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story identification - Book where girl can grow nails and might be a thief


I'll apologize for this being a vague description up front. I read a book about 8 years ago about a girl who could grow her nails into essentially razorblades or long enough that they could be used as razors. She travels to a city and either becomes an assassin or a thief (pretty sure it was a thief). I vaguely remember the book opening with her being chased by a mob. At some point during her thief training she realizes that the layout of the city is the key to some important plot device. I think she was given some scroll or cryptic image and then during her training she realizes that the layout of the city correlates to it.


Although I did read this 8 years ago I'm pretty sure the book was at least 5-10 years older than that, maybe even more because it was my mom who gave it to me and she said had read it when she was younger. The dust cover was missing when I read it so I have no description for the cover. I do remember that the author was male. It was a fantasy setting and there may have been vampires involved at some point but that part of my recollection of the book is even fuzzier than what I've already described. I've tried googling for this book but obviously my description is fairly vague. I will gladly answer any follow up questions that I can to try and help figure this out because it has been bothering me for years.



Answer



God Stalk from Kensyrath series by P. C. Hodgell, perhaps?


"Girl who could grow her nails into essentially razorblades or long enough that they could be used as razors" - she has retractable claws, IIRC. "Book opening with her being chased by a mob" - book opens with her being chased by ghosts or monsters. "She travels to a city and either becomes an assassin or a thief" - she becomes thief's apprentice and joins Thieves' Guild.


"I do remember that the author was male" - well, this part does not match, but you probably assumed that author was male because there were initials only and no obviously female name.



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