The forest's edge was a wall, and all walls had a double purpose. The barrier that kept Troran out kept secrets in. A few wandering natives were not yet an invasion, but the forces that moved a man could also move a people. Therein lay the danger. For Troran ro Darra, a former soldier now living on the Misennan frontier, the question of what is stirring up the tribes is not just a mystery but a threat to his community. So when his powerful neighbour Lord Kaiyl Amylensar proposes an expedition, he jumps at the chance to lead it. Soon, he and those accompanying him find themselves at the centre of a mystery so baffling, so maddening, that it is hard to believe there can be an answer, let alone that they can find it. But find it they must, for their lives - and the lives of countless others - depend on it. Trail of Deceit is the first book in the new fantasy series, The Last Safe Seasons, by Ken Enderby and Greg Rickards. It is a mystery, an adventure and a love story, set in a world that is so well crafted it could almost be real. It also features a cover by the renowned artist Nick Stathopoulos, whose work is regularly shortlisted for the Archibald Prize.