Melanie Benjamin was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. While attending Indiana University --- Purdue University at Indianapolis, Melanie performed in many community theater productions before meeting her husband, moving to the Chicago area and raising two sons. She and her family still live in the Chicago area; when she's not writing, she's gardening, taking long walks, rooting for the Cubs.
Three Keys (2024) Laura Pritchett "Laura Pritchett gives us an unforgettable portrait of a woman - every woman - who has lived a life for others and needs to start living for herself. Recently widowed Ammalie isn't entirely sure how she feels about her late husband and so sets off to find him in the places he most loved. Fancying herself a fugitive, not deserving of society, she finds instead a world full of grace and compassion - for herself, her journey, and for all who grieve. This is a beautiful, funny, meditative novel that will bring you to tears with its optimism."
Jackie (2024) Dawn Tripp "Readers will devour this richly-detailed novel about the heart and soul of the most famous woman of the twentieth century."
From Dust to Stardust (2023) Kathleen Rooney "Kathleen Rooney takes us on a wild romp through the Jazz Age of Hollywood as she brings to life one of the most unforgettable icons of that era. In this vivid fictional retelling of the life of Colleen Moore - the original flapper of silent films - she reminds us that the line between fantasy and reality is gossamer and that even the strongest of women need their dreams."
The Woman with the Cure (2023) Lynn Cullen "In The Woman With the Cure, Lynn Cullen gives us a meticulous and engaging account of Dorothy Horstmann, another woman whose accomplishments have been overshadowed by men. Without Dorothy's determination and courage there would be no vaccine for polio, and in this engrossing, timely read, we finally know how much she and so many other women like her sacrificed in order to accomplish the impossible. HERstory at its finest."
Ashton Hall (2022) Lauren Belfer "In Ashton Hall, Lauren Belfer has treated us to a novel infused with the brooding gothic atmosphere of Jane Eyre or Rebecca. And like those classics, this is at its heart a story about a woman's journey of self-discovery. How does a wife and mother reclaim her dreams when her world is turned upside down? In her quest to learn the identity of a skeleton entombed in the heart of a British manor house, Hannah Larson tries to piece together the puzzle that has become her own life. This is a novel that must be savored, one page at a time."
Our American Friend (2022) Anna Pitoniak "This should be catnip to political thriller fans--a smart, witty take on a fictional, foreign-born First Lady with a secret tied to Cold War espionage who tests the boundaries of friendship with her would-be biographer. This fast-paced novel about love, loyalty, and the secrets we should or should not keep will keep you gobbling up each page."
Rhapsody (2021) Mitchell James Kaplan "In Rhapsody, Mitchell James Kaplan brings to lyrical life the romance between Kay Swift and George Gershwin. A gifted musician in her own right, Kay was no mere accompanist to Gershwin's genius; she was a true partner, unfortunately little remembered today. Kaplan's vivid prose and empathetic characterization shines a spotlight on this remarkable woman who contributed so much to American music."
The Paris Hours (2020) Alex George "George writes movingly of human connection, lost and found. His vivid portrayal of lives intersecting in early 20th century Paris will delight you with its lyricism and touch you with its humanity. The main protagonists are so beautifully drawn they will haunt you long after you reach the end."
The First Actress (2020) C W Gortner "This novel about Sarah Bernhardt, the iconic French actress, is both a riveting portrait of the artist as a passionate young woman and a luscious historical novel full of period detail."
The King's Justice (2020) (Maggie Hope, book 9) Susan Elia MacNeal "Susan Elia MacNeal spins another rousing tale featuring gutsy Maggie Hope. Once again, MacNeal deftly weaves a fast-paced mystery with enticing historical detail, but this time gives us a fully realized exploration of a psychologically wounded but still determined survivor of the darkness of war. . . . A multilayered thriller that will keep you up all night reading!"
Finding Dorothy (2019) Elizabeth Letts "A woman with a heart, a brain, courage to spare, and a girl's sense of wonder--this is the heroine of Elizabeth Letts's sparkling, touching . Maud Baum is the daughter of a suffragette and the wife of a dreamer, but she is also a force to be reckoned with in her own right."
A Well Behaved Woman (2018) Therese Anne Fowler "The story of Alva Vanderbilt is long overdue for a telling, but it was worth the wait. Therese Anne Fowler has brought this compelling, complex woman to such dynamic life that she leaps off the pages. This is a delicious book, as well as a timely one."
All the Beautiful Girls (2018) Elizabeth J Church "A razzle-dazzle novel about loss, love, and friendship . . . All the Beautiful Girls pulls back the curtain on the glamorous, titillating world of showgirls, revealing the emotional bruises hidden beneath the dazzling costumes."
White Houses (2018) Amy Bloom "Amy Bloom illuminates one of the most intriguing relationships in history. Lorena Hickok is a woman who found love with another lost soul, Eleanor Roosevelt. And love is what this book is all about: It suffuses every page, so that by the time you reach the end, you are simply stunned by the beauty of the world these two carved out for themselves."
Love and Other Consolation Prizes (2017) Jamie Ford "A gripping story about the unpredictability of life - particularly the life of an immigrant; the poignancy of surviving; and above all, the incredible power of love to heal even the most shameful wounds. Jamie Ford has created a fascinating world, bookended by Seattle’s two World Fairs, and peopled it with colorful, brave characters we care deeply about in this masterful job of storytelling."
The Night She Won Miss America (2017) Michael Callahan "Romance, intrigue, suspense - Michael Callahan's latest has it all, and that's not even counting the glorious, heady world of the Miss America pageant in its heyday."
The Truth According to Us (2015) Annie Barrows "The Truth According to Us is an irresistible novel, a sly charmer of a story about a small town in Depression-era West Virginia whose history is rewritten by a debutante on the run. Family histories, too, are unraveled, but mended by the fierce, strong women who dominate this delightful page-turner, a tribute to the power of love and forgiveness to heal even the most heartbreaking betrayals."
