The Tinder Box

Prepare to be entranced by this utterly unique and completely spellbinding dark fairy tale from the million-copy bestselling M. R. Carey, author of The Girl With All the Gifts.

In a kingdom forgotten by history, a legend unfolds ...

Wounded in his county's endless wars, former soldier Mag Tresti finds work in the home of a reclusive widow, Jannae Mirchella. But Jannae is more than she seems. A witch of great skill and might, she hides her powers and her deep-laid plans behind a mask of harmless respectability.

When a dead demon falls out of the sky, the fates of the soldier and the witch are irrevocably intertwined. On the demon's body Mag finds a tinderbox--an artefact of terrifying magical power that can not only grant his every wish, but also change the fate of nations.

This is a tale of spellcraft and devilry, of witchcraft and trickery--of the wickedness that resides within a few, the goodness that lies deep within us all, and the choices on which our lives turn.

Author: M. R. Carey
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 06/23/2026
Pages: 400
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.71lbs
Size: 8.21h x 5.56w x 0.98d
ISBN: 9780316595490


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 04/24/2026 pg. 1
Booklist 05/01/2026
Kirkus Reviews 06/01/2026

About the Author
M. R. Carey has been making up stories for most of his life. His novel The Girl With All the Gifts was a USA Today bestseller and is a major motion picture based on his BAFTA-nominated screenplay. Under the name Mike Carey he has written for both DC and Marvel, including critically acclaimed runs on X-Men and Fantastic Four, Marvel's flagship superhero titles. His creator-owned books regularly appear in the New York Times bestseller list. He also has several previous novels, two radio plays, and a number of TV and movie screenplays to his credit.