Bestselling Rebel of the Sands author Alwyn Hamilton is back with a glittering fantasy thriller about a glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.
At sixteen, Honora "Nora" Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Her family controls all the money—and all the magic—in the entire country. But despite being the center of attention, Nora has always felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead in an alley, the family throne and fortune are suddenly up for grabs, and Nora will be pitted against her cousins in the Veritaz, the ultimate magical competition for power that determines the one family heir.
But there's a surprise contestant this time: Lotte, the illegitimate daughter of Nora's aunt. When Lotte's absent mother retrieves her from the rural convent she'd abandoned her to, Lotte goes from being an orphan to surrounded by family. Unfortunately, most of them want her dead.
And soon, Nora discovers that her mother's death wasn't random—it was murder. And the only person she can trust to uncover the truth of what happened is a rakish young reporter who despises everything Nora and her family stand for.
While the dangers of the Veritaz competition threaten each of the Holtzfall girls, and the stark class differences turns political outrage to terrifing violence—the new cousins must fight to stay alive, no matter what.
Incredible tests, impossible choices, and deadly odds await both girls. But there can only be one winner.
"The Notorious Virtues is a sparkling cocktail of fairy tales, family conflicts, mysteries and magic, bubbling with rebellion and vibrant characters. Beneath the intoxicating glamour of Walstad, you’ll soon find a dark fable about power, the importance of storytelling, and our primal fear of what lies in the woods. Alwyn Hamilton is back and better than ever."—Samantha Shannon, New York Times bestselling author of The Bone Season and The Priory of the Orange Tree
"A decadent, whip-smart treat of a novel full of mystery, intrigue and adventure. Aesthetically rich with intricately crafted fairytale, The Notorious Virtues had me in a chokehold."—Bea Fitzgerald, author of Girl, Goddess, Queen
“Hamilton's The Notorious Virtues is an absolute triumph. The world of the Holtzfalls is a glittering realm of treachery, wonder and charm. Lotte and Nora are exquisitely drawn characters whose verve and determination will ensnare readers. I read this in one sitting and cannot wait to return to this dizzying, dazzling, devious world."-- Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of the Pandava Series
“A secret heir? A battle for a glamorous inheritance? An intricate whodunit? This book has everything I love about the best stories. Most of all, Lotte and Nora will burrow beneath your skin and make you laugh and cry alongside them. Hamilton’s writing is transportive and full of rich detail. I was lost in her world of wealth and intrigue; but most of all, The Notorious Virtues is a tale of family tragedy across generations, spun by a masterful storyteller. I can’t wait for the next one.”—Renèe Ahdieh, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of The Beautiful
