The Queen of the Tearling

Kelsea Raleigh Glynn has never seen the world beyond a cottage in the countryside, where two guardians have kept her hidden since birth. On her nineteenth birthday, the Queen's Guard arrives to take her to New London, the capital of the Tearling, so she can claim the crown. Her uncle has ruled as regent all these years, and he has no reason to welcome her.

The road to the capital is dangerous. Carroll, the steadfast commander of the guard, and Lazarus, a more enigmatic figure, escort her through country where assassins are looking for her. She has to stay alive until she reaches the throne, and the court ahead of her is full of intrigue.

The larger threat lies across the border. The Red Queen, a sorcerer-ruler, governs neighboring Mortmesne and has held the Tearling under a brutal treaty for nineteen years. She intends to kill Kelsea before the girl can undo that agreement.

The fantasy centres on a young heir who is untested and unprepared, with a dangerous ride in the first part and politics waiting at the end of it. A kingdom's freedom and Kelsea's life are both in danger from the start.