Historical Fiction July 2008 "I would not be a queen For all the world." ~ William Shakespeare (1564-1616), English poet and playwright, King Henry VIII New and Recently Released! Stealing Athena: A Novel - by Karen Essex Publisher: Doubleday Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 6/17/2008 ISBN: 9780385519717 ISBN-10: 0385519710 Fresh off the success of her bestselling novel Leonardo's Swans, author Karen Essex returns to explore the complex history of one of the world's most famous art collections, the Elgin Marbles. During the Napoleonic Wars, 21-year-old Scottish heiress Mary Nisbet, Countess of Elgin, arrives in Constantinople with her diplomat husband. Over the years, Mary schemes to have the Parthenon deconstructed and its sculptures brought to England. In a parallel narrative, Aspasia, an ancient Greek philosopher and courtesan, plays a key role in the Parthenon's construction. Full of romance and intrigue, this tale will delight readers who like novels about art history and the lives of women. Mistress of the Sun - by Sandra Gulland Publisher: Touchstone/Simon & Schuster Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 6/3/2008 ISBN: 9780743298872 ISBN-10: 074329887X Set amidst the splendor of the 17th-century French royal court, Mistress of the Sun imagines the life and times of Louise de la Vallière, mistress of France's King Louis XIV, the Sun King. Following the death of her father and her mother's subsequent remarriage to a marquis, high-spirited Louise finds a place at court and quickly catches the eye of the young king. As his official mistress, Louise bears four children and is made a duchess, but her position and future are not secure. Featuring a riveting love story and tinged with elements of the supernatural, this latest novel from the author of the popular Josephine B. trilogy is bound to enchant. Missy - by Chris Hannan Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 6/10/2008 ISBN: 9780374199838 ISBN-10: 0374199833 In late 19th-century Virginia City, Nevada, laudanum-addicted teenage prostitute Dol McQueen's entrepreneurial instincts are awakened when she comes into possession of a crate of pure opium. Unfortunately for Dol, the opium is stolen goods, and the rightful owners want it back--at any cost. Soon Dol, her mother, and a pimp named Pontius have no choice but to flee into the wilds of the American Southwest. According to Publishers Weekly, this fresh and entirely original debut novel by Scottish playwright Chris Hannan contains "one of the most bombastic, fantastic heroines in recent memory." The Diplomat's Wife - by Pam Jenoff Publisher: MIRA Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 5/1/2008 ISBN: 9780778325123 ISBN-10: 0778325121 Readers who enjoyed author Pam Jenoff's debut novel, The Kommandant's Girl, have much to cheer about in this dramatic and heartrending follow-up. At the close of World War II, Marta Nederman, a Polish resistance fighter, meets American soldier Paul Mattison when she is liberated from Dachau. Later Marta and Paul reunite in Paris and fall in love, but before they can wed Paul is killed in a plane crash. Pregnant and alone, Marta marries and starts a new life with kindly British diplomat Simon Gold. However, when a communist spy infiltrates British intelligence, Marta is tapped for an undercover mission that has a surprising connection to her past. First Chapter Hallam's War - by Elisabeth Payne Rosen Publisher: Unbridled Books Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 5/27/2008 ISBN: 9781932961492 ISBN-10: 1932961496 In the years leading up to the American Civil War, progressive Hugh Hallam and his wife, Serena, leave behind the comforts of Charleston, South Carolina, for the untamed lands of western Tennessee. There the Hallams, their three children, and a dozen slaves--whose welfare Hugh professes to genuinely care about--set up an idyllic life at Palmyra Farm. However, when war breaks out, Hugh's moral compass is put to the test, and he ultimately decides to join the Confederate army. In his absence, Serena must fight to keep the family farm going. Fans of sweeping Civil War epics will want to be first in line for this passionate debut novel. The Steel Wave: A Novel of World War II - by Jeff Shaara Publisher: Ballantine Books Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 5/13/2008 ISBN: 9780345461421 ISBN-10: 0345461428 Following the events of The Rising Tide, The