A captivating novel of Renaissance Italy detailing the mysterious life of Bartolomeo Scappi, the legendary chef to several popes and author of one of the bestselling cookbooks of all time, and the nephew who sets out to discover his late uncle’s secrets—including the identity of the noblewoman Bartolomeo loved until he died. When Bartolomeo Scappi dies in 1577, he leaves his vast estate—properties, money, and his position—to his nephew and apprentice Giovanni. He also gives Giovanni the keys to two strongboxes and strict instructions to burn their contents. Despite Scappi’s dire warning that the information concealed in those boxes could put Giovanni’s life and others at risk, Giovanni is compelled to learn his uncle’s secrets. He undertakes the arduous task of decoding Scappi’s journals and uncovers a history of deception, betrayal, and murder—all to protect an illicit love affair. As Giovanni pieces together the details of Scappi’s past, he must contend with two rivals who have joined forces—his brother Cesare and Scappi’s former protégé, Domenico Romoli, who will do anything to get his hands on the late chef’s recipes. With luscious prose that captures the full scale of the sumptuous feasts for which Scappi was known, The Chef’s Secret serves up power, intrigue, and passion, bringing Renaissance Italy to life in a delectable fashion.
"A pinch of Potter blended with a drop of [Cassandra Clare's] Infernal Devices." --JUSTINE MAGAZINE "Plot twists so good they will leave you reeling." --TRACI CHEE, New York Times bestselling author of The Reader IT'S TIME FOR HER POWER TO RULE. As Henrietta nervously awaits her marriage to Lord Blackwood, she discovers that Sorrow-Fell is not a safe haven from the bloodthirsty Ancients. It's a trap. So with her friend Maria and Magnus, the young man who once stole her heart, at her side, Henrietta plots a dangerous journey straight into the enemy's lair. Some will live. Some will die. All will be tested. In this stunning conclusion to the Kingdom on Fire series, Henrietta must choose between the love from her past, the love from her present, and a love that could define her future. The fate of the kingdom rests on her decision: Will she fall or rise up to become the woman who saves the realm? Praise for Jessica Cluess's A Shadow Bright and Burning, Kingdom on Fire, Book 1: "This is a novel that gives off light and heat." --The New York Times "Vivid characters, terrifying monsters, and world building as deep and dark as the ocean." --VICTORIA AVEYARD, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Red Queen "Devastatingly magical and monstrously romantic." --STEPHANIE GARBER, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval "Unputdownable. I loved the monsters, the magic, and the teen warriors who are their world's best hope! Jessica Cluess is an awesome storyteller!" --TAMORA PIERCE, #1 New York Times bestselling author
From “one of the most perceptive, compassionate writers of fiction in America...immensely talented and brave” (Michael Schaub, NPR), a historical saga about love, class, and the past we never escape. The Peacock Feast opens on a June day in 1916 when Louis C. Tiffany, the eccentric glass genius, dynamites the breakwater at Laurelton Hall—his fantastical Oyster Bay mansion, with columns capped by brilliant ceramic blossoms and a smokestack hidden in a blue-banded minaret—so as to foil the town from reclaiming the beach for public use. The explosion shakes both the apple crate where Prudence, the daughter of Tiffany’s prized gardener, is sleeping and the rocks where Randall, her seven-year-old brother, is playing. Nearly a century later, Prudence receives an unexpected visit at her New York apartment from Grace, a hospice nurse and the granddaughter of Randall, who Prudence never saw again after he left at age fourteen for California. The mementos Grace carries from her grandfather’s house stir Prudence’s long-repressed memories and bring her to a new understanding of the choices she made in work and love, and what she faces now in her final days. Spanning the twentieth century and three continents, The Peacock Feast ricochets from Manhattan to San Francisco, from the decadent mansions of the Tiffany family to the death row of a Texas prison, and from the London consultation room of Anna Freud to a Mendocino commune. With psychological acuity and aching eloquence, Lisa Gornick has written a sweeping family drama, an exploration of the meaning of art and the art of dying, and an illuminating portrait of how our decisions reverberate across time and space.
"A Feast of Sorrows--Angela Slatter's first U.S. collection--features twelve of the World Fantasy and British Fantasy Award-winning Australian author's finest, darkest fairy tales, and adds two new novellas to her marvelous cauldron of fiction. Stories peopled by women and girls--fearless, frightened, brave, bold, frail, and fantastical--who take the paths less traveled by, accept (and offer) poisoned apples, and embrace transformation in all its forms."--Amazon.com.
