Renaissance Fiction

Like many well-to-do Upper East Siders over the age of 65, esteemed art appraiser Percival Skinner had planned to spend his retirement living off his savings. But a market correction has left him living below his prior means. One day he’s visited by a dapper fixer in search of a famous work by a Renaissance master. Skinner knows the work well: The original was owned by his ancestor, and was passed down through his family over the generations. If, as an intermediary, he can coordinate a sale, a small fortune awaits. Problem is, he might not be the only one on the make.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER GMA BOOK CLUB PICK AN NPR BOOK OF THE YEAR From the New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and Code Name Hélène comes a gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who...

Cassie is about to have her dream retirement, joining her favorite gaming world, Biprism Realm. A world filled with magic, portals, pocket realms, towers to eternity, monsters, and, most important of all, steampunk elements. Most people would have balked at the idea of spending their retirement in a virtual world. Selling their pension for a chance at a better start in a new world filled with magic, mayhem, and monsters. Fortunately, Cassie was one who wished to sell everything.

Elizabeth of York is the oldest daughter of King Edward IV. Flame-haired, beautiful, and sweet-natured, she is adored by her family; yet her life is suddenly disrupted when her beloved father dies in the prime of life. Her uncle, the notorious Richard III, takes advantage of King Edward’s death to grab the throne and imprison Elizabeth's two younger brothers, the rightful royal heirs. Forever afterward known as the princes in the tower, the boys are never seen again.

REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK “A shocking story, made all the more stunning by the fact that it has its roots in true history.”—Jodi Picoult, author of By Any Other Name “A new generation of survival story . . . an extraordinary book that reads like a thriller, written with the care of...

The Scientific Principles of Hypertrophy Training is a fundamental analysis of what your training should look like if muscle growth is your main goal, or even just one of your goals. The book takes you on a grand tour of all of the main seven training principles and how to apply them to one's training - no matter your experience level, diet phase, or sport.

Giulia Tofana longs for more responsibility in her mother’s apothecary business, but Mamma has always been secretive and refuses to tell her the hidden keys to her success. But the day Mamma is arrested for the poisoning of the powerful Duke de Verdi, Giulia is shocked to uncover the darker side of her trade. Giulia must run for her life and escapes to Naples, under the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, to the home of her aunt Isabetta, a famous courtesan.

The Borgia family have become a byword for evil. Corruption, incest, ruthless megalomania, avarice, and vicious cruelty - all have been associated with their name. And yet, paradoxically, this family lived when the Renaissance was coming into its full flowering in Italy. Examples of infamy flourished alongside some of the finest art produced in western history.

Betrayed by the ruling families of Italy, Ezio Auditore embarks upon an epic quest for vengeance. To eradicate corruption and restore his family's honor, he will learn the art of the Assassins. Along the way, Ezio will call upon the wisdom of such great minds as Leonardo da Vinci and Niccolò Machiavelli, knowing that survival is bound to the skills by which he must live.To his allies, he will become a force for change in his fight for freedom and justice.

Experience Dante's Masterpiece Like Never Before – The Complete Divine Comedy in Accessible Modern English Discover why Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy has captivated readers for over 700 years. This fully illustrated edition brings Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise to vivid life with 120+ breathtaking engravings by Gustave Doré, making this medieval masterpiece accessible and engaging for modern readers. WHAT MAKES THIS EDITION SPECIAL: ✓ Easy-to-Read Modern English Translation – No archaic language or confusing syntax. Enjoy Dante's epic journey in clear, flowing prose that ...

Palermo 1632: Giulia is thirteen when she learns her mother's greatest secret: Teofania makes an undetectable, slow-acting, lethal poison—Acqua Tofana—which she uses to free the broken and abused women of Palermo. Now Teofania wants to pass her recipe on to her daughter, and Giulia soon realizes that in a time when women have no voice, justice is sometimes best served in a cup of wine or broth.

