The Notorious Virtues

Ages 12 And Up, Grades 7 And Up

Bestselling Rebel of the Sands author Alwyn Hamilton is back with a glittering fantasy thriller about a glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.

At sixteen, Honora "Nora" Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Her family controls all the money—and all the magic—in the entire country. But despite being the center of attention, Nora has always felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead in an alley, the family throne and fortune are suddenly up for grabs, and Nora will be pitted against her cousins in the Veritaz, the ultimate magical competition for power that determines the one family heir.

But there's a surprise contestant this time: Lotte, the illegitimate daughter of Nora's aunt. When Lotte's absent mother retrieves her from the rural convent she'd abandoned her to, Lotte goes from being an orphan to surrounded by family. Unfortunately, most of them want her dead.

And soon, Nora discovers that her mother's death wasn't random—it was murder. And the only person she can trust to uncover the truth of what happened is a rakish young reporter who despises everything Nora and her family stand for.

While the dangers of the Veritaz competition threaten each of the Holtzfall girls, and the stark class differences turns political outrage to terrifing violence—the new cousins must fight to stay alive, no matter what.

Incredible tests, impossible choices, and deadly odds await both girls. But there can only be one winner.

Series Overview: The Notorious Virtues is the first in a duet. Its sequel, tentatively titled The Glorious Vices, will follow in Fall 2026.

About the Author

Alwyn Hamilton was born in Toronto and lived between Canada, France, and Italy until she was three, when her family settled in the small French town of Beaune. She studied history of art at King's College, Cambridge, graduated in 2009, and lives in London. She is the author of Rebel of the Sands, Traitor to the Throne, and Hero at the Fall.

Author Residence: London, United Kingdom