The Last Balfour

Description

'An utterly riveting tale of magic, danger and witch-hunts ... grips you by the throat and won't let go.' - Kate Forsyth Magic and fire are kindred things ... Iona Balfour's life is turned upside down when her beloved aunt Grizel is executed for the crime of witchcraft. Before she dies, Grizel appoints Iona as guardian of a precious family bloodstone and tells her she must flee their village and deliver the stone to the mysterious Guild of the Green Lion. Accompanied by a new friend, Cal, Iona soon realises that she's awakened the powers of the bloodstone. But it promises to be a perilous journey. The wolf month is no time to be on the road. And there's a witch hunter on Iona's trail, who has a strange obsession with the stone. When a devastating betrayal throws her into the hands of her enemies, Iona soon finds herself in the fight of her life. Will she suffer the same fate as her aunt, or will she escape the witch hunter and fulfil her destiny? Discover an exciting new voice in Australian fiction! MORE PRAISE FOR THE LAST BALFOUR: 'This is just the kind of historical fantasy I most enjoy - deeply rooted in the real, with a strong sense of place, and a flawed and realistic heroine to cheer for ... Cait Duggan's prose is as swift and smooth and dangerous as a Highland river.' - Kate Forsyth '... a mesmerising tale, filled with living, breathing characters and breathtaking suspense. Iona's voice is delightful and authentic.' - Jaclyn Moriarty '... an extremely well-paced, classic tale of a journey and a quest ... concludes with a twist, and is very satisfying.' - Reading Time This story surges at a breathless pace and is unrelenting in its emotional grasp ... This is a remarkable debut novel with a surprising ending that had me completely enthralled ... Highly recommend for readers 14+ who enjoy a taut, nail-biting adventure; lovers of historical fiction are definitely in for a treat.' - Readings blog 'With rich imagery and a cast of interesting characters, this novel is a welcome escape from reality ... Highly recommended to young people twelve and up ...' - ReadPlus 'There is a palpable sense of time and place in this impressive debut novel ... the plot is compellingly unpredictable all the way ... to its surprising climax and denouement ... A delight of the novel is the reader's immersion in its era.' - Magpies magazine

Cait Duggan has spent the best part of twenty years working in commercial law, while harbouring a secret ambition to become a writer. This led her to undertake a number of writing courses, studying at the Writers' Studio and Faber Writing Academy. As she loves history and is obsessed with magic, Cait writes fantasy and magical realism for children and young adults. The Last Balfour is her first novel.