Guardian

In A. J. Hartley’s thrilling and intriguing 19th-century South African-inspired fantasy world,
which started with the Thriller Award-winning Steeplejack and continues with Guardian, Anglet Sutonga is a teenage detective fighting in a race against time as her beloved city is pushed to the brink.

This is what Ang knows:

A dear friend is accused of murdering the Prime Minister of Bar-Selehm.

A mysterious but fatal illness is infecting the poor.

A fanatical politician seizes power, unleashing a wave of violent repression over the city.

This is what Ang must do:

Protect her family.

Solve a murder.

RESIST, no matter what, before it’s too late.

“Richly-drawn and diverse cast of characters, with an unstoppable plot!” —Carrie Ryan, New York Times bestselling author

“Smart political intrigue wrapped in all the twists and turns of a good detective story.” — Kirkus Reviews,starred review

“A political, multilayered mystery-thriller with a strong, impressively fierce heroine.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review

A.J. HARTLEY is the international bestselling author of a dozen novels including the Thriller Award-winning Steeplejack series, the Darwen Arkwright series, and mystery-thrillers for adults. He is UNC Charlotte's Robinson Professor of Shakespeare, specializing in performance theory and practice, and has published several scholarly books on dramaturgy, political theater, and drama history.