When passion is punishable by death, can one priestess keep her emotions concealed and help steer the course of history? Ancient Rome is a world of power and privilege, secrets and sacred duty. The esteemed priestesses of Vesta – the Vestal Virgins – are charged with ensuring the Eternal Flame in their temple never goes out. While it burns, Rome cannot fall. They are known as the Brides of Rome. Dedicated to a thirty-year vow of chaste service, Priestess Pomponia finds herself swept up in the intrigue, violence, wars and bedroom politics of Rome’s elite – Julius Caesar, Marc Antony and Cleopatra, Octavian and Livia – all the while guarding the secret affection she has in her heart. But when a charge of incestum – a broken vow of chastity – is made against the Vestal order, the ultimate punishment looms: death by being buried alive. Debra May Macleod skilfully recreates the world of ancient Rome with all its brutality and brilliance, all its rich history and even richer legend. A true page-turner that is as smart as it is compelling, this must-read novel brings the Vestal order to life like never before. Perfect for fans of Kate Quinn and Margaret George. Praise for Brides of Rome 'A fascinating look inside the lives of the enigmatic Vestal Virgins of Rome, who tended the sacred flame of Vesta in her temple in the Forum. But they were at the heart of Roman politics as well, true 'brides of Rome' who had a ringside seat in events of Roman history, and had a hand in them as well. Macleod lets us enter their forbidden and mysterious lives in a page-turning story of the birth of the Roman empire' Margaret George, New York Times bestselling author of The Confessions of Young Nero 'In an age of murderous warlords and ruthless politicians (often indistinguishable from one another) the seemingly benign Vestals could hold the balance of power. Debra May Macleod has written a fascinating mystery set within the relentlessly masculine world of Roman power politics, but seen through the lens of a unique, all-female institution. The Vestals did not just tend Rome's sacred flame. They guarded Rome's secrets' John Maddox Roberts, author of the Edgar-nominated SPQR Roman Mystery series 'Riveting... This smart repartee captivates in every way' Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The Warsaw Protocol 'Macleod gives readers a very rich picture of what the day-to-day life of the Vestal Virgins was like. This is very intelligent and well-researched Roman historical fiction, populated with very strong female lead characters (including a scene-stealing rendition of Livia). A fine start to a promising series' Historical Novel Society The Vesta Shadows series The Vesta Shadows trilogy spans decades, from 45 BCE to 14 CE. It follows the life of the Vestal priestess Pomponia Occia, who is inspired by the real Vestal Occia who lived during this time, serving in the Temple of Vesta for more than fifty years. Set during the tumultuous years that saw the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire under Augustus - and beyond - it dramatises some of the major historical events that occurred during her lifetime while simultaneously bringing ancient Rome to life with fast-paced, engrossing and visceral storylines played out by a striking cast of characters.
The Ulster Cycle continues with The Sorrows, three stories that dramatically portray Ireland's cultural heritage. The first, "The Fate of the Children of Tuirenn," is a tragic tale in which three brothers must pay a blood fine for murdering an enemy of their clan-a reflection of the great sorrow, which is Ireland's Civil War. "The Fate of the Children of Ir" tells of an evil stepmother who transforms her four stepchildren into swans. After nine hundred years they are released from their fate, symbolizing the triumph of Christianity over paganism. "The Fate of the Children of Uisliu" introduces us to Conchobor, the Red Branch King, as he forces the young yet strong-willed Deidre to be his wife-just as England sought to force the Irish into servitude. Filled with adventure and tragedy, The Sorrows provides another insightful look into Ireland's past through three of her most enduring tales. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
In the remote village of Buckland, a mob chants of witchcraft. It is 1625, and John and his mother are running for their lives. Taking refuge among the trees of Buccla's Wood, John's mother opens her book and begins to tell her son of an ancient Feast kept in secret down the generations. Little does he know that one day, to keep hold of all that he holds most dear, he most realize his mother's vision - he must serve the Saturnall Feast.
Mistress Gideon is a witch. The locals of Edda's Meadow, if they suspect it of her, say nary a word-Gideon has been good to them, and it's always better to keep on her good side. Just in case. When a foolish young shapeshifter goes against the wishes of her pack, and gets herself very publicly caught, the authorities find it impossible to deny the existence of the supernatural in their midst any longer; Gideon and her like are captured, bound for torture and a fiery end. Should Gideon give up her sisters in return for a quick death? Or can she turn the situation to her advantage? PRAISE FOR OF SORROW AND SUCH "Of Sorrow and Such takes you to dark, unsettling places. Angela Slatter's magic is earthy, bodily and beleaguered; in the hands of tough, clever Patience Gideon it's a powerful instrument for wresting justice from a hostile world. A riveting read." — Margo Lanagan, World Fantasy Award winning author of Black Juice and Sea-Hearts At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
"Returning to New York from Minnesota, the grieving siblings continue to pursue the mystery behind the note. While Erik's fascination with his new tenants and emotional vulnerability to his psychiatric patients threaten to overwhelm him, Inga is confronted by a hostile journalist who seems to know a secret connected to her dead husband, a famous novelist. As each new mystery unfolds, Erik begins to inhabit his emotionally hidden father's history and to glimpse how his impoverished childhood, the Depression, and the war shaped his relationship with his children, while Inga must confront the reality of her husband's double life."--BOOK JACKET.
Published posthumously in 1964, A Moveable Feast remains one of Ernest Hemingway's most beloved works. Since Hemingway's personal papers were released in 1979, scholars have examined and debated the changes made to the text before publication. Now this new special restored edition presents the original manuscript as the author prepared it to be published. Featuring a personal foreword by Patrick Hemingway, Ernest's sole surviving son, and an introduction by the editor and grandson of the author, Seán Hemingway, this new edition also includes a number of unfinished, never-before-published Paris sketches revealing experiences that Hemingway had with his son Jack and his first wife, Hadley. Also included are irreverent portraits of other luminaries, such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ford Madox Ford, and insightful recollections of his own early experiments with his craft. Sure to excite critics and readers alike, the restored edition of A Moveable Feast brilliantly evokes the exuberant mood of Paris after World War I and the unbridled creativity and unquenchable enthusiasm that Hemingway himself epitomized.
