Visit Rosalind Laker at: http://www.rosalindlaker.com
In 18th century Holland, after the tulip trade boom, the Dutch people turn their interests and their hearts to artists such as Rembrandt and Franz Halls. Hendrick Visser is a student of art under Franz Hall. The sale of his paintings would earn him a comfortable living were it not for his compulsive gambling and incessant drinking. His vices continually force his family into a hand-to-mouth existence and always on the edge of devastation and financial ruin. Despite his failings, his wife Anna, and three daughters Francesca, Aletta, and Sybylla, love him and help him through his scrapes. When Hendrick’s wife dies in childbirth, his three daughters become even more vulnerable to their father’s vice-driven whims and desperate acts.
Francesca, Hendrick’s eldest daughter is a talented artist and she has been assigned to study with Johannes Vermeer, a master artist from Delft. Francesca falls in love with Pieter van Doorne, a tulip merchant. Meanwhile, Hendrick looses heavily at gambling. Desperate to pay off his gambling debts, he secretly enters into an arrangement and ransoms Francesca off to unscrupulous man named Ludolf van Deventer who has become obsessed with her, even to the point of committing murder. Not only is Francesca terrified of the man, but she is also repulsed by him.

Aletta is fearful of leaving her future in the hands of her father so she begins to paint, selling her work secretly to a lower class of society. When Hendrick discovers her sub-standard clandestine ventures into the art world, he destroys her paintings and banishes her from his home and his life.

Sybylla seeks escape through marriage into a rich family and is highly materialistic.

The Golden Tulip is a tale about the three sisters and their struggles to overcome the turmoil in their lives caused not only by societal mores and values, but by addiction. Rosalind Laker sweeps her reader into 18th century Holland, successfully bringing to life wonderful vividness and authenticity. She knows well the customs, history, and world of artists during that time. As always, her novels have wonderful three dimensional characters and extraordinary plot twists. Rosalind Laker’s novels never ever disappoint and always make for fascinating reads.

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The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner

Visit Christopher Gortner at: http://www.cwgortner.com

In 15th century Spain, Juana 1 of Castile is born the second daughter of Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon whose marriage united the two kingdoms, but it was her mother who possessed the most power and greatest influence.
Beneath the intensity of her politically shrewd mother, the serious, introverted Juana grew into adolescence, well educated in Latin and music. At the age of 16, her parents betrothed her Juan to Philip of Flanders, the heir of Emperor Maximilian I. With a magnificent entourage in tow, Juana crossed the vast waters to Flanders, arriving sick and in a weakened state.

At first sight of her betrothed, Juana is bewitched by his handsomeness and succumbs to his attentive charms. Philip is also intrigued with his new wife. Soon, however, intertwined with the birth of their children, Philip’s infidelity tarnishes their marriage. His strong political ambitions clash powerfully with those of her parents and Spain. All her attempts to influence Philip otherwise are thwarted by Philip’s power-hungry advisors.

Juana is caught between the dreadful clashes of her mother and husband. Matters deteriorate when Philip enters into an alliance with France, historical enemies of Spain. Philip grows progressively more menacing towards Juana and her parents in his quest to rule Spain. His terrible conspiracies result in continual betrayals as Juana struggles to maintain a stance amidst a world of powerful, ruthless men. When a series of deaths strikes the royal heirs of Spain, Juana is forced to become queen with Philip as her royal consort. Before long, she is betrayed on all sides by callous, authoritative men, and Juana finds herself imprisoned for madness.

Christopher Gortner spins a grand tale of opulence and deception, privilege and destruction, madness and fragile love. His riveting prose grabs the reader’s emotions from the very start and twists and wrenches them until the very poignant ending. Inspired by his love for his Spanish heritage, Christopher Gortner paints a vivid picture of life in 15th century Europe. He writes in an evocative prose, rich in quality and simplicity.

Books like this happen rarely. The author is a skilful writer who artfully relays a rich story peppered with unpredictable twists and turns that keeps the reader enthralled upon every word to the very end.



Want to read more fascinating historical fiction book reviews and articles? Visit http://www.mirellapatzer.com and follow the links to her blogs.