Steel Wave is the 2nd volume in bestselling author Jeff Shaara's Second World War trilogy. Shaara uses legendary historical figures, including American General Dwight Eisenhower and German Field Commander Erwin Rommel, and ordinary enlisted soldiers, such as Sergeant Jesse Adams and Private Tom Thorne, to tell the story of D-Day and the Allied invasion of Europe. Fast-paced, intense, and packed with a cast of well-developed characters, The Steel Wave will delight fans of military historical fiction. First Chapter Focus on: Wives of King Henry VIII The Queen of Subtleties: A Novel of Anne Boleyn - by Suzannah Dunn Publisher: Harper Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 11/1/2005 ISBN: 9780060591588 ISBN-10: 0060591587 On the eve of her execution, Anne Boleyn, the 2nd wife of England's King Henry VIII, pens a letter to her young daughter, Elizabeth. Anne tells of her arrival in the English court at age 20, her lengthy courtship with Henry as he tried to divorce his first wife, the events of her brief marriage, and the false accusations that led to her beheading. Juxtaposed against Anne's story is that of Henry's confectioner, Lucy Cornwallis, who witnesses Anne's rise and fall from her position in the royal kitchens. This lively and colorful narrative gives a very human voice to one of history's most maligned and misunderstood women. First Chapter The Last Wife of Henry VIII - by Carolly Erickson Publisher: St. Martin's Press Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/3/2006 ISBN: 9780312352189 ISBN-10: 0312352182 What type of woman would marry a man who had two of his five previous wives executed at his behest? In The Last Wife of Henry VIII, author Carolly Erickson provides a riveting portrait of Catherine Parr, who was married to Henry during the final years of his life. Erickson follows Catherine into the perilous world of the royal court, throughout her marriage to the aging king, and during her rivalry with Princess Elizabeth for the love of Thomas Seymour. Readers who delight in the intrigue and drama of the Tudor world won't want to miss this tale of the only woman to have survived Henry's mercurial affections. First Chapter Plain Jane - by Laurien Gardner Publisher: Berkley Books Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 7/1/2008 ISBN: 9780425220948 ISBN-10: 042522094X Though King Henry VIII had six wives, only wife number three, quiet and shy Jane Seymour, was able to provide him with the male heir he so desperately wanted. Sadly, she died just 12 days after giving birth to their son, the future King Edward VI, and was never crowned. In Plain Jane, author Laurien Gardner chronicles unassuming Jane's climb from maid of honor to both Queen Catherine and Anne Boleyn to the apple of Henry's wandering eye. If you like this book, don't miss Gardner's novels about Henry's previous wives, The Spanish Bride and A Lady Raised High. The Constant Princess - by Philippa Gregory Publisher: Simon & Schuster Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 12/13/2005 ISBN: 9780743272483 ISBN-10: 074327248X While most of us know that King Henry VIII's first wife was Katherine of Aragon, many people may not realize that Henry and Katherine were married for close to 25 years before he threw her over for wife number two, Anne Boleyn. Beginning with Katherine's childhood as the daughter of Spain's Isabella and Ferdinand, bestselling author Philippa Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl) crafts a captivating and complex portrait of Katherine in her roles as princess, wife, and queen. Prepare to be swept away by this vibrant and compelling page-turner. First Chapter The Rose Without a Thorn - by Jean Plaidy Publisher: Three Rivers Press Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 6/1/2003 ISBN: 9780609810170 ISBN-10: 0609810170 Of King Henry VIII's six wives, the two who paid for his displeasure with their lives were the strong-willed Anne Boleyn (number two) and the beautiful Katherine Howard (number five). In The Rose Without a Thorn, author Jean Plaidy probes the life of young Katherine, whose marriage to Henry lasted less than two years. In a manner that is sure to captivate and transport, Plaidy charts Katherine's impoverished adolescence, her marriage to the much-older king, and her final downfall. Check out the rest of Plaidy's Queens of England novels for more rich and satisfying portraits of British royal life. First Chapter