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She wants to destroy the monarchy. He wants to preserve it.
Serengard has been under Orion rule for centuries-centuries of insufferable adherence to laws and traditions that its people no longer believe in. Raised by her scholarly grandfather in the fiery southern city of Neroi, Trzl is dedicated to turning the monarchy into a free society where knowledge is king and no one has to be subject to the whims of an Orion. As the rebellion escalates, her choices have an eerie impact on the revolution at large, elevating her to a position of influence she has only dreamed of attaining.
But there are downsides to her new power that entangle her in a dangerous web of emotions, appearances and alliances. Even as she plays to the attractions of Hodran, a rich nobleman who wants to aid her cause, she is drawn to Mikel, a loyalist farmer who hates the rebellion but just might be winning her heart.
When Trzl realizes she is in too deep and seeks refuge near the chilling Cliffs of Marek, she isn't prepared to meet one of her old rivals and rekindle a political game she thought she'd won, but the dark mess of betrayal and lies they've created propels them both into a dangerous standoff. And this time the stakes are far too high.
In the thrilling first installment in the Serengard Series, Rachel O'Laughlin delivers mystery, suspense, and romance, set amid a fresh new fantasy world where tradition and art are the victims of progress.
About the author
Rachel O'Laughlin grew up writing adventure stories in which heroines tend to get their hands dirty, bad guys sometimes win, and someone always gets kidnapped. Her passion for history morphed into a love for fantasy in her mid-teens, when she took a brief pause from reality for utter immersion in the arts and a hands-on education in sustainable living. Lattes and The Fray are daily dwellers in her home in New England, where she lives with her husband and two boys.
Summary
The gripping new novel from the author of the Sunday Times top ten bestseller, Waterstones Thriller of the Month, Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month, and Simon Mayo Radio 2 Book Club Choice, The Dry.
FIVE WENT OUT. FOUR CAME BACK...
Is Alice here? Did she make it? Is she safe? In the chaos, in the night, it was impossible to say which of the four had asked after Alice's welfare. Later, when everything got worse, each would insist it had been them.
Five women reluctantly pick up their backpacks and start walking along the muddy track. Only four come out the other side.
The hike through the rugged landscape is meant to take the office colleagues out of their air-conditioned comfort zone and teach resilience and team building. At least that is what the corporate retreat website advertises.
Federal Police Agent Aaron Falk has a particularly keen interest in the whereabouts of the missing bushwalker. Alice Russell is the whistleblower in his latest case - and Alice knew secrets. About the company she worked for and the people she worked with.
Far from the hike encouraging teamwork, the women tell Falk a tale of suspicion, violence and disintegrating trust. And as he delves into the disappearance, it seems some dangers may run far deeper than anyone knew
Foreword
The best in compulsive literary crime, from the author of the Sunday Times top ten bestseller, The Dry.