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The Spiritualist by Megan Chance

On a cold night in January of 1957, at her husband Peter’s request, a highly sceptical Evelyn Atherton reluctantly attends a séance with him. Peter’s interest in spirit circles was born from the need to reach out to his dead mother. Evie wanted no part of the new craze where society’s elite paid great sums of money to commune with the dead through self-proclaimed mediums, or swindlers. Having been married for only three years, Evelyn had become unsettled over her husband’s apathy towards her. Was it because he married her even though she was far below his station?

During the séance, a gunshot resounds which barely missed Peter. Afterwards, Peter, departs in search of answers. Several days pass. Evie does not hear from Peter and she begins to worry. When Peter is found murdered, she learns that not only society, but her in-laws turn on her.

Her world takes on a nightmarish quality. Because she is of the lower classes, and because her marriage catapults her into the highest echelons of society, she becomes the primary suspect in his murder.

At the reading of the will, Evie learns Peter has left everything to her and has excluded his entire family. This, coupled with the knowledge of her estranged and dwindling relationship with her husband, convinces the police and his family she is responsible for his murder and is arrested.

Shunned by society, no one comes to her aid. To make matters worse, her entire inheritance is frozen pending trial. With no means, Evie struggles to find an attorney who will take her case. Peter’s law partner, Ben, comes to her aid and readily accepts the case. Dorothy Bennett, the wealthy socialite who arranged the ill-fated spirit circle posts bail and invites Evie to reside with her in the belief that the spiritualist who lives with her, Michael Jourdain, can contact Peter's spirit and learn the identity of the true murderer.

Convinced Michael is a fake, Evie comes to believe he is responsible for her husband’s demise. Only by living under the same roof with can she find her husband’s true murderer and prove her innocence. Soon after her arrival, Peter begins to appear in her nightmares and in visions. Each time, he warns her not to trust a man close to her. Evelyn is soon troubled by Michael Jourdain, whom she finds both intriguing and abhorrent. Confused by her burgeoning feelings, matters go from bad to worse when other members of the spiritualist community realize she is a true medium herself.

As time runs out and the time for trial nears, Evie finds herself trapped amidst duplicity, suspicion, charlatans, murderers, and lies. She must unravel the web of mystery and deceit soon, lest her own sanity be at risk and she succumbs to madness like her mother before her.

Megan Chance has successfully recreated the time and feel of old New York. In this delicious novel, she serves up a tale of desperation and despair while maintaining historical accuracy to accurately depict societal norms and beliefs and the desperation of the living to maintain contact with loved ones who have passed. This mystery novel has many twists and turns to keep readers enthralled to the very shocking, but satisfying end.



If you want to read more interesting reviews or learn about fascinating historical persons, visit: http://www.mirellapatzer.com and follow the links to her other blogs.

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The Witch's Trinity by Erika Mailman

In the 16th century, a great famine ravages the town of Tierkinddorf, Germany. As the villagers slowly starve, a ruthless Dominican friar arrives. He has been on a mission, travelling from location to location to town to purge Germany of witches. The villagers are desperate to blame the famine on someone or something.

Gude, an old woman, lives with her only son, Jost the miller, his wife Irmeltrud, and their children Alke and Mattern. Irmeltrud deeply resents having to share what little food they have with her old mother-in-law and is cruel-hearted towards her behind Jost’s back.

Meanwhile, the witch hunt continues and Kunne, the village healer and herbalist and Gude’s dearest friends is accused of witchcraft. She is blamed for turning milk sour and for someone’s hen refusing to lay eggs. Gude can do nothing as she watches her friend burned at the stake on false accusations. And still, the famine continues.
While Jost is away hunting for food with several other men from the village, suspicion and hatred turn and point on Gude, fuelled by the false testimony of her own daughter-in-law, Irmeltrud. The accusation lands Gude in the witch’s tower to await trial. Soon, the witch hunt turns upon Irmeltrud when a barren neighbour blames her for witchery to claim the children as her own.

Sprinkled with elements of paganism, mystical dreams, dementia, and hatred, Erika Mailman explores the effect of starvation and fear upon the human spirit in this marvellous novel about witch trials in the late middle ages. Mailman’s passion for witches and witch trials is born from her own heritage where one of her own ancestors was accused of witchcraft during the early years of American history. A deeply moving book which churns the emotions and keeps you turning the pages.



If you want to read more about historical novels and persons, visit http://www.mirellapatzer.com and follow the links.

