The Black Demiurge

By Shanon Erami

San Francisco is gripped by fear as a serial killer stalks the streets, leaving bodies - and baffling ciphers - in their wake. Each message is a taunt, splashed across headlines and police briefings, daring anyone to crack the code.

For Icky Taylor, a sharp-eyed, chronically bored office worker, the case is just another grim curiosity - something to follow during breaks. Until the police arrest a homeless man Icky knows, a gentle soul who couldn't hurt anyone, at the scene of the latest murder.

Digging into the ciphers, Icky spots what everyone else misses: the symbols aren't random. They're lifted from an obscure video game from the 1990s - one almost no one remembers. Almost.

Dismissed by the authorities and mocked online, Icky finds themself racing against time to prove the truth. But one thing becomes terrifyingly clear: the real killer knows Icky is getting close - and doesn't plan to let them finish the game.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0G1BD4LWZ
• ISBN13: 9798271728228
• Release Date: October 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 124 Pages
• Weight: 0.29 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.0" x 8.0"