The Cinder Crown

Sometimes, happily-ever-after is only the beginning of the story...
Hohenzern is a kingdom at the peak of its power, respected by its neighbours, and feared by its enemies, rich, stable and ruled over by a powerful aristocracy who live lives of fabulous luxury. It is into this decadent world that the young Cordelia is thrust. Rescued from her abusive step-mother and sisters by the Countess Engless, a mysterious spymaster claiming to be her Godmother, feted and loved by the people as their beloved Cinderella, and married to the handsome and brave Crown-prince Dietrich, it seems that Cordelia can finally put the nightmare of her former life behind her.
And yet not is all as it seems in mighty Hohenzern. Beneath the surface the country is a tinderbox of discontent and resentment, teetering on the edge of bloody revolution. While the poorest people struggle simply to survive under the oppression of the privileged classes, others question the divine right of the aristocracy to rule over them, plotting their violent downfall. Even amongst the royal family powerful forces scheme to overthrow the paranoid and repressive rule of the king, with all sides viewing the beloved Cinderella as an obstacle to their success, an obstacle that needs to be removed.
Written from a series of first-person points of view, The Cinder Crown weaves together the story of a damaged girl propelled from obscurity into fame, wealth and terrible danger, and also the lives and passions of those who seek her downfall. A unique blend of historically-influenced fiction, political thriller, and classic romantic fairytale, this story takes the reader through a world rich in drama and action; a world where each character is both a hero and villain, driven by their principles, dreams, and loves; a journey to the darker side of happily-ever-after.