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Mozart's Sister by Rita Charbonnier

Maria Anna Mozart, beloved nicknamed Nannerl, was the elder and only sister of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. As children, both were considered gifted musical prodigies and their father, Leopold, arranged tours to display their talents to the masses in the grandest capitals of Europe. Both children could play the most challenging pieces and could compose into notes any song they heard.

They enjoyed a pleasant childhood, indulging their musical creativity and creating their own childish kingdom. As Nannerl and Wolfgang’s musical genius progressed into composition, her adoring younger brother greatly praised and encouraged her work. At a concert, when he announces that the piece he has just played was written by his sister, Leopold is incensed. He orders Nannerl to never compose music again because in the 18th century, women did not become composers.

Thereafter, Leopold focused all his attentions on Mozart, not Nannerl. He refused to allow her to study the violin and composition. Leopold announces Nannerl must remain at home when he takes Wolfgang on tour and obliges her to give piano lessons to wealthy students to finance her brother’s Italian tour. Her dreams shattered, Nannerl complies, but falls into a deep depression.

Victoria, one of her students, becomes her protégé. Through Victoria, Nannerl’s passion for music is re-awakened. When Victoria’s father becomes interested in her, he rekindles her spirit. Her relationship with Mozart, however, is plagued by years of separation and the preference of their father for his son and not his daughter. Nannerl struggles not only with the loss of her hopes and dreams, but also with the ever-growing estrangement with her brother and her father who refuses to recognize her talents because of the laws of society which will not allow a woman to enter the wold of musical composition.

Even her choice of suiters were one-by-one turned away by Leopold. In 1784, she married the magistrate Johann Baptist Franz von Berchtold zu Sonnenburg (1736-1801) and moved to St. Gilgen. Nannerl returned to Salzburg to give birth to her first son and left the newborn there in Leopold's care.

Nannerl grew ever more distant from Wolfgang, especially after his marriage to Constanze Weber. They resumed corresponding briefly after the death of their father, but by then, their affection for each other had all but disappeared and Mozart's brief letters to her dealt almost exclusively with the disposition of their father's estate.

When Wolfgang dies, Nannerl re-awakens to life and makes it her purpose to honor her brother by collecting and assembling all his compositions and erecting monuments to honor his life.

After her huband’s death, Maria Anna returned to Salzburg and supported herself once again by giving piano lessons. She died on October 29, 1829, and was buried in St. Peter’s cemetary.

Mozart’s Sister by Rita Charbonnier is a heartwrenching tale of great genius denied. It tells of great triumph and equally great descent and the strength of one woman, Nannerl, to overcome the pain of living her life in the shadow of her brother.

Rita Charbonnier brings to life the brilliance of the 18th century with its tight social expectations, sex scandals, and brilliant personages. Her well honed theatrical and musical background is evident in the spectacular descriptions of the music and composition characteristic of Wolfgang Mozart. It is a compelling read, not only for those who love classical music, but for those who love sweeping historical tales of strong women. Brava Rita! Encore! Encore!



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Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

Visit Michelle Moran at: http://www.michellemoran.com

In the eighteenth dynasty of ancient Egypt (1351 to 1331 B.C.) one woman, Nefertiti, rises to power and infamy in the annals of history. The story of Nefertiti’s life unfolds through the voice of her younger sister, Mutnodjmet.

Nefertiti is beautiful, ruthless and narcissistic who seeks affluence and supremacy. Mutnodjmet, the younger sister, is pretty, level-headed, and pragmatic and she has no desire other than to live a simple life surrounded by a loving family.

At an early age, Nefertiti marries Prince Akhenaten who becomes heir to the throne after the mysterious death of his more capable older brother. Mutnodjmet is assigned to be Nefertiti’s companion, eyes and ears, and voice of reason. Akhenaten is a youth bent on forcing his own religious views onto the people. It is his mother’s hope that Nefertiti be the sound of reason and restrain his impulsive, reckless actions and thoughts. Instead, his ego, and that of his new wife, Nefertiti, knows no bounds as together, they raise their status, create a new god named Aten for all to worship, and build an entire city to glorify.

