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Historical Fiction April 2017
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| The Confessions of Young Nero: A Novel by Margaret GeorgeLucius Domitius Ahenobarbus was born to rule. At least, that's what his mother believes, though it must be noted that Agrippina, a woman with a penchant for poisoning her husbands, may not be the most reliable judge of character. Still, Lucius -- an intelligent, sensitive boy who loves music and chariot races -- can only be an improvement over his uncle, Caligula. Lucius strives to distance himself from his relatives even as he benefits from Agrippina's scheming: by age 16, he's Emperor Nero. However, he quickly discovers that staying in power requires a certain amount of ruthlessness. This novel by the author of The Memoirs of Cleopatra is an unusual coming-of-age story that imagines the life of a notorious ruler. |
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The Dangerous Ladies Affair
by Marcia Muller
Hired by a wealthy banker to nab an extortionist who has threatened to reveal personal secrets unless he receives more money, John Quincannon and Sabina Carpenter find the case turning deadly when a courier is found dead in a locked room
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The Death of Kings : a John Madden Mystery
by Rennie Airth
Inspector Madden is summoned out of retirement by Scotland Yard to investigate questions surrounding a mysterious jade necklace that suggests that the wrong man may have been hanged for the murder of a beautiful actress more than a decade earlier. By the award-winning author of River of Darkness.
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The Fire by Night by Teresa MessineoTwo World War II military nurses fight for survival and care for others in a makeshift medical unit and a POW camp, enduring dangerous existences while waiting for the war to end.
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| In the Name of the Family: A Novel by Sarah DunantThis sequel to Blood and Beauty finds Rodrigo Borgia comfortably ensconced in the Vatican as Pope Alexander VI. His illegitimate children continue to increase their wealth and power through any means available: brilliant but volatile Cesare undertakes an ambitious military campaign, while daughter Lucrezia embarks on her third marriage to secure a political alliance with the prominent Este family. Observing (and learning from) their exploits is diplomat and spy Niccolò Machiavelli. For other fictional treatments of this infamous family, check out C.W. Gortner's The Vatican Princess or Jeanne Kalogridis' The Borgia Bride. |
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| A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon JamesInspired by the attempted assassination of musician Bob Marley on December 3, 1976, this novel by the author of The Book of Night Women explores Jamaica's turbulent history through multiple, intersecting narratives that introduce more than a dozen characters. Framed as an oral history, A Brief History of Seven Killings features a diverse cast, an evocative and richly detailed setting, and a sprawling story told by a chorus of distinct voices in pitch-perfect dialogue. |
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Caribbean
by James A. Michener
The turbulent history of the Caribbean islands is chronicled, from tribal conflicts on Dominica and the age of exploration, to the Cuban revolution and the tempestuous present, through the colorful lives of characters, fictional and real-life.
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| Conquistadora: A Novel by Esmeralda SantiagoGloriosa Ana María de los Ángeles Larragoity Cubillas Nieves de Donostia -- better known as "Ana" -- longs for a life of adventure that neither her convent school nor her respectable parents will provide. Inspired by the exploits of her conquistador ancestors, Ana marries Ramon Argosas and accompanies him and his twin brother to Puerto Rico, where they'll be managing a sugar plantation. An ambitious and savvy businesswoman, Ana is soon running the place, coping with challenges ranging from hurricanes to cholera outbreaks to slave revolts. This sprawling saga, which Publishers Weekly calls "a Puerto Rican Gone With the Wind," boasts a fascinatingly complex, if not always sympathetic, heroine. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Avon Lake Public Library 32649 Electric Blvd. Avon Lake, Ohio 44012 440-933-8128alpl.org |
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