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Published: 12 May 2026
ISBN: 9780645404197
Imprint: Story Playscapes
Pages: 434
Categories: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Private Investigators
Fiction / Romance / Small Town & Rural 
Fiction / Visionary & Metaphysical
Trim Size: 229 x 152 mm (9 x 6 in)
Age: Adult

Acclaim

#1 Global Ranking in New Adult Mystery at Goodreads.
#6 Global Pre-Release and #9 Official Release positions worldwide at Alibris Global within the Visionary and Metaphysical charts.

Reviews

“True to her literary finesse, Susan Marshall has masterfully connected the metaphysical world of Private Detective Adira Cazon with us here and now. The cover art of the new Romantic Spirit Collection: Dawn and Dusk Deluxe edition of Adira and the Dark Horse is not only breath-taking, it is also highly immersive. We can choose to ‘inhabit’ this story and the experiences of its Romantic Spirit via dusk or dawn covers. The addition of Susan’s stunning metaphysical poetry, makes the experience complete. Adira Cazon remains my favourite, most relatable private detective to date. A true collector’s item, to be cherished.”

-Hendrick Jorgensen, Independent Reviewer.

“The Romantic Spirit Collection: Dawn and Dusk Deluxe edition of Adira and the Dark Horse is bespoke and creatively unique. A true collector’s edition, it allows you to escape into the rich settings and and journeys of our strong protagonist and tour de force, Private Detective Adira Cazon and to celebrate the Romantic Spirit’s journeys through the deep mysteries of dusk and dawn. A truly indulgent and immersive experience for the reader.”

-Maggie Vasalla, Independent Reviewer.

Recommended Retail Pricing

  • Australia: $68.19 (inc. GST)
  • United States: $42.99
  • Canada: $42.99
  • United Kingdom: £31.99
  • European Union: €35.99
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The Romantic Spirit Collection: Dawn and Dusk Deluxe Edition

Adira and the Dark Horse

Book One of ‘An Adira Cazon Literary Mystery’ series

Susan L. Marshall

Format & Edition:

Dawn and Dusk Deluxe Hardcover Edition
12 May 2026

”I always wonder what hope I will find across the terrain. It changes all the time. Right now, the wind plays with it, tossing its dirt into the air, challenging the terrain to ground itself. I remind myself that in fierceness, there is also a delicate beauty. You just have to look in the right place to find it.”

Adira and the Dark Horse, by award-winning and Amazon best-selling author, Susan Marshall, is suspenseful as both a slow burn and a fast paced, lyrical journey of Romantic spirit, courage, community and love in danger. A fusion of metaphysical mystery and small town romance, it is an atmospheric and gripping page turner in search of truth and justice.

In hiding from the dangerous dark horse in Redbank, Private Detective Adira Cazon’s spirit is restless in memories of her origin, Mira: upheaving sand and heart; panic and sweat; traumatic tragedy and her missing mother, Maricelle’s light in tallow. Somewhere in the present poetry of fallen red, green and gold; forest custodian, Jacquelyn’s close connection with nature; as well as the weathered letters from Empress Celine of Mira, lies a deep dark truth.

As Redbank faces the threat of an illegal trade operation and Girl flees from persecution in Mira, Adira’s own two worlds collide. On the run, Adira swears to protect Girl and soon discovers a much deeper connection to land, silk, a pleading people and the spirit of Girl’s ancestor, Aisha, in danger and romantic love. 

Under the constant constellation, Orion, Adira seeks refuge and remnant love. As the dark horse lures, her spirit is scarred by the estrangement of her husband Mitch. Has he betrayed her?

Adira is determined to outwit the dark horse …

Story Playscapes is proud to present its Romantic Spirit Collection: Dawn and Dusk Deluxe edition of Adira and the Dark Horse by Susan Marshall. This curated publication captures the beauty, existence and journey of the timeless Romantic Spirit in the person, the community, the mystery and love itself. It features the full, unabridged book and the addition of Susan’s metaphysical poems: A Mosaic of Dawn’s Eve and Evergold Dream. This edition is adorrned with a premium hardbound cover with dusk cover art; a dust jacket with dawn cover art and premium paper for a luxurious and bespoke addition to any bookshelf.  

