Marie Benedict is a lawyer with more than ten years' experience as a litigator at two of the country's premier law firms. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Boston College with a focus in History and Art History, and a cum laude graduate of the Boston University School of Law. While practicing as a lawyer, Marie dreamed of a fantastical job unearthing the hidden historical stories of women -- and finally found it when she tried her hand at writing. She embarked on a new, narratively connected series of historical novels with THE OTHER EINSTEIN, which tells the tale of Albert Einstein's first wife, a physicist herself, and the role she might have played in his theories. Writing as Heather Terrell, Marie also published the historical novels The Chrysalis, The Map Thief, and Brigid of Kildare.
The Girls of the Glimmer Factory (2025) Jennifer Coburn "When an unexpected illness puts an end to Hannah Kaufman's plans to flee Czechoslovakia and the Nazi's Final Solution, she becomes a prisoner at Theresienstadt, the so-called model Jewish ghetto. After her path crosses with Hilde Kramer, a German friend from Hannah's youth who's now firmly ensconced in the Nazi Party, Hannah spots an opportunity to turn the Nazi propaganda film Hilde's making on its head. The Girls of the Glimmer Factory delivers to readers a compelling and moving tale about the power of propaganda to foster and perpetuate malevolence -- and the ability of even the most unlikely people to fight back."
The Thirteenth Husband (2024) Greer Macallister "In a story as captivating as the real-life heiress Aimee Crocker who inspires it, The Thirteenth Husband takes its readers on a journey across cultures and continents, through fortunes and, of course, husbands. Utterly gripping."
Shelterwood (2024) Lisa Wingate "Wingate's best book yet! Shelterwood explores crucial societal issues against the nail-biting backdrop of early-twentieth-century Oklahoma, where the struggle for land and oil threatens lives. . . . A spellbinding and important tale."
Husbands & Lovers (2024) Beatriz Williams "The masterful Williams spins a story that spans continents and eras, and it takes readers on a page-turning ride encompassing intoxicating youthful romance, forbidden wartime love, betrayal, espionage, life-eroding secrets, and a mother's boundless love for her child. Reminding us of the interconnectivity of the past and present and the enduring power of love, Husbands & Lovers is stunning."
Miss Morgan's Book Brigade (2024) Janet Skeslien Charles "In this compelling ode to the astonishing power of libraries and librarians, readers are introduced to the intrepid, real-life heroine Jessie Carson who delivered hope along with books to children in war-torn France. Janet Skeslien Charles's latest novel is - to borrow the words of one of her own characters - 'unputdownable!'"
The Romanov Brides (2024) Clare McHugh "In this sweeping, immersive novel, Clare McHugh draws readers into the mesmerizing world of the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria - Princess Vicky - as she emerges into a powerful force in her own right and ascends to become the first German Empress."
Finding Margaret Fuller (2024) Allison Pataki "What a woman! What a story! Whether exploring Margaret's remarkable friendships or delving into her crucial legacy as a journalist, writer, and feminist, Finding Margaret Fuller promises to transform every reader it touches--much like Margaret Fuller herself."
Becoming Madam Secretary (2024) Stephanie Dray "What a compelling, important story about a trailblazing woman! In Becoming Madam Secretary, Stephanie Dray takes readers on an enthralling journey as Frances Perkins rises to become the country's most important cabinet member during a crossroads in American history, one with lasting ramifications. Hers is a name we should all know, and this is a novel we should all read."
The Queen of Sugar Hill (2024) ReShonda Tate Billingsley "On the heels of her greatest victory - winning the Oscar - famous actress Hattie McDaniel faces her greatest challenges, as explored in the pages of ReShonda Tate's eye-opening new novel, The Queen of Sugar Hill. In bringing to life the inimitable Hattie against the backdrop of her segregated times, The Queen of Sugar Hill introduces readers to the important, inspiring, heart-wrenching story of the legendary actress whose legacy deserve to be fully understood and celebrated."
Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen (2023) Sarah James "Glamorous and suspenseful in equal measure, Sarah James has delivered a story that is both a delight and a puzzle readers will clamor to solve."
The Porcelain Maker (2023) Sarah Freethy "In her exquisitely crafted and poignant debut, Sarah Freethy brings readers an unforgettable tale of love and loss. The Porcelain Maker introduces us to a singular, riveting relationship forged between a talented Jewish architect and a gifted German painter during the heady days of the Bauhaus movement in the Weimar Republic of Germany. As the dark tide of Nazism washes over the land, the lovers face dangers unimaginable, learning that art alone can sustain and save them - and bear witness for the generations. Phenomenal."
The Phoenix Crown (2023) Janie Chang and Kate Quinn "An irresistible proposition for a gifted operatic soprano. The double lives of a talented young Chinese woman and her artist lover. A tenacious, globe-trotting female botanist. The legendary crown of an Empress. The devastating San Francisco earthquake of 1906 and the ensuing rampant, deadly fire. Brilliant authors Kate Quinn and Janie Chang weave these threads together into seamless, page-turning masterpiece of history and suspense -- shot through with women rising up from the margins of society to claim their own singular futures. I could not put this triumphant novel down."
The House of Lincoln (2023) Nancy Horan "The gifted Nancy Horan once again brings readers into a story -- inspired by real events -- that will forever change the way they perceive famous historical figures and their times. In the captivating and important The House of Lincoln, the young Portuguese immigrant Ana is hired to help in the Springfield, Illinois home of Abraham Lincoln as the Great Emancipator is on the rise. Through Ana's relationship with Lincoln's wife Mary and her close friendship with Cal, a free Black girl, the novel explores a lesser-known aspect of a crucial historical period."
The Brightest Star (2023) Gail Tsukiyama "In the riveting pages of The Brightest Star, Gail Tsukiyama once again invites her readers into an intriguing historical realm that remains in the shadows but should be widely known. Her latest novel lifts the veil on the rise of young Wong Liu Tsong, the Chinese American woman better known as the legendary first Asian American movie star, Anna May Wong, and shares the stereotyping and prejudices she was forced to navigate as she made her ascent. A fascinating portrait."
No Two Persons (2023) Erica Bauermeister "In her lyrical, haunting new novel, No Two Persons, Erica Bauermeister shares the unexpected, exquisite ways in which one special book transforms its readers' lives. As the novel-within-the-novel passes through the hands of a vast array of people-ranging from an actor to a swimmer to a homeless student, among others-it acts as a guide for the lost, serving in different manners for different readers. A wondrous ode to the power of fiction, No Two Persons will linger with its readers in much the same way its fictional novel remained with its characters."
The Friday Night Club (2023) Sofia Lundberg, Alyson Richman and M J Rose "In their important novel, The Friday Night Club, co-authors Sofia Lundberg, Alyson Richman, and M.J. Rose have unearthed the captivating story of the ground-breaking Swedish artist Hilma af Klint, arguably the world's first abstract artist who may well have inspired male painters like Wassily Kandinksy who typically receive credit for pioneering abstraction. This spell-binding exploration of the life and legacy of a long-forgotten woman and the circle of gifted friends who worked alongside her is a must-read."
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? (2023) Crystal Smith Paul "An engrossing saga, Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? explores the heartbreaking sacrifices that one woman must make in order to succeed in the Golden Age of Hollywood--and the way in which her difficult choices echo throughout later generations. Crystal Smith Paul's debut about family, celebrity, and racism--both historic and modern--captivates."
Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl (2023) Renée Rosen "In this captivating novel, Renee Rosen invites readers to peer behind the lovely facade of the iconic Estee Lauder, at her real origin and hardscrabble rise. This illuminating tale about ambition and friendship between Estee and Gloria Downing, another young woman who has changed her name and her identity, explores the dangers inherent in embellishing the truth. A fascinating glimpse into a legend who has changed the face of cosmetics forever."
