League of Liars

Leta

Leta s pale skin glowed in the moonlight as she crept through the high stalks of the torlu fields. She pocketed the bolt cutters she d used to sever the electricity to the farm s flood lamps and enjoyed the cool shadows that washed over her skin like a gentle caress. She d chosen a farm on the outskirts of Ferrington, far from the main street, where the entire town had gathered for the evening. It was a sweltering summer night, and the flood lamps had made her shirt and pants stick to her skin. Not anymore.

Unlike most people, Leta longed for shadows. Ever since she was a child, she d had an affinity for the darkness. She liked that anything could be out there, a whole world full of possibilities hidden from sight. And one of those possibilities was why she was in Ferrington.

Ferrington was a small rural region around three hundred miles from Downtown Kardelle, near the easternmost point of the nation. Not long after edem had first been detected, a group of farmers emigrated from the agricultural nation of Delften to plant crops and rear livestock. Ferrington was known for its mineral-rich soils, a positive side effect of edem. Crops flourished, the torlu berry in particular. Used in jams, jellies, fermented tonics and even vitamin supplements, torlu berries had become Telene s principal agricultural export. But in the last few years, other nations had retracted their trade deals and refused all immigration requests until the Regency stopped the spread of edem.

In the hundred years since the veil had been discovered, many people had fled Telene, searching for safer shores. The monarchs had provided monetary incentive for people to stay. In turn, they d nearly bankrupted the government.

Some people, veil worshippers, believed the only solution was to master the use of edem for industry and the economy. But the monarchs refused to put society at risk and allow the veil to grow.

Astrid Scholte

Praise for League of Liars:

An Amazon Best Book of the Month February 2022

The plot is twisty in satisfying ways . . . [and with] romances, one steamy and one cozy, a fabulous setting, and complex, nuanced characters what else could one want for a winter night s reading?   The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Expansive and original worldbuilding. . . A smart, suspenseful adventure. Kirkus Reviews

Scholte s third novel is a mash-up fantasy/legal drama/heist story. . . The worldbuilding [is] interesting . . . [and will] keep readers wondering what will happen next and find out who or what is behind these murders. School Library Journal

Scholte's latest tells a story filled with adventure, magic, and mystery, transporting readers to a whole new world filled with a magic system that incorporates the concept of shadows being dangerous and magical. The twists and turns will keep readers engaged. Booklist

Blends legal thriller and action novel in an exploration of morality s gray areas . . . a mix of first- and third-person perspectives lend depth to the cast. Publisher s Weekly

Bursting with originality and mile-a-minute action, the twists, turns and thrills kept coming! Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author of Illuminae and Aurora Rising

League of Liars has everything you want in your next favorite thriller, from razor-sharp pacing to unforgettable characters and of course, the fresh and immersive world building you ve come to know and love from Astrid Scholte. Don t miss this twisty, heart-pounding fantasy! Sarah Glenn Marsh, author of the Reign of the Fallen series
 
Full of dark intrigue and a thrilling mystery that will ensnare you until the end, League of Liars is everything I love in a story. From its phenomenal crew of misfits you can t help but root for, to its immersive and