Nefertiti’s obsessive dependence on Mutnodjmet is so extreme, that it threatens her own future happiness. While Nefertiti becomes more and more involved in building her and her husband’s fame, Mutnodjmet seeks to escape her sister’s clutches. Conspiracy and treachery abound throughout this novel.

Michelle Moran brings to life multi-dimensional characters through rich dialogue and intricate historical detail. Highly credible, the story captivated from start to finish. The level of research into this period and Nefertiti’s life is impressive. For all aficionados of ancient Egypt, this is a must have book that will not disappoint. It has my highest rating and I will be eagerly anticipating future books by Michelle Moran.

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Vengeance is Mine by Brandy Purdy

Visit Brandy Purdy at: http://www.brandypurdy.com

In 16th century England, when Henry VIII reigns as king, Lady Jane (nee Rochford) Boleyn falls madly in love with her new husband, George Boleyn. But Jane becomes obsessively convinced that George carries a torch for another woman – his sister Anne Boleyn, second wife of the king. Anne Boleyn becomes the object of her scorn.

As the pressure builds for Anne to provide a male heir for the king, Jane’s frustration with her marriage and her hatred for her sister-in-law builds into treachery and betrayal by providing evidence that Anne and George indulged in an incestuous relationship. This is just the excuse the king needs to get out of his marriage to Anne and enter into a new marriage with the lovely Jane Seymour.

After sending her Anne, George, and three other male supporters of the queen to the gallows, Jane’s life spirals into a lonely, shunned existance which ultimately leads to her demise.

Once again, Brandy Purdy has written an excellent, fictional account of the life of this little known woman. Ms. Purdy’s dramatic style and flair for storytelling made this book a highly enjoyable read. She has an uncanny ability to highlight both the the faults and the good qualities of her characters. Where history is vague, Purdy entertains by filling in the blanks with intriguing plots, shocking behaviour, and unusual elements.

Historical fiction can be challenging at times. Information and resources can be vague or even contradictory at times. Some details are left to the author’s sole interpretation. Brandy Purdy filled in these blanks and enhanced her version of history with her own creative detail and imagination in order to spin a vivid, colorful tale of the horrors of the Tudor court. For those who long to read a story well-told and who are open minded enough to permit the introduction of colorful, rich, and vibrant fictionalized details, this is fiction at its best. A great book to snuggle up to which will keep you turning pages long into the night. Having read both of Brandy Purdy’s books, I am truly a fan, not only because of her lyrical prose and strong writing, but for the intriguing tales she weaves above and beyond similar novels of the genre.

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The Confession of Piers Gaveston by Brandy Purdy

Visit Brandy Purdy at: http://www.brandypurdy.com

The Confession of Piers Gaveston is the tale of a true person who died in the early 14th century. He was a very close companion to King Edward II. So close, in fact, rumors still abound that they were actual lovers. Piers Gaveston literally rises from the ashes into the highest realm of the English empire because his good looks, arrogance, flamboyant personality, and outrageous behavior attract the interest of the King. Subsequently, he is showered with gifts which include land grants, titles, and jewels. All this attention increases the ire of other nobles towards Gaveston resulting in years of disrespect, hatred, and painful accusations of Gaveston.

The novel is written in the format of a journal. It begins in Gaveston’s childhood with an impassioned retelling of the burning of his mother who was convicted as a witch. As a young child, alone, he must resort to prostitution to earn his way. But Piers is craft and he is a survivor. He gains acclaim as a soldier fighting in King Edward I’s army. Because of his reputation as a tough, successful soldier, he is assigned to become a companion to the lazy and weak Prince Edward as companion. A strong bond is formed, one that soon leads into Prince Edward seducing Piers. For Edward, the attraction is much more – Piers becomes his obsession, an ill-fated burden for Gaveston to carry.

From the very first sentence, Purdy managed to make me sit up and take a close look at the words on each page. Her prose is one of the most brilliant I have come across. Every scene, every word engaged me. The first person narration of Piers Gaveston was not only powerful, it evoked strong emotions throughout. Her “tell it like it is” style of writing brings the reader deep into the main character’s frame of mind, portraying him as both loveable and abhorrent. The scenes of homosexuality are written vividly but tastefully in an openly honest manner.

Brandy Purdy is an up and coming author one must watch carefully in the future for I have no doubt she will become a favorite for many readers of historical fiction.

