The Poison Throne by Celine Kiernan
Published by The O’Brien Press Ltd., 2008

Book 1 in the Moorehawke Trilogy by Celia Kiernan is a story of intrigue and adventure, set in Medieval Europe, with a generous helping of fantasy.

Fifteen year-old Wynter Moorehawke returns to her homeland after five years in the bleak, cold North. At the time of her leaving, her master craftsman father was Protector Lord to the King and she was the King’s Cat-Keeper.

On their return, nothing is as it was. King Jonathan’s once peaceful kingdom has become a realm of dark forces, a place of brutal suppression and fear. Crown Prince Alberon has disappeared with all traces of his existence about to be wiped from history. The King’s other son Razi, is forced to take his place, in an effort to restore the kingdom to its former stability.

Wynter must decide if she will join with him and his friend Christopher Garron, risking torture and maybe even death in an effort to restore harmony to the kingdom. If she chooses to follow this path, she must leave her beloved father behind, a decision that is all the more difficult because of his ill health.

Although it looks like a challenging read, this book, described as a crossover title will engage young and old from page one. Written in an easy to read style and divided into thirty nine chapters, the reader will be hooked from the first sentence to the last.

Look out for Books 2 and 3 in the trilogy, The Crowded Shadows and The Rebel Prince.