The Romantic Spirit Alight Readers’ Garden

As you wander through our opening gallery of quotes for Adira and the Dark Horse, a First Era book, please observe the structural pathways designed for your journey:

Exploring the Gallery: Simply select your chosen publication and navigate using the directional arrows.

Honoring the Texts: If you wish to refer to any of Susan L. Marshall’s quotes, please ensure you cite them correctly. Specific citation details are provided on the cover image of each Story Playscapes publication.

Thank you in advance for respecting and following our garden rules.

Adira and the Dark Horse

Series: ‘An Adira Cazon Literary Mystery’
Collection: Romantic Spirit Collection: Dawn and Dusk Deluxe Edition
Author: Susan L. Marshall
Publisher: Story Playscapes
Era: First Era
ISBN: 9780645404159
When referencing all quotes from Adira and the Dark Horse, please cite:
Marshall, Susan L. (2026): Adira and the Dark Horse. Story Playscapes, Melbourne, Australia

Provenance & Technical Ledger: Adira and the Dark Horse (Romantic Spirit: Dawn and Dusk Deluxe Hardcover)
A luxury collector’s edition published explicitly to celebrate the formal declaration of Metaphysical Minimalism. Seamlessly blending narrative prose with metaphysical poetry, this physical artifact uses Soulful Formalist design principles to honor Dawn and Dusk as sacred, cyclical boundaries of time.

Provenance & Technical Ledger: Adira and the Dark Horse (Paperback Edition)
A strategic republication and extension of the Makeshift Girl universe, executed in direct response to intense reader resonance. This edition formally launched the character of Adira Cazon into her own dedicated, standalone literary mystery series.

A Note on Makeshift Girl: The Secret Heritage Trail (Out of Print):
Provenance & Technical Ledger: Makeshift Girl: The Secret Heritage Trail
The historic foundational text and proof-of-concept marking the official birth of the Story Playscapes luxury literary house. Functioning as the initial bridge to a global readership, this nostalgic publication trialled the primary frameworks for narrative time, macro-micro world mapping and character protagonist development.

“I always wonder what hope I will find across the terrain. It changes
all the time. Right now, the wind plays with it, tossing its dirt in the air, challenging
the terrain to ground itself. I remind myself that in fierceness, there is also a delicate
beauty. You just have to look in the right place to find it.”

“The Redbank forest is crying silently this morning. The red, green and golden
leaves of late autumn are separating from their branches like youngsters leaving
their nests. Carried by the wind, the leaves toss and turn, trying to gain control over their pathways through the vast, wide terrain of the world.”

“For a split moment, time stopped as I was faced with the rugged beauty of my
mother. There she stood in her tattered dress, her bare feet almost completely
buried in the sand. Across her shoulder lay two skinned rabbits, which she had
captured for us to eat. In her hand, she carried a single, tallow candle, which was
stubbornly sparking its fire into the sky.”

“The wax of my single tallow candle has melted considerably and only a tiny spark of
life remains in its fire. As I sit at this desk, its flailing light bewitches me. My hands
are clutched tightly together, trying to summon my energy to regain my composure.
Inside my heart, a deep sadness resides, creeping its way through my body.

“Lowering my hands to my womb, I feel a great sense of hollow emptiness. Once
there sat a precious life, wrestling its way inside my being and sparking my heart
with love and hope.”

“Clutch the cloth close to your heart,
let its creation speak its art.
Share its journeys across the land,
away from the dark horse’s hand.”

“It is darker than usual in my chamber tonight, not having you here to light the
tallow candles as you usually do. I used to find comfort in your warm smile as you
would spark light throughout my melancholy space.”

