Four Dead Queens

By: Astrid Scholte

Narrated by: Amy Shiels, Elizabeth Knowelden

Four dead queens. Three days to catch a killer. Two forbidden romances.
One shocking twist you won’t see coming.

Seventeen-year-old Keralie Corrington may seem harmless, but she’s, in fact, one of Quadara’s most skilled thieves and a liar. Varin, on the other hand, is an honest, upstanding citizen of Quadara’s most enlightened region, Eonia. He runs afoul of Keralie when she steals a package from him, putting his life in danger. When Varin attempts to retrieve the package, he and Keralie both find themselves entangled in a conspiracy that leaves all four of Quadara’s queens dead.

With no other choices and on the run from Keralie’s former employer, the two decide to join forces, endeavoring to discover who has killed the queens and save their own lives in the process. When their reluctant partnership blooms into a tenuous romance, they must overcome their own dark secrets in hopes of a future together that seemed impossible just days before. But first they have to stay alive and untangle the secrets behind the nation’s four dead queens.

An enthralling fast-paced mystery where competing agendas collide with deadly consequences, Four Dead Queens heralds the arrival of an exciting new YA talent.

Critic reviews

Praise for Four Dead Queens:
An Indie Bestseller
An Amazon Best Book — March 2019
A Blue Spruce Book Award Nominee – 2020
A Texas Tayshas Reading List Pick – 2020

“A good, devious mix of some of the best fantasy and murder mystery that YA has had to offer recently.” —Entertainment Weekly

“Astrid Scholte's propulsive debut YA novel checks all the boxes for an addictive read.” —Refinery29

“Four Dead Queens is a darkly delicious tale that keeps you in constant suspense. A thrilling, genre-blending book perfect for fans of both fantasy and murder mysteries. I just might be the fifth dead queen because this story—with its labyrinthine twists and turns—slayed me in every possible way.” —Kerri Maniscalco, #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series

"[An] exciting fantasy debut . . . stunning." —Paste

“A cinematic thrill ride brimming with murder, mayhem, and twists that will shock you, Four Dead Queens is sure to be your next obsession. Absolutely riveting.” —Sarah Glenn Marsh, author of the Reign of the Fallen series

“Astrid Scholte breaks into the fantasy genre with a triumphant, exciting debut that will keep readers guessing all the way to final chapter. Four Dead Queens is not to be missed!” —Beth Revis, New York Times bestselling author of Give the Dark My Love

“Scholte's stand-alone debut marks her as an author to watch.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Scholte has created an intrigue-heavy adventure in a world filled with characters whom readers will want to revisit.” —Publishers Weekly

“Debut author Scholte manipulates multiple points of view and flashbacks to create an action-packed romance.” —Booklist

“The story takes unexpected turns, has complicated characters who develop over time, and ends unpredictably …. A recommended addition to young adult fantasy/dystopian collections.” —School Library Journal

“A fierce, darkly compelling protagonist...and readers will want to double back to get a better look at the various turns of the enticingly twisting timeline.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

It’s 3:06 in the morning I loved this book

I’m very picky with what I read but when I saw this book on the @literaryllama instagram account I was intrigued. After reading this book I can honestly say it was a page turning adventure. The twists and turns were unexpected and the characters Vivid. Not only that but the storytelling of the audio made it all the more thrilling. I completely recommend this book. I could not put it down such a great find can’t wait to see more from this author.

almost gave up...

I almost gave up on this book. I struggled to finish it, but it picked up in the end and I'm glad I stuck through. Great book but took a bit for me to wrap my head around it all. Overall...would recommend.

Pretty good

Very good performance! I recommend for many people who love this type of genre. Good

Fun crime fiction

This was a fun book with lots of twists and turns.
I enjoyed it.. it was light and an easy listen.

one of the best

the book: Honestly, I thought this book was going to be a bore at the beginning but it turns out that this was a amazingly intense murder mystery. Loved it.

the audio: beautifully narrated and the voice sounded so powerful and commanding. perfect.