Leonardo da Vinci and Niccolo da Pavia return to Florence hoping for peace and quiet. It is not to be! An unwanted gift greets Leonardo as he enters his workshop. The gift he knows comes with “strings” but not accepting it could come with dire consequences. A debt to Cesare Borgia is incurred. Meanwhile, Florence is in turmoil, religious, social and political unrest leads to violence in the streets. Most horrifying – famous paintings are discovered slashed and burned, and sculptures are reduced to rubble. Which one of the disruptive forces terrorizing the city could be responsible. ...

For fans of ALISON WEIR and PHILIPPA GREGORY ◆ FIRST PLACE WINNER - 2023 CHAUCER Book Awards - Early Historical Fiction ◆ WINNER - 2023 READERS' FAVORITE Awards - Fiction-Historical-Personage ◆ Royalty ◆ Power ◆ Politics ◆ Love ◆ Struggle Bestselling biographer and historian Sarah Gristwood, author of Game of Queens and The Tudors in Love, calls this tale of early 16th-century Europe's most brilliant power broker “Compelling and wholly convincing—at once a vividly readable novel and a long-overdue presentation of Europe's unsung heroine to the broad audience she deserves....

“A brilliant achievement.” —Boston Herald “Entertaining…profound….A novel for adults that unearths our buried fascination with the primal fears and truths fairy tales contain.” —Christian Science Monitor Gregory Maguire, the acclaimed author who re-imagined a darker, more...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER | WINNER OF THE KIRKUS PRIZE Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2025 by The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, People, LitHub, Debutiful, and CrimeReads For readers of Jonathan Franzen and Nathan Hill comes a haymaker of an American novel about a missing teenage boy...

"Freeman kicks off a new series set in Renaissance-era Italy with this stylish espionage thriller [and] brings the period to vivid life. Historical fans should give this a look." Publishers Weekly "A Renaissance spy adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Steve Freeman has done well to cleverly interweave suspense, history, culture, and a mystery to keep the reader engaged. Highly recommend for those that enjoy action historical fiction in the times of the famous Medici family and Leonardo da Vinci." Reedsy Discovery (five-star review) During the height of the Renaissance, a ...

Leur enquête sur le trafic d'une substance impie connue sous le nom de flect les entraîne toujours plus profondément au cœur de la hiérarchie impériale, tandis que se fait jour une prophétie évoquant l'avènement d'une puissance démoniaque majeure. Confrontés à la redécouverte d'une antique abomination technologique, ils doivent faire tout ce qui est en leur pouvoir pour endiguer la marée du Chaos et empêcher un cataclysme aux proportions galactiques.

In the autumn of 1558, church bells across England ring out the joyous news that Elizabeth I is the new queen, yet one woman hears the tidings with utter dread. She is Amy Dudley, wife of Sir Robert, and she knows Elizabeth’s ambitious leap to the throne will draw her husband back to the center of the glamorous Tudor court, where he was born to be. Elizabeth has inherited a bankrupt country where treason is rampant and foreign war a certainty. Her advisors warn her that she will survive only if she marries a strong prince to govern the rebellious country. She desires Robert Dudley.

Separate countries to rule. One heart to share. Will duty or love prevail? ◆ FIRST PLACE WINNER - 2022 CHAUCER Book Awards for Pre-1750s Historical Fiction ◆ WINNER of the Highly Recommended award from The Historical Fiction Company ◆ Royalty ◆ Power ◆ Politics ◆ Love ◆ Struggle The year is 1508. Louis XII, King of France, wants to stamp France’s footprint upon Italy. Anne of Brittany, Queen of France, and ruler of neighboring realm Brittany, wants to produce a son and heir for Louis and to save the independence of Brittany from France. Louise of Savoy, the mother of the ...

Italy is ablaze with the artistic brilliance, sexual corruption, political intrigue and religious fanaticism. A vagabond and fugitive of outrageous appearance sneaks into Italy from the North and invents a new name and identity – Harlequin. In Aosta he encounters an aging, resourceful whore – Columbina, who promises to feed and transport him if he agrees to teach her to read and dance. As this unlikely pair flees South through Italy, they attract more fugitives: Scapino, a juggling cut-purse and his lecherous bastard son Pantalone; Giacomo, Leonardo’s inept artistic assistant who ...