Publication: 18th July 2024 – Pushkin Children’s Books
Chrysantha Stathos has won. By hiding her intelligence and ambition behind the mask of a beautiful air-headed girl, she has become a wealthy duchess. And, once her elderly husband dies, she will have all the freedom, money, and safety she’s ever wanted. Or so she thought. A man claiming to be the estranged grandson of Chrysantha’s lecherous late husband has turned up to steal her inheritance. To make matters worse, her little sister is going to be queen and is rubbing it in her face. Chrysantha decides that the only thing to do is upstage Alessandra at her own wedding. And as for this grandson, he has to go. Never mind that he’s extremely handsome and secretive with mysterious powers… No, Chrysantha wants Eryx Demos dead, and in the end, a Stathos girl always gets what she wants.
Chrysantha Stathos thought she had won against her younger sister Alessandra. She married a rich old duke who will die soon – although he is taking his sweet time – leaving her wealthy and free to do whatever she wants. And then her sister announces her wedding to the Shadow King. Luckily, Chrysantha is finally rid of the odious duke and Alessandra may be the future queen, but Chrysantha is now free and happy at her country mansion with her books and her friends. Also, she has every intention of making a memorable appearance at the royal wedding, probably on the arm of a handsome young man. And then Eryx arrives. He claims to be the old man’s grandson and heir and the current duke, but Chrysantha is convinced that he is hiding something. And she’s determined to find out what it is and to get rid of him, too.
I read The Shadow Between Us a few years ago and I loved how ruthless and determined Alessandra was. And Chrysantha is the same. In fact, despite their rivalry, the two sisters are quite similar. All her life, Chrysantha has pretended to be someone she was not: invisible, underestimated, men noticed her only for her beauty, never for her brain. But all this time, she’s been plotting for her independence and she has no intention to give it up for a young big man, no matter how handsome and charming he is.
The Darkness Within Us is an intriguing and entertaining read. You don’t need to have read The Shadow Between Us to enjoy it, but I highly recommend them both as they feature two strong female protagonists who stop at nothing to get what they want, including murder!
A huge thank you to Pushkin Children’s Books and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of the novel.
Tricia Levenseller is from a small town in Oregon and now lives next to the Rocky Mountains in Utah with her bossy dog, Rosy. When she’s not writing or reading, Tricia enjoys putting together jigsaw puzzles, playing Overwatch, and watching her favorite TV shows while eating extra-buttered popcorn. Her books include Daughter of the Pirate King, its sequel Daughter of the Siren Queen, Warrior of the Wild, The Shadow Between Us, Blade of Secrets and its sequel Master of Iron, all published or forthcoming from Pushkin Press.
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