The Midnight Queen

Magic, intrigue, and romance fuel Hunter's debut fantasy, which is set in an alternate Regency England. Graham "Gray" Marshall has been drained of his magic and blamed for the death of a fellow student at the College of Merlin in Oxford. He can't really refuse when his teacher, Prof. Appius Callender, drags him off to his distant country house for the summer break%E2%80%94even though he thinks Callender is part of a conspiracy to murder Lord Halifax, the Master of Merlin College. Gray is befriended by Callender's middle daughter, Sophie, and the two set to work uncovering the truth about the conspiracy. Along the way, they discover that Sophie's father has lied to her about her own magical abilities, and find the hidden truth about Sophie's own family history. Although the novel begins as Gray's story, Sophie quickly takes over the spotlight. Their romance, the twisty intrigue, and Hunter's colorful alt-Regency setting, complete with drawing rooms, balls, and barouches, will charm fans of romantic fantasy. (Sept.)