The Raven Scholar the masterfully woven and breathtaking epic adult fantasy of cutthroat competition and imperial deceit

<p><b>The <i>Sunday Times</i> bestseller </b><b>from an electrifying new voice in epic fantasy </b><b>- a masterfully woven tale of imperial intrigue, cutthroat competition, and one scholar's quest to uncover the truth.</b><br><br><b>'IT'S THRILLING, ROMANTIC, OFTEN TRAGIC, AND ALWAYS FUNNY' ALIX E. HARROW</b><br><b>'SIMPLY GLORIOUS!' GEORGIA SUMMERS</b><br><b>'FIENDISHLY CHARMING AND CLEVER' TASHA SURI<br></b><br><b><i>She might win the throne. She might destroy an empire. Either way, it begins with murder.</i></b><br><br> After twenty-four years on the throne, it is time for Bersun the Brusque, emperor of Orrun, to bring his reign to an end. In the dizzying heat of mid-summer, seven contenders will compete to replace him.<br><br> Trained at rival monasteries, each contender is inspired by a sacred animal - Fox, Raven, Tiger, Ox, Bear, Monkey, and Hound. An eighth - the Dragon proxy - will be revealed only once the trials have begun. Eight exceptional warriors, thinkers, strategists - the best of the best.<br><br> Then one of them is murdered.<br><br> It falls to the brilliant but idiosyncratic Neema Kraa to investigate. But as she hunts for a killer, darker forces are gathering.<br><br> If Neema succeeds, she could win the throne - whether she wants it or not. But if she fails, she will sentence herself to death - and set in motion a sequence of events that could doom the empire . . .<br><br><b>PRAISE FOR <i>THE RAVEN SCHOLAR</i></b><br>'<i>The Raven Scholar</i> is an intricately plotted historical mystery steeped in gothic charm and intellectual intrigue' <b>⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</b><br>'<b>It [<i>The Raven Scholar</i>] is truly one of the best epic fantasy books I've read in a long time</b>' <b>⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</b><br>'I have NEVER rooted a romance more' <b>⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</b><br><b>'This book is simply "Magnificent"</b>' <b>⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</b><br>'Mature and sensible, but still idealistic, emotional, passion-driven [characters]' <b>⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</b></p>