Evil hides in plain sight. Love cuts deeper than any blade.
From New York Times bestselling author Cassandra Clare, Chain of Gold is the first volume in the Last Hours trilogy.
Welcome to Edwardian London! A time of electric lights and long shadows, the celebration of artistic beauty and the savage pursuit of pleasure, with demons lurking in the darkness. For years, peace reigned in the Shadowhunter world. James and Lucie Herondale, children of the famous Will and Tessa, grew up and developed in a harmonious environment with their family and friends, hearing stories of good defeating evil and love as the ultimate victor... But everything changes when the Blackthorn and Carstairs families come to London, along with a never-before-seen plague, relentless and inevitable.
Cordelia Carstairs is a Shadowhunter, a warrior trained since childhood to fight demons. When her father is accused of a terrible crime, she and her brother travel to London hoping to prevent their family's ruin. Her mother, Sona Carstairs, wants her daughter to marry... but Cordelia is more determined to be a hero than a wife. Soon, Cordelia encounters James and Lucie Herondale, her childhood friends, and is drawn into their world of glittering balls, secret tasks, and supernatural salons, where vampires and warlocks mingle with sirens and warlocks.
Meanwhile, she must hide her secret crush on James, who has sworn to marry someone else.
When disaster strikes, after so long, the Shadowhunters, James, Cordelia and their friends plunge into an out-of-control adventure that will reveal their dark and incredible powers, the true and cruel price of being a hero... and of falling in love.
By blending complex plots, a historical setting, and captivating characters, Chain of Gold becomes a true journey where Shadowhunter fans will learn the value of love, hate, passion, and friendship, exceeding all expectations.
Cassandra Clare's young adult fantasy powerhouse returns with a new generation of Shadowhunters, once again tackling themes of love, friendship, and family, and delivering a gripping story—nostalgic for longtime fans, yet accessible for new readers. - Booklist