Looking for fantasy murder mystery

[nexneci]

Looking for a book, actually I know there were at least 2 in the series.
May have been published in the 80s. I think it was that long ago since I've read it.

Basically the first book is a fantasy murder mystery. The magic in these books is sort of an occupational magic. The first chapter starts out with a bunch of character narrations of different occupations explaining that “Balance” is the key to their magic mastery.

A baker that also has "baker magic" while “magic-ed” does all the right things, and they would make the best of all breads. An acrobat with "acrobat magic" while “magic-ed” wouldn’t fall, and could jump higher and farther. Each persons magic makes them extremely better at some specialty.

The hero of the story is the youngest member of a traveling troop of acrobats that have come to a local kingdom fair. The young man doesn’t seem to have the same kind of magic that his brothers have that lets them be exceptional acrobats. Later it turns out that his "magic" is the ability to tell what other peoples specific magic is when they are "magic-ed"

Someone gets killed in a second story inn room with a sword. The room was locked from the inside and it looks like only one of the acrobats while “magic” could have jump in through an open window from a neighboring tree. It looks like one of the hero’s brothers has done the deed and is jailed by the king.

The hero not believing that his brother is to blame gets tasked with finding the real killer.

Not sure I've given enough information. I'll try to remember more.
I've been thinking about this book for a long time so if anyone has any suggestions on what it might be.
Thanks.

[admin]

The locked room and death by sword sounds like Randall Garrett, but the rest of the description doesn't fit.

[nexneci]

It is D'Shai by Joel Rosenberg
The second book is Hour of the Octopus

I can't believe I found this. The amount of times and hours I've spent searching. I get a suggestion for Randall Garrett which made me look through everything I could find on him. Followed with just the right combination of words into google, and there it was. From a guy that had just read it an posted a review in his blog on July 18. Kismet I say.

This was one of those books that kept coming to mind every time I went to get a book. It was like being haunted. Looking at the publish date (1991) I think I've been looking for this for at least a decade.
I'm so stoked I paid for overnight shipping on both.

Thanks so much.