Seraphina

Seraphina Dombegh is a gifted young musician at the court of Goredd, a kingdom where humans and dragons have lived in an uneasy peace for forty years. She also carries a secret that could cost her everything: she is half dragon, the daughter of a dragon mother who took human form and a human father who has never been comfortable with what his daughter is. Dragons are tolerated in Goredd, but those of mixed blood would be despised by both peoples, so Seraphina keeps her true nature hidden with great care.

Then a member of the royal family is found brutally murdered, and the killing looks like the work of a dragon. Old suspicions flare, and the fragile treaty begins to strain. Seraphina's position at court pulls her into the inquiry, where she works alongside Prince Lucian, a man sharp enough to notice more than she would like.

As the two follow the trail, they uncover a conspiracy aimed at tearing the peace apart. The closer Seraphina gets to the truth, the harder it becomes to keep her own secret, and exposure could mean her death.

Rachel Hartman's debut is a richly built fantasy that treats dragons as thoughtful, unsettling creatures rather than simple monsters. It blends court intrigue, a murder mystery and a young woman's search for a place where she belongs. A companion novel, Tess of the Road, follows Seraphina's sister.