“A voice to watch out for” (Publishers Weekly), Izzy Wasserstein’s absolutely engrossing debut novella THESE FRAGILE GRACES, THIS FUGITIVE HEART is now available from all finer booksellers or direct from Tachyon.

This fast-paced novella blends a pitch-perfect noir voice with all the excitement and grit of an action movie, but at its core, it is ultimately a tale of community, identity, and connection. Izzy Wasserstein is a true and tender storyteller with a head for twisty plots and a heart for complex love.

—Emma Törzs, author of Ink Blood Sister Scribe

[STARRED REVIEW] Recommended for SF readers who love a good mystery, can’t resist a queer romance, and adore seeing a corporate conspiracy unraveled and undone

Library Journal

Publishers Weekly Pick: Spring 2024 Top-10 SF Fantasy & Horror

 THESE FRAGILE GRACES, THIS FUGITIVE HEART

by
Izzy Wasserstein

ISBN: 978-1-61696-412-2 (print); 978-1-61696-413-9 (digital)

Available Format(s): Trade paperback; digital formats

In a queer, noir technothriller of fractured identity and corporate intrigue, a trans woman faces her fear of losing her community as her past chases after her. This bold, thought-provoking debut science-fiction novella from a Lambda Award finalist is an exciting and unpredictable look at the fluid nature of our former and present selves.

Within a twisted conspiracy thriller is a compelling slice-of-queer-life, uninterested in simple representation. An irresistible afterword will leave readers eager for more from Wasserstein. This book is perfect for anyone interested in community politics, body politics, the craft of writing, or a page-turning thriller.

Kirkus

Security expert Dora left her anarchist commune over safety concerns. But when her ex-girlfriend Kay is killed, everyone at the commune is suddenly a potential suspect. In the remains of Kansas City, which the government has all but abandoned, Dora knows there will be no justice unless she solves the murder herself.

But Kay’s death is only one of several shocking incidents. A strange new drug is circulating, people are disappearing, and a war between two nefarious corporations is looming. As Dora untangles a terrible conspiracy, she must also come face-to-face with assailants from her pre-transition past.

THESE FRAGILE GRACES, THIS FUGITIVE HEART is a work of astonishing heart. It bridges isolation and belonging, hate and forgiveness, riveting tension and emotional nuance, to fearlessly explore the chasm between who we are and who we were expected to be. Izzy Wasserstein has given us something we need, as only she can: a story about surviving the near-future hellscape that makes you want to survive the present hellscape. I know I’ll be reading it again before long.

Elly Bangs, author of Unity