The second instalment of this bookish fantasy adventure series. A mystical identity is revealed, and the fates of all dimensions rests on the shoulders of one daring library spy . . .

Irene is ready for action - but so are her adversaries. Librarian-spy Irene is working undercover in an alternative Victorian London, for her mysterious supervisors. Here it's business as usual - until her assistant Kai is abducted. Kai's part-dragon heritage means he has powerful enemies, and this act of aggression could trigger a war between his people and their greatest rivals. As they each represent the forces of order and chaos themselves, matters could turn unpleasant. Irene's mission to save Kai and avert Armageddon will take her to a dark, alternate Venice where it's always Carnival. Here Irene will be forced to blackmail, fast talk, and fight. Or she'll face mayhem - at the very least. Praise for The Invisible Library 'A dazzling bibliophilic debut' Charles Stross 'A breath of fresh air . . . a book in which to wallow' Guardian 'Surrender to the sheer volume of fun that appears on every page' Starburst Magazine

Librarian-spy Irene's assistant has been kidnapped by the Fae – a fairy faction who will stop at nothing to cause utter chaos. The Masked City is the second entry in the Invisible Library series from Genevieve Cogman.

Irene is working undercover when disaster strikes. Her assistant, Kai, is snatched away by the dangerous Fae faction, unveiling his secret identity. Kai is a dragon prince – with this act of aggression, the Fae are determined to trigger a war that will hurl all dimensions into havoc.

With the stakes higher than ever before, Irene must navigate a treacherous path into the heart of enemy territory – a dark, alternate Venice under the grim control of the Fae. To prevent the Fae from triggering armageddon, she must find and rescue Kai. She will be forced to blackmail, fight and make an unlikely alliance – or face death . . .

This book also includes a extra, bonus section – with fascinating insights into the library's intricate spy network.

Continue this enthralling journey with The Burning Page, the third book in the series that takes the adventure to new, fiery heights.

Praise for the series:

'I absolutely loved this' – N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Season

'Irene is a great heroine: fiery, resourceful and no one's fool' – The Guardian

'Cogman keeps upping the ante on this delightful series!' – Charles Stross, author of the Merchant Princes series