Dear Reader,

As with its predecessor, Heresy, my first historical mystery featuring the 16th century heretic and philosopher, Giordano Bruno, Prophecy was inspired and informed by real events in Bruno's life. Part of the pleasure of taking a real historical figure as a main character is that a lot of the background is provided for you, and Bruno lends himself perfectly to fiction, in that we know quite a bit about where he traveled and who he met, but not a great deal about his personal life. This gave me plenty of scope to fill in the blanks and imagine what kind of man he was based on what we know of his experiences and writings.     

In addition to continuing my exploration of Giordano Bruno, I also wanted to include more female characters in this book, and the setting of Elizabeth's court gave more scope for this. The more I read about women's lives at the time, the more I came to realize that even rich women had almost no control over their own destinies and almost no prospect of making decisions for themselves. In this context, it seemed inevitable that women would be the murder victims -- the ultimate position of helplessness.  

I've also built on the elements of magic and occult knowledge that were introduced in Heresy and I hope that the result proves as enjoyable to read as it has been to research and write!

Best wishes,

S.J. Parris

S.J. PARRIS  IS GIVING AWAY 5 COPIES OF PROPHECY. ENTER TO WIN A COPY.

S. J. Parris returns with a new historical mystery, set inside Queen Elizabeth's palace and steeped in period atmospherics and the strange workings of the occult. When several of the Queen's maids of honor are found dead in the year of the Great Conjunction -- a period of time known to herald the death of one age and the dawn of another -- rumors of black magic abound. Gorgeously written with the intelligence, verve, and rapid pacing that made Heresy such an entertaining, and bestselling read, Prophecy delivers on every level, as our favorite renegade monk Bruno delves deep into the world of the occult. S.J. Parris is the new master of the historical thriller.

"Giordano Bruno turns out to be that rare hero, charismatic and nuanced enough to impel an encore and to leave us asking for more from the gifted Parris."

-Author Matthew Pearl

For more information, visit the publisher's website.

Dear Reader:

Thank you for your interest in Murder Takes the Cake. The book's heroine, Daphne Martin, is on a journey of self-discovery (or maybe rediscovery would be more accurate) after divorcing her abusive husband. Heck, had he been a better shot, Daphne wouldn't even be here!

So now Daphne is starting over. She's moved back to the small Virginia town she left years ago, traded in her corporate job to open her own cake decorating business, and she's even contemplating dating again.

If you were to make a fresh start today, what would you do? What's holding you back?

Regards,  

Gayle Trent

GAYLE TRENT IS GIVING AWAY 5 COPIES OF MURDER TAKES THE CAKE.  ENTER TO WIN A COPY.

 

A routine cake delivery becomes a culinary nightmare when a small-town baker discovers her first client's dead body in this irresistible new mystery series.

It'll take more than a little sugar to convince folks Daphne Martin's freshly baked spice cake was not to blame for the mysterious death of town gossip Yodel Watson. Getting her new cake decorating business, Daphne's Delectable Cakes, off the ground is hard enough now that Daphne's moved back to her southern Virginia hometown, but orders have been even slower since she found Yodel's body. She soon realizes, however, that just about everybody in town had a reason to poison the cantankerous busybody, from the philandering pet shop owner, to Yodel's church potluck nemesis, to the Save-A-Buck's cranky produce manager-turned-bagger.  

Now, to help prove she's no confectionary killer, Daphne recruits her old flame, Ben Jacobs, editor of the local newspaper, and quickly stirs up a long-hidden family scandal that just might hold the secret ingredient she needs to solve the case. All she's got to do is roll up her sleeves and get her hands a little dirty before the real culprit decides that taking sweet revenge on Daphne will be icing on the cake.

Reviews for Murder Takes the Cake:

"For people who love a tasty cake and a cozy murder mystery, Murder Takes the Cake is a delicious read."
-Suite101.com

"The breezy story line is fun to follow. . . . Daphne is a solid lead character as she follows the murder recipe one step at a time."
-The Mystery Gazette

SEE GAYLE TRENT'S RECIPE FOR LUCAS'S BLACK CAT CUPCAKES

For more information, visit Gayle Trent's website. You can also follow Gayle on Twitter, read her blog and follow her on Fatal Foodies.

Gayle Trent is available to speak with your book club by phone.  Contact Gayle to arrange a discussion.

The Sandalwood Tree

by Elle Newmark  

Fiction / 368 pages / Hardcover
Atria / April, 2011

ELLE NEWMARK IS GIVING AWAY 5 COPIES OF THE SANDALWOOD TREE. ENTER TO WIN A COPY.

A sweeping novel that brings to life two love stories, ninety years apart, set against the backdrop of war-torn India.

In 1947, an American goes to India to document the end of British rule. His wife, Evie, insists on going along, hoping a shared adventure will mend their strained marriage.      

But Martin and Evie quickly find themselves stranded in the Himalayas in a colonial bungalow. Travel is dangerous because of violence surrounding Partition. This is the Gandhi chapter in Indian history.   

One day, Evie discovers a packet of old letters, hidden behind a brick in a wall in her kitchen. They are incomplete, but hint at a compelling story of love, scandal, and war in 1857, and Evie wants to know more.

Her search leads her through the bazaars of India, the temples of Hindustan and the dying society of the British Raj.

Bursting with lavish detail and vivid imagery, The Sandalwood Tree is a powerful story about betrayal, forgiveness, fate, and love. 

 
Reviews of The Sandalwood Tree 

"Elle Newmark beautifully captures the sights, smells and sounds of India on the cusp of change, all while spinning a richly layered tale."

-Author Cathy Buchanan

"Sensual yet jarring, The Sandalwood Tree took me to a different world that was still somehow familiar. Newmark escalates tension subtly, weaving two intricate stories together and building a narrative that I could not put down. The characters linger long after the final page."

-Author Brunonia Barry 

For more information, visit Elle Newmark's website. 

Elle Newmark is available to speak with your book club.  Contact Elle to arrange a discussion.