“Beginning to slow down, my mother walked at a steady pace, cutting through the
village and heading down to the sandy shore. The strength in her was admirable as
she continued to carry me, even as she struggled to trek through the deep sand.”

“Old, yet beloved to my family,
the cart is marked with the prints
and sweat of our ancestors,
who began our journeys in trade.

“I carry our world in this cart,
wares we have taken ages to create.
Foraging through earth and trees
to source our natural ingredients.

Wares I push with deep pride,
along the sloping, uneven terrain.
I can travel further with the cart
and expand my avenues for trade.”

“Pressing my nails firmly into the bark of the tree, I watch as a silhouette reveals
itself in the moonlight. Tall and built, the human frame enters the clearing that
I stand in. My eyes are immediately drawn to the breathtaking sight of his face.
I am familiar with those deep brown eyes, which draw me gently towards him.
I let him pull me into his warm embrace.

“Kirano!” I breathe, pressing my head against his regal blue jacket. I can hear his
heart beating rapidly with excitement.

“Aisha,” Kirano’s voice is as soothing as I remember. Looking up, I see his warm,
adoring smile. “I see that you tied your favourite silk scarf to the tree.”

“I stop in my tracks, turning to face Girl. She is limping across the grass.
I can do this!
Reaching out, I lift her in both my arms. She straddles her legs around my waist
and leans her head against my left shoulder.
Girl is heavy but I seem to manage. Finding my inner strength, I support her
weight in my arms. My feet continue to pelt across the grass and onto the
cement of the car park.”

“My heart is beating furiously but I harness my strength. Grabbing the Chief’s hands
from around my back, I twist around and free myself. “Don’t move,” I say, grasping
him firmly around the neck in a tight headlock. “Or I will strengthen my grip.”

“Girl grabs Dari’s hand. “Don’t forget what it’s like to run, Dari.
Do you remember the feeling of the breeze flying through your hair when we used
to run through the forest? We were young and freer then, with thoughts of how
we’d like our futures to be.”

“We slept under stark trees, staring up at the stars as the night
announced itself. Stars that were constant and shone regardless of the danger or
fear that we faced. They soothed my young, terrified heart and gave me hope that
one day we would be safe again.”

“Now I inhale the air, the microcosmic particles of the earth and all that I tread upon.
I keep inhaling, drawing in the fragments of time that we have both make shifted
our ways through. Their presence, their fleeting moments, their courage, their truths,
cannot ever be captured in a single breath.

“Exhaling, my breath is strong, trekking an age of light, which glows dimly in the
distance. Light that bounces across the earth, flashing images of familiar, warm faces,
tallow candles, silk and red gum trees. Moments of precious heritage that should be
treasured and prolonged.”

A wicked smirk crosses Dari’s lips and he steps closer until his face is level with
Girl’s. “Break your soul we will,” he spits, his eyes sparking and sinister. “You and
your empire have no place in this world and will be wiped from living memory.”

“As the sun continued to rise, the tune became more intoxicating, lulling me into
a completely relaxed state. I allowed my mind to drift, imagining I was walking
through a pretty meadow full of roses. In my mind’s eye, I held a rose flower in my
hands and sniffed at it, my eyes shining with pure happiness.

“In my dreamy state, the air smelled of roses, warming my spirit and coaxing me to
stop and rest. Lying back in the grass, I stretched my arms up to the sky, inviting
the sun to join me. Warm tingles rippled across my skin and eased the pressure
in my head. I was light, drifting through the breeze and letting the wind
take me somewhere untouched and soothing.”

“Reaching out, Mitch grabs hold of my hand and kisses it gently. “My beautiful wife,” he says softly. “I miss you so much.”

“I close my eyes, feeling the bittersweet familiarity of his hand in mine. In my heart I always believed that I would be holding his hand forever. I never thought that he’d stray.”

“In our hyper vigilant states our hearts did wrestle, determined to live and fight.
We were willing to sacrifice contentment for that single, valuable breath.”

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