June 2012 Debut of the Month. The sisters of the convent of St Mortain are trained assassins. They serve the god of Death. Introducing a powerful new heroine Ismae, this is a dangerous paranormal romance that simmers with courtly intrigue, poison, murder, secrets, betrayals and divided loyalties. It's the first in a gripping new trilogy that will appeal to fans of The Hunger Games in particular. Grave Mercy is a beautifully crafted historical fantasy brimming with magic, supense, assassin nuns and passion that will leave you craving more...We love it.
A message from the author's Editor, Ruth Knowles:
If I asked you to think of a picturesque nunnery on an isolated island off the coast of Brittany, you might think of Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music singing ‘The hills are alive!’ In the case of Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers you couldn’t be further from the truth. The convent of St Mortain, which seventeen-year old Ismae belongs to, serves Death. Each sister is trained as an assassin. All are deadly.
Grave Mercy is book one in the breathtaking His Fair Assassin trilogy, which we are very excited to have on the Andersen Press list. It is already proving to be a huge hit in the author’s native US, where bloggers and publications are giving the book glowing starred reviews, calling it ‘A page-turner – with grace’ (Kirkus, starred review), and ‘Powerful’ (Publishers Weekly)amongst many, many other plaudits. Ismae ( who is seriously kick-ass) and her gripping first assignment are sure to bewitch both fans of Philippa Gregory and of Lauren Kate. With action, courtly intrigue, a touch of the supernatural and a beautifully written romance, this sophisticated, thrilling novel has something for everyone. I hope you love it as much as we do.
Young, beautiful and deadly. Trained as an assassin by the god of Death, Ismae is sent to the court of Brittany, where she finds herself under prepared - not only for the games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death's vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?
You can see the Grave Mercy book trailer below (please note: this is the US trailer with a different cover).
'Like Hunger Games Ismae is a female assassin . . . A fantasy based on the rough contours of history . . . Game of Thrones-style.’ - New York Times
‘A page turner . . . Suspense and sexuality and mercy.’ - Kirkus, Starred Review
‘With characters that will inspire the imagination . . . this is sure to attract feminist readers and romantics alike.’ - Booklist, Starred Review
‘Rich in historical detail, well-realised characters, political machinations, and enticingly prickly scenes between Ismae and Duval, LaFevers’s complex tale incorporates magic both sparingly and subtly.’ - Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
Author
About Robin LaFevers
Robin LaFevers is an award-winning American children's book writer from California. She is the author of the Theodosia series, Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist and His Fair Assassins series.
She grew up in Los Angeles, California and now resides on a small ranch in Southern California with her husband, two sons, dog and cat. She has had a life-long love of animals, which often make appearances in her novels, and a sensitivity to ecological responsibility best apparent in the Nathaniel Fludd books. She admits to a belief in the magical, which is also a driving element of stories such as Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos.
