"Set in the depths of winter, during the Polish Golden Age at the time of the Jagiellonian dynasty, Silent Water is a deeply satisfying and engrossing historical mystery [...] richly executed, with penetrating human insights and unforgettable sets." - review by Laura Rahme, author of Julien's Terror "In addition to the “whodunnit” aspect, this book stands out for... Continue Reading →
Is There Room for Eastern European Historical Fiction?
If you are like me, you may be rolling your eyes at the fact that so much historical fiction focuses on Western Europe, especially England and France. There is not a month that another Tudor novel does not come out, and Marie Antoinette has been done to death (forgive the pun). I love my seven... Continue Reading →
Silent Water is finally here!
It is Christmas 1519 and the royal court in Kraków is in the midst of celebrating the joyous season. Less than two years earlier, Italian noblewoman Bona Sforza arrived in Poland’s capital from Bari as King Zygmunt’s new bride. She came from Italy accompanied by a splendid entourage, including Contessa Caterina Sanseverino who oversees the... Continue Reading →
Bona Sforza, Poland’s Rebellious Queen
Medieval and early modern queenship is a fascinating area of historical research. In European history, it focuses on such famous queens as Eleanor of Aquitaine (of France and later of England), Catherine de' Medici of France, or Elizabeth I of England. Indeed, western European queens seemed to have enjoyed a degree of freedom (by the... Continue Reading →
Shattered Drum by C. P. Lesley
So many historical novels set in the 16th century focus on Tudor England (and sometimes also France, with a smattering of Italy) that I get very excited whenever a story is set in other parts of Europe. C.P. Lesley is on one of the few historical fiction authors that I know of whose work brings... Continue Reading →
Silent Water, A Jagiellon Mystery #1
Prologue Bari, Kingdom of Naples March 1560 The nightmares did not start until my old age, when sleep becomes elusive for some, while for others it is burdened with images from their past they would rather not remember. The stone cellar, dank and malodorous; the glint of a blade; the killer’s cold eyes; the victim’s... Continue Reading →
The Huntress by Kate Quinn
Given the subject matter of Kate Quinn's latest novel The Huntress, it is difficult to use terms like "enjoyment" and "fun" to describe the reading experience. So I will limit myself to saying that it is among the best historical fiction I have read in a long, long time. The novel opens with a scene at... Continue Reading →
Grandmother’s WWII Experience Inspires “Threaten to Undo Us”
Guest blog by Rose Seiler Scott Even with my eyes closed, I would have known I was in my Oma’s house. The aroma of woodsmoke and sauerkraut permeated everything from the air to the brightly coloured afghans draped over the couches. When it was time to leave, it was rarely without a small gift--- multi-coloured... Continue Reading →
Writing (and Publishing) a Novel is Doable – Here’s How I Did It
This week marked the release of my debut novel The Greenest Branch, based on the true story of Germany's first female physician. I won't lie - it has been been a long and challenging road. I started in earnest in the summer of 2011, after spending several months researching the life of Hildegard of Bingen,... Continue Reading →
Strangers in Budapest by Jessica Keener
Jessica Keener’s Strangers in Budapest may not *technically* be historical fiction, which is defined as taking place in a period before the author’s birth. Nonetheless, it is of considerable historical interest. It is set in the mid-1990s Hungary at the time of the transition from communism to capitalism, a process that is largely complete in... Continue Reading →