Daughter, Dalloway (2023) Emily France "Beyond a compelling, imaginative retelling of the Virginia Woolf classic, Daughter Dalloway offers a unique take on what it means to sift through the remnants of the past. Elizabeth uncovers more than her legendary mother's fate--she uncovers her own."
The Matchmaker's Gift (2022) Lynda Cohen Loigman "In the inviting The Matchmaker's Gift, Loigman takes the readers by the hand and leads them into the world of shadchanim, or matchmakers, of both a historic and modern variety. This charming story about a realm that is at once familiar and magical invites contemplation of the many ways in which the past reverberates into the present."
The Paris Bookseller (2022) Kerri Maher "A captivating look behind the scenes at the life of the iconic Grace Kelly...as she searches for authenticity in a world clamoring instead for a picture-perfect princess."
The Magnolia Palace (2022) Fiona Davis "Once again, using her trademark brilliance, Fiona Davis transports her readers into a mysterious past lurking beneath the surface of our modern day world. In THE MAGNOLIA PALACE, two very different women from two eras enter the Gilded Age realm of famous industrialist and art collector Henry Clay Frick and his imperious daughter Helen and become part of a thrilling mystery centered on the Frick mansion that stretches through the decades. Readers will never look at a historic building quite the same way again."
The Dictionary of Lost Words (2021) Pip Williams "What a compelling, fresh look at historical women! In Pip Williams’s lyrically written novel, The Dictionary of Lost Words, readers explore the creation of the so-called definitive Oxford English Dictionary through the eyes of Esme, a fictional female laborer on that great endeavor, and as her eyes open to the flaws and gender biases in the selection of included words and the definitions themselves, so do readers’. This marvelous exploration into the ways in which spoken and written language impact us is a delight and an education."
Surviving Savannah (2021) Patti Callahan "[S]pellbinding....Beautifully written with a masterfully crafted plot, Surviving Savannah leaves the reader breathless and marveling at the manner in which the past and present interweave in ways we almost cannot imagine."
Half Life (2021) Jillian Cantor "Jillian Cantor exploes not only the fascinating inner life of the famous scientist Marie Curie but also the life that might have been if she'd chosen love over science."
Band of Sisters (2021) Lauren Willig "Captivating! The ever-masterful Lauren Willig beautifully celebrates these singular women."
The Invisible Woman (2021) Erika Robuck "In this captivating, page-turning read, the talented Erika Robuck plunges her readers deep into the little-known, critical espionage undertaken by the brilliant and brave spy Virginia Hall during World War II. The Invisible Woman shines a light on this courageous historical woman, whose pioneering work as an agent deserves recognition."
The Paris Children (2020) Gloria Goldreich "In The Paris Children, real-life Resistance fighter Madeleine Levy steps out from behind her famous grandfather, French political figure Alfred Dreyfus, to claim her own legacy of patriotism as she battled against anti-semitism in World War II. Author Gloria Goldreich shares the inspiring tale of Madeleine's brave and dangerous rescue of French children and the bittersweet nature of her ultimate sacrifice."
The Jane Austen Society (2020) Natalie Jenner "Natalie Jenner's lovely debut novel, The Jane Austen Society, is a charming, yet bittersweet tale about the power of literature -- the beloved Jane Austen in particular -- to heal and elevate the human spirit in the aftermath of World War II."
The Orphan's Song (2019) Lauren Kate "In a gorgeous ode to eighteenth-century Venice, Lauren Kate uncovers the intriguing, little-known origin of the era's most famous Baroque musicians in The Orphan's Song, in a tale brimming with love, deception, and ultimately, surprising truth."
When We Left Cuba (2019) (Cuba Saga, book 2) Chanel Cleeton "Scintillating.... An intriguing dive into the turbulent Cuban-American history of the 1960s, and the unorthodox choices made by a strong historical woman."
