The Midnight Lie

“I was a snake that had not yet learned to strike...”

Where Nirrim lives, crime abounds, a harsh tribunal rules, and society’s pleasures are reserved for the High Kith. Life in the Ward is grim and punishing. People of her low status are forbidden from sampling sweets or wearing colors. You either follow the rules, or pay a tithe and suffer the consequences.

Nirrim keeps her head down, and a dangerous secret close to her chest.

But then she encounters Sid, a rakish traveler from far away, who whispers rumors that the High Kith possess magic. Sid tempts Nirrim to seek that magic for herself. But to do that, Nirrim must surrender her old life. She must place her trust in this sly stranger who asks, above all, not to be trusted.

Set in the world of the New York Times–bestselling Winner’s Trilogy, The Midnight Lie is an epic LGBTQ romantic fantasy about learning to free ourselves from the lies others tell us―and the lies we tell ourselves.

Praise for The Midnight Lie

“Utterly immersive and gorgeous. Marie’s stories are the loveliest knives that cut you straight to the quick.” ― Roshani Chokshi, New York Times-bestselling author of The Gilded Wolves

“Lush, romantic, and powerful. In THE MIDNIGHT LIE, Marie Rutkoski spins a sensuous tale about awakening to the truth.” ― Malinda Lo, author of Ash

“There is no doubt this is going to be one of the most complex and compulsively readable fantasies of the year.” ― Buzzfeed

“Prepare to be devastated by this gorgeously rendered sapphic fantasy.” ― Buzzfeed News

“The Midnight Lie is unsettling and thrilling, the world intricate and purposeful, and Nirrim a protagonist readers will surely find enthralling.” ― Shelf Awareness

“Read it for the romance, for the adventure, for the underlying commentary on divided societies―nothing disappoints. This is a treat for LGBTQ+ readers and the ending, happily, seems to indicate more to come.” ― Booklist

“Rutkoski returns to the world of the Winner’s Trilogy with elaborate descriptions and lush worldbuilding . . . Rutkoski offers a captivating LGBTQ love story, atmospheric in the vein of Bardugo’s Six of Crows. Charismatic characters and compelling chapter cliffhangers build intrigue throughout.” ― Publishers Weekly

“Stunning.” ― Bustle