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The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner

Visit Christopher Gortner at: http://www.cwgortner.com



In 15th century Spain, Juana 1 of Castile is born the second daughter of Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon whose marriage united the two kingdoms, but it was her mother who possessed the most power and greatest influence.
Beneath the intensity of her politically shrewd mother, the serious, introverted Juana grew into adolescence, well educated in Latin and music. At the age of 16, her parents betrothed her Juan to Philip of Flanders, the heir of Emperor Maximilian I. With a magnificent entourage in tow, Juana crossed the vast waters to Flanders, arriving sick and in a weakened state.

At first sight of her betrothed, Juana is bewitched by his handsomeness and succumbs to his attentive charms. Philip is also intrigued with his new wife. Soon, however, intertwined with the birth of their children, Philip’s infidelity tarnishes their marriage. His strong political ambitions clash powerfully with those of her parents and Spain. All her attempts to influence Philip otherwise are thwarted by Philip’s power-hungry advisors.

Juana is caught between the dreadful clashes of her mother and husband. Matters deteriorate when Philip enters into an alliance with France, historical enemies of Spain. Philip grows progressively more menacing towards Juana and her parents in his quest to rule Spain. His terrible conspiracies result in continual betrayals as Juana struggles to maintain a stance amidst a world of powerful, ruthless men. When a series of deaths strikes the royal heirs of Spain, Juana is forced to become queen with Philip as her royal consort. Before long, she is betrayed on all sides by callous, authoritative men, and Juana finds herself imprisoned for madness.

Christopher Gortner spins a grand tale of opulence and deception, privilege and destruction, madness and fragile love. His riveting prose grabs the reader’s emotions from the very start and twists and wrenches them until the very poignant ending. Inspired by his love for his Spanish heritage, Christopher Gortner paints a vivid picture of life in 15th century Europe. He writes in an evocative prose, rich in quality and simplicity.

Books like this happen rarely. The author is a skilful writer who artfully relays a rich story peppered with unpredictable twists and turns that keeps the reader enthralled upon every word to the very end.



If you need to learn how to work at home as a freelance writer then this site will teach you how to get paid to write for free.

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Book Review - My Lady's Treasure by Catherine Kean

Visit Catherine Kean at: http://www.catherinekean.com

During the winter of 1192 in England, Lady Faye Rivellaux and her friend, Elayne Lorvais, married to Lord Torr Lorvais, and their eighteen month old daughter Angeline, often enjoyed picnics by the river. On an idyllic day, little Angeline discovers a valuable chalice buried beneath some mud and rocks. Recognizing its immense value, aye and Elayne keep the discovery a secret.

Elayne falls ill and on her deathbed, she extracts a promise from Faye to protect and care for little Angeline as if the child were her own. Faye takes this promise to heart and becomes a loving, substitute mother to the small child.

Then one day, Angeline is mysteriously kidnapped. Faye receives a demand for a large ransom of silver and is told of a location to make the exchange. An impoverished widow who survives on the charity of Lord Lorvais, Faye does not have the silver to pay the ransom, but she is in possession of the golden chalice and will gladly relinquish it to save Angeline. Dedicated to fulfilling her promise to her friend, Faye sets out to meet an unknown man at an arranged destination.

Sir Brant Meslarches’ past is inextricably tied to that of Lord Torr Lorvais, and he harbours a deep dislike for the man. Because of a dying request by Brant’s brother, Royce, Brant is compelled to obey Lorvais’ demands and recognize him as overlord. But it is Lorvais who orchestrated the kidnapping of his own daughter in order to win the affections of fair Faye. Lorvais knows Faye does not have the silver to pay for the ransom, so he orders Brant to only scare her. When Faye offers Brant the golden chalice, he is shocked. How did she acquire it? Rant believes it is part of King Arthur’s lost treasure that his brother Royce spent his life searching for.

This wonderfully rich medieval tale encompasses a little mystery, an abundance of love, an insidious sprinkling of evil, and enough adventure to keep the reader reading throughout the gripping climax to the very end.

Catherine Kean writes a rich medieval prose that draws you into this masterfully weaved tale. The novel’s flowing prose allows the reader to immerse themselves completely in the story. The plot is uncomplicated with not too many characters. It is an enjoyable read with a gripping climax that held my attention long into the night until I reached the very satisfying ending.

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