Today is a very special day. Today is the day I can finally share the cover for a book I was lucky enough to read as a very early ARC reader, and one I have been excited about for ages!
Just look at this gorgeous cover: whimsical details, and a style that perfectly matches the cosy fantasy vibe of the story. From the owl perched on a stack of books to the little flourishes of plants, maps, and potions, everything about it whispers comfort and adventure in equal measure. And yes, that owl is not just decoration. Atlas is a super cute and wise companion you will get to meet in the story itself.
What Would You Do To Discover Your Heart’s Desire?
Greton of Willow is in a spot of bother. Caught in the act while escorting a family of elves to safety, Greton flees for greener pastures with only his scant magic and brilliant mind to his name. And a question. The question.
What is your heart’s desire?
A life-long outsider, Greton sets out to uncover what lies at the centre of his heart. Is it adopting a tawny owl? Owning his very own map shop? Forging a found family with others as similarly scorned as himself? The possibilities are endless. Determined to put his marvellous mind to the task, Greton discovers a way to reveal anyone’s heart’s desire, but not everyone’s longings are as pure as his…
Something odd is occurring in Greton’s new home of Barrow’s Hill, and before long, the old man in search of a comfortable new life finds himself swept up in danger and mischief.
A heart-felt, cosy, neurodivergent adventure filled with found family and an elderly autistic hero searching for his place in the world, Magic, Maps, and Mischief is a story built on love, friendship and acceptance, perfect for readers of Legends and Lattes, The Teller of Small Fortunes and Under The Whispering Door.
Now a closer look, in all it’s cosy glory!
My Thoughts
Magic, Maps and Mischief is a cosy fantasy with an autistic main character, and it is every bit as wonderful and heartwarming as the cover suggests.
The story begins much darker than you might expect, with Greton forced into military action. From there, he chooses a different path, but reaching his new home is not instant or easy. Almost a third of the book is devoted to his adventures at sea and later with a group of explorers. Along the way there are bursts of faster-paced excitement, such as a tense bandit attack, and later the story builds toward moments of higher stakes and real threat. But even then, it never tips out of its cosy heart. These touches of danger give the gentle warmth more depth and make Greton’s choices feel all the more meaningful.
Greton himself is a fascinating lead. He is a “sparker,” someone with great magical power, but he is not chasing glory or combat. At heart, he is a scholar who just wants to study, learn, and make maps. One of my favourite moments is when he insists on correcting an oversight by the Cartographers’ Guild:
“Exactly right, my young friend. A travesty. How can anyone call themselves a cartographer and miss an entire hamlet? I have already added Gregor’s Nook… and I have written out a letter I intend to send to this Cartographers’ Guild as soon as we happen upon another settlement with a Mailing Shop.”
That tension, between what he could do with his strength and what he wants to do with his life, makes him layered and real. And as he journeys to find a new home, those external travels resonate beautifully with his inner journey to becoming himself. He is also often referred to as the “old man,” which adds another layer to his story. It is never too late to find your own way, your own home, and your own voice.
I absolutely loved Greton. He is written with care and depth, and he felt immediately real to me. You do not need to be neurodivergent to enjoy this story, but as someone autistic myself, I cannot even tell you how much it meant to finally see good representation. So often autistic characters are reduced to stereotypes or written like a cliché. David Green, who is autistic himself, captures the experience so well, showing strengths and struggles, but most importantly showing Greton as a whole person you can root for and connect with.
The wider cast is just as delightful. Greton’s new friends bring humour, warmth, and plenty of charm. Petra runs Petra’s Rare and Collectable Tomes, while Aria serves treats at Aria’s Fine Teas and Equally Fine Fancies. Their presence adds to the warmth of Barrow’s Hill, where Greton slowly builds the kind of chosen family Aria once described to him:
“Not every family is one you’re born with or marry into. Perhaps you’ll find another one soon.”
The book is also LGBTQIA+ friendly, with a sapphic romance that feels like a sweet side-quest rather than the main focus, and a they/them character who adds even more inclusivity to the group. Oh and Greton himself is ACE as well. All of it comes together to create a community you genuinely want to spend time with.
Greton’s maps themselves are full of magic, and those details made me smile:
“The magic imbued in the vellum caused the fresh ink to dance, and the loops of Greton’s signature sparkled and swayed along with the other parts of his marvellous map.”
There might not be sprawling battles or epic quests like in the author’s other books, but I never once felt the story lacking. In fact, I was just as hooked here, because the smaller, quieter moments of life have their own kind of magic. Watching Greton grow, trust others, and simply be allowed to be himself was such a joy.
By the end, when Greton finally finds his home, it felt like the perfect culmination of everything the story had been building toward:
“Greton’s was home. Family. To be enough in himself. And, in the city of Barrow’s Hill, in his little community of Barrow’s Snug, he had found his innermost craving.”
Magic, Maps and Mischief proves that cosy fantasy can be just as compelling as the grandest adventure. It is comforting, funny, and heartfelt, while still grounded in the reality of a character navigating both trauma and growth. For me, it was the kind of book you curl up with and do not want to put down, because spending time with these characters feels like a gift.
If you love cosy fantasy, character-driven stories, or are simply looking for a warm and comforting read, this one is absolutely worth picking up. And if, like me, you have been craving authentic autistic representation in fantasy, this book will mean even more.
A few words from the Author
Magic, Maps, and Mischief is a book extremely near and dear to me. Greton, the book’s protagonist, is autistic like me and my son, and he is a character I love fiercely. He is kind, intelligent, capable and filled to the brim with empathy, but also shows the many challenges autistic people face on a daily basis.
Own voice stories are important. For too long, autistic characters written by neurotypical people have been cliched and stereotypical to the point that, when on submission with this book, some editors thought this autistic character written by an autistic writer did not seem autistic. Greton is not a stereotype. He is not a cliché. There might be some characteristics of autism he presents with that you are familiar with, but he is so much more. Like many autistic people I have met (and I daresay myself), Greton is multi-faceted and surprising. His autism is not a “super power”, it is a part of who he is.
I am delighted to finally get this story out there. Autistic representation by autistic people is so important, especially in these days of misinformation and hatred. Greton, along with the entire cast of Magic, Maps, and Mischief, tell a tale charting the importance of kindness, acceptance and love. And maps. There are lots of maps.
I hope you enjoy Greton as much as I do. If you are autistic, I hope you feel seen by his story. And if you are not, I hope you are still able to connect with him. Reading is the art of empathy, and this is a book with empathy at its center.
Links
About the Author
David Green is a neurodivergent writer of the epic and the urban, the fantastical, the cosy and the mysterious. With his character-driven dark fantasy series Empire Of Ruin, or urban fantasy noir Hell In Haven, David takes readers on emotional, action-packed thrill rides. If you are looking for something on the cosier side, David recommends Magic, Maps, and Mischief, the first book in his Greton’s Marvellous Maps series.
Hailing from the north-west of England, David now lives in County Galway on the west coast of Ireland. When not writing, David can be found wondering why he chooses to live in places where it constantly rains.
David’s Path Of War was nominated for Best Novel at the 2023 BFS Awards and Beyond Sundered Seas and At Eternity’s Gates were both nominated for Best Novel in 2024. He is repped by Laura Bennett of LLA.
