Fortitude Waters

The man who solved his past life’s murder is about to face the cold case of a lifetime.

Armed with his soul dowsing pendant, mischievous hand of glory, and stellar sense of smell, Fortitude Waters specialises in solving cold cases. With souls reborn into new bodies and the economy running on inheritance funds accrued over lifetimes, this perfume-loving private detective peeks behind the veil to find and decipher clues.

When he’s paired with disabled literary critic, Matilda Tame, on his latest case, the investigation unravels the long-hidden crimes he’s helped conceal. Fort is forced to confront the unresolved trauma of his past life, while Matilda must reconcile motherhood, her professional life, and her own intimate role in proceedings.

A standalone adult fantasy, Fortitude Waters splices the cosiness of The Thursday Murder Club with the gothic procedural of Things in Jars and Discworld’s wicked humour with the worldbuilding stylings of The Witness for the Dead.

With a Swiss inspired setting, this sensuous queer-normative novel tells a story about the power of parenting, generational trauma, and the importance of breaking the cycle in order to heal.

Word count: 80,000 (approx.)

Content Warnings

Fortitude Waters contains depictions of death, corpses, cannibalism, blood, violence, murder, kink, imprisonment, drug and alcohol use, recounted torture, and references to sexual assault and child neglect.

Banner alt text: Fortitude Waters, a fantasy crime novel by Fox N. Locke