bad guy/gal’ carried over from book one and a new villain of the peace revealed but I will say no more. I would say that some of the antagonists were stereotypical and not as deeply threatening as book one but conversely, the final scene shenanigans were if anything more fraught and dangerous….I will say no more since I do not want to give any spoilers.

    The production is extremely polished for an Indie author – indeed, I looked at the front to check if it had been through a traditional publishing house it was that good. I did pick up a few grammar issues but I could count these on one hand and actually, is far less than many published authors that I have read.

    If you have read this far into my review and think this book sounds interesting, then do yourself a favour and pick up a copy. Peter Hartog is fast becoming one of my favourite future-world genre authors of all time.
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  • Ziggy Nixon
    5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing book that clicked on all levels for me!!
    Reviewed in France on November 27, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    "Because that’s what all homicide detectives did, right? Solve murders, arrest the bad guys, and prevent … monsters from eating planets."

    5+ stars. This book simply went above and beyond any of my expectations and literally left me gasping, distraught and even gobsmacked in parts. I thought the first book might have been the best story I'd read this year, but Hartog's second effort has gone and topped even that! The author has once again delivered a story via what I can only describe as a simply divine writing style. It is fluid, expressive and delivered with an articulate vocabulary that never comes off in the slightest as being unnecessary or overblown. You feel the cold of this world, you feel the overwhelming pain of the wild variety of players and so so much more! However, in "Pieces of Eight", we get the added bonus of having Hartog up the ante in this interstellar or perhaps more accurately stated interdimensional game being played by what can only gods among men (and other things). We learn so many new things about our players and the light and darkness that surround them, form them and apparently will determine their destinies in who knows what kind of cataclysmic events to come. All this while also tying the story into important aspects of Book 1, without slowing down at all to allow us to catch our breath. There is so much left to discover in this world and beyond… and I can't wait for the next in the series! This is GREAT stuff! Enjoy!
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing scifi-fantasy blend
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 21, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    An amazing sequel! Building on the lore and world that was introduced in Bloodlines, Pieces of Eight gives us more of an insight into Doc and what brought him to where he is now. The description, as ever, is incredible, truly painting the scene ahead of you, especially the one in the Church (no spoilers, you'll know when you read it)! An intriguing new character and developments for ones we already know, here's looking at you Deacon. Keep the Empire City books coming!!
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