She might win the throne. She might destroy an empire. Either way, it begins with murder.

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.

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.

Then one of them is murdered.

It falls to the brilliant but idiosyncratic Neema Kraa to investigate. But as she hunts for a killer, darker forces are gathering.

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 . . .

The Raven Scholar is a labyrinth of a book-vast and intricate, full of fiendish twists and clever traps–with a deeply human heart at its center. It’s thrilling, romantic, often tragic, and always funny; I’m obsessed – Alix E. Harrow, NYT bestselling author of Starling House

The Raven Scholar is epic fantasy at its finest: fiendish political intrigue, the ultimate trial for the throne and a shocking crime at the centre. Every character plays friend, suspect and threat – and you’ll be turning the pages at midnight to unmask them. I can’t wait to devour the sequel. Simply glorious! – Georgia Summers, Sunday Times bestselling author of The City of Stardust

The Raven Scholar is an immersive and enthralling epic fantasy. Fiendishly charming and clever, this is a book you absolutely must devour – Tasha Suri, World Fantasy Award-winning author of The Jasmine Throne

Twisty and clever – Claire North, author of Ithaca

The Raven Scholar is magnificently immersive, and a real master-class in world building. It’s evocative and fun. A smooth-read, and yet a deep-dive. I’m looking forward to reading more from Hodgson in the future! – Marina Lostetter, author of The Helm of Midnight