Kestral made an agreement to save Arin's life - and the lives of his people - but the game she is playing has only just began. The king of Valoria is suspicious of the next crown princess and it seems there are many eyes watching ever move Kestral makes. The lavish balls and exquisite gowns do little to mask that there is something very wrong in the capital. If Kestral doesn't watch her step, the results could be deadly. 
 The Winner's Crime is a brilliant follow up to the first book in the Winner's Trilogy, The Winner's Curse. Kestral is walking a dangerous line and is putting more than just her own life in danger. She can't forget Arin or the plight of his people. Secrets and lies surround them with the truth seemingly out of arms reach. 
 Kestral comes into her own in this book. She's intelligent with many underestimating her smarts and she isn't afraid to use all the tools at her disposal to try and get to the truth. Her relationship with Arin is complicated as is her connection with her father, her fiance and her future father in law. The Winner's Crime does a great job at exploring its main characters and getting a little deeper into their motives, personal histories and life stories. Arin's feelings and more emotional side are delved into and whilst some may say he comes across as 'whiny', I prefer to think of him as getting in touch with his own personal feelings rather than being so focused on his country and people. 
 The action is exciting and the romance is heartbreakingly good. This is not a story of happy endings (at least not yet!) but rather a complicated beautifully written story with bittersweet moments, heartbreak, political deviousness and characters you won't want to stop reading about. The drama surrounding the capital is messy yet captivating and I adore Kestral's covert and dangerous antics trying to get to the bottom of it all. 
 The Winner's Crime has everything I loved about the first novel - and more. Full of betrayal, drama and danger, The Winner's Trilogy has quickly become one of my favourite series and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys captivating fiction with tenacious and intriguing characters. 
 Thanks to Bloomsbury Australia for the review copy