Perfect for fans of dark academia and readers who loved the high stakes, rivalry and romance in Fourth Wing
Old magic. New power. A contest to die for.
In this lush, atmospheric romantasy, an illusionist competes in a series of deadly trials for a spot at an elite magical college—that is, if another hopeful doesn’t kill her first.
Twenty-year-old Sophia DeWinter has only known life bound to her cruel uncle, the Collector, thanks to a blood bond he exacted from her as a child. When she learns of Killmarth College, an elite academy for magic wielders outside of the Collector’s control, she knows it is her only chance to finally break free. But to gain entry, she will have to compete against other illusionists, masquiers, botanists and alchemists in a series of brutal trials that many hopefuls don’t survive—the Ordeals.
Sophia knows her skills as an illusionist are weak; she only makes it through the first challenge by teaming up with a powerful (and insufferably sexy) botanist, Alden Locke. To make it out alive, she will have to hone her magic, and learn to identify who is a rival, who could be an ally, and who is a murderer.
Because now, not only does she have to protect her heart, but her very life. Hopefuls are being viciously picked off one-by-one between the challenges. In her haste to escape the Collector’s trap, Sophia may have fled straight towards her own death sentence.
Rachel Greenlaw grew up in North Cornwall, surrounded by wild moorland. She studied English with Creative Writing at Falmouth University before moving to an island in the middle of the Atlantic, with all the allure of tropical palm trees in the summer and spine-tingling storms in the winter. Rachel’s debut adult novel, One Christmas Morning was published by HarperCollins imprints in the US and UK in October 2023. Her YA debut fantasy novel, Compass and Blade, was published in February 2024 by Avon.
<aside> ⌛ “[A] powerful, seafaring adventure, featuring a smart and sassy heroine and an irresistible love story” - The Bookseller, Editor's Choice
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<aside> ⌛ “I flew through each page… Readers will be truly captivated by Mira and her journey to find her father and herself along the way. A magical tale with a lot of heart” - Alexandra Christo, author of To Kill a Kingdom
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<aside> ⌛ “An addictive blend of lyrical prose, shimmering magic and whip-sharp pacing” - Laura Steven, author of The Society for Soulless Girls
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Extent: 384 pages
UK Publisher: HQ, October 2025
US Publisher: Ballantine/Dell, October 2025
Primary Agent: Maddalena Cavaciuti
Film/ TV agent: DHA (Clare Israel)
Rights sold: German - Klett Cotta
Co-agents: Chinese Bardon Chinese Media; Japanese Japan Uni