Stars, Hide Your Fires

“A delightfully mischievous adventure full of intrigue, betrayal, and a touch of romance. Get ready to join your new favorite rebel crew.”—Dahlia Adler, author of Cool for the Summer

A wanted thief. A murdered emperor. A killer loose on the station.

Knives Out goes sci-fi in this gripping YA mystery set in space.

As an expert thief from a minor moon, Cass knows a good mark when she sees one. The emperor’s ball is her chance to steal a fortune for herself, her ailing father, and her scrappy crew of thieves and market vendors.

Her plan is simple:
1. Hitch a ride to the planet of Ouris, the dazzling heart of the empire.
2. Sneak onto the imperial palace station to attend the emperor’s ball.
3. Steal from the rich, the royal, and the insufferable.

But on the station, things quickly go awry. When the emperor is found dead, everyone in the palace is a suspect—and someone is setting Cass up to take the fall. To clear her name, Cass must work with an unlikely ally: a gorgeous and mysterious rebel with her own reasons for being on the station. Together, they unravel a secret that could change the fate of the empire.

Jessica Mary Best is a multi-award-winning freelance writer/editor, an amateur singer/songwriter and a well-intentioned ball of pure quivering anxiety. She is based out of Columbus, Ohio.