Book cover of The Witness for the Dead

Book description

Murder, politics and intrigue.

When the young half-goblin emperor Maia sought to learn who had set the bombs that killed his father and half-brothers, he turned to an obscure resident of his Court, a Prelate of Ulis and a Witness for the Dead.

Thara Celehar found the truth, though it…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

2 authors picked The Witness for the Dead as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I read and absolutely adored Katherine Addison's The Goblin Emperor a long time ago, and I've had The Witness for the Dead sitting in my Kindle account ever since. Somehow I never got round to reading it until this year, and now I'm wondering what took me so long. It follows one of the characters from The Goblin Emperor, Celehar (the titular Witness for the Dead), as he investigates several interconnected deaths in the city of Amalo. As with The Goblin Emperor, Addison doesn't spoonfeed her readers. She's created a world with a large array of naming conventions, customs and…

I reread The Witness for the Dead at least three times in the first months after I got my hands on it and have bought it in both physical form and ebook. This is a great secondary world fantasy and murder mystery. It’s on this list because of the portrayal of Thara Celehar as a man struggling with depression, haunted by past trauma and the bleakness he expects of his future while carrying on doing his duty by those who depend on him, combined with his unfailing mixture of wisdom and kindness and his awkwardness in accepting kindness and friendship…

If you love The Witness for the Dead...

Ad

Book cover of The High House

The High House by James Stoddard,

The Victorian mansion, Evenmere, is the mechanism that runs the universe.

The lamps must be lit, or the stars die. The clocks must be wound, or Time ceases. The Balance between Order and Chaos must be preserved, or Existence crumbles.

Appointed the Steward of Evenmere, Carter Anderson must learn the…

Want books like The Witness for the Dead?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 87 books like The Witness for the Dead.

Browse books like The Witness for the Dead

Book cover of Howl's Moving Castle
Book cover of Darius the Great Is Not Okay
Book cover of The Blue Castle

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,210

readers submitted
so far, will you?

Ad

📚 If you like The Witness for the Dead, you might also like...

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Book cover of Living On Purpose: Five Deliberate Choices to Realize Fulfillment and Joy

Living On Purpose by Amy Wong,

Many people from all walks of life, even after many accomplishments and experiences, are often plagued by dissatisfaction, pervasive longing, and deep questioning. These feelings may make them wonder if they are living the life they were meant to lead.

Living on Purpose is the guidebook these people have been…

5 book lists we think you will like!