Book Synopsis:
The year 2623.
A serial killer.
An exploited teenager.
A drug dealer.
Four hundred years after Earth established its first planetary colony, resources on the home planet are limited. Earth’s residents are divided into citizens, who have legal rights and a license to live, and the rest. The unlicensed have always been vulnerable, but now, a serial killer is targeting them.
Scarlet is unlicensed. He and his partners exist outside the London walls, making a living by manufacturing and selling illegal lifestyle drugs. None of them expect to make old bones.
Maeve is unlicensed. She’s eighteen, and has survived by allowing a state guardian to exploit her. Now he’s sold her to a brothel outside the protection of London’s walls.
When Scarlet rescues Maeve from her violent owner, he has no idea that his good deed will lead to an accusation of multiple murder.
Suddenly, the security forces are on his tail.
Scarlet flees from Earth, to a small hub-station on the edge of unexplored space. Close behind him are Maeve, a serial killer, a killer’s mother, and his two concerned business partners.
No Good Deed is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.
Extract:
Marm Willim, Ash and Serran shared a luxury stateroom in the first-class section of the shuttle. Maeve had a berth in the economy section, the sort of accommodation where there was a permanent queue for the hygiene facility. She lay on her back in a hammock, just below the ceiling, staring up at the smooth lining of the compartment. She had been the first of the sixteen berths to board. Marm Willim had been in a hurry.
Maeve’s heart was beating hard enough to shake her whole body. She thought she was hyperventilating. She felt sick. By some weird and unfathomable coincidence, Koo-Suki was on the shuttle, in the same economy compartment. So were Mink and his pet, but Mink didn’t worry her half as much as Koo-Suki, and the monster didn’t worry her at all. How could it have happened? A shuttle left the spaceport every morning, carrying at least two hundred passengers, a hundred and sixty of whom were economy. Ten economy compartments, and Koo-Suki was in the same one as her. The universe hated her. The religious fringe might be right. There was a god, and if there was a god, then there was a devil, and the devil had her in his sights. Maybe if she kept absolutely quiet, they wouldn’t realise she was here. Ten days. Ten days wasn’t that long. She could manage ten days. She’d just pee into her hammock. Everyone was supposed to stay in the hammocks most of the time, anyway, and there was hardly any floor space. She didn’t need to eat. Ten days was nothing.
She took a deep breath, trying to keep calm. It worked for a second. Until she began to wonder if their presence was a coincidence. Maybe they were looking for her. No way. They couldn’t be. This journey must have taken a huge amount of credit and surely, they wouldn’t waste their wealth looking for her?
Koo-Suki spoke. “Mink? Do you think it’s okay to get up now?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “I can’t move. I think my ribs are crushed.”
“Acceleration wasn’t that bad.”
“I’m talking about Nyx. She’s squashing me. You can have her later.”
“She’s your pet,” Koo-Suki said.
Maeve drew in a desperate breath and squeezed her eyes closed.
“You’ve brought a pet?” A new voice, young and male, spoke. “Can I see?”
Mink grunted. “Come on Nyx, get up.” He groaned. “Ow. That’s my bladder.”
Nyx landed on the deck with a thud.
“What the hell is it?” the youth said.
“It’s a she and she’s friendly,” Mink said. “Mostly. I haven’t a clue what she is. I found her as a pup, kitten, whatever, a couple of years ago. There were three of them in a box in the swamp. The other two were dead. I think she’s some sort of mutant, maybe from a breeding programme. She must have been dumped with the others. Poor little thing.”
Maeve peeped over the edge of her hammock. Poor little thing? Nyx took up most of the floor. How had Mink managed to get her on the shuttle? How was he going to feed her?
“Get her out of the way,” Koo-Suki said. “I want to get down.”
“It’s a bit crowded,” the youth said. “They’ve crammed as many of us in as they could. I suppose I’m paying minimum, so I can’t complain.”
Maeve pulled the thin cover over her head.
The compartment held two layers of hammocks, upper and lower, four of each on each side, with a narrow aisle between them. Mink and Koo-Suki were the last in, taking the hammocks nearest the entrance. Sixteen people and Nyx in a minute space. Koo-Suki was only a few feet away from her. Why did things keep happening to her? What had she ever done to deserve them?
“How much space do you think the premium passengers get?” Koo-Suki said.
“No idea. More than this,” Mink answered. “And what about the crew? I’d get claustrophobia if I had to travel like this often.”
“You’d get used to it. At least we’ve only got a few days in here,” Koo-Suki said. “You should take the medication.”
“I will if I need it, but I haven’t got there yet.”
Maeve wished they’d stop talking. Maybe she should take the medication. Everyone had been offered it, to keep them calm, and if she took enough, she might pass out for the entire journey. She’d been pleased she didn’t have to share a luxury cabin with Serran and his mother, but this might be worse. She was trapped between two psychopaths.
“There’s no way to stretch your legs,” Koo-Suki said. “That monster of yours takes up the entire floor, Mink. Can’t you get her back in the hammock?”
“No. She needs to stretch too.”
Nyx’s purring bounced off the walls, drowning the sound of the breathing occupants. Her claws tapped at the floor, went quiet, and the edge of Maeve’s hammock sagged as the creature stood on its hind legs. The purr got louder.
“Go away,” Maeve whispered, turning on her side, away from the animal. A cold nose nudged her shoulder. One paw pulled at the cover.
About The Author:
Anne Cleasby lives in the English Lake District with her dog and two cats.
As a child Anne wanted to be a scientist, wear a white coat and explore outer space. She worked as a scientist for a very long time, but never got to fly a spaceship or even travel beyond the solar system. This was a huge disappointment given the reasons for her career choice, so eventually she made up stories instead. Probably just as well, as she is claustrophobic.
Anne writes dystopian fiction (Degrees of Freedom series) and science fiction under her own name, and urban fantasy/paranormal romance as Annalisa Carr.
Over The Rainbow Blog 
Thank you so much for sharing this extract and taking part in the tour today x
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