The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton - by Jennifer N Brown (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A dual-timeline murder mystery set in an English country manor, when an ambitious professor discovers the long-lost manuscript of a Reformation-era prophetess

Historian Alison Sage has made a groundbreaking archival discovery--she found a manuscript containing the prophecies of a 16th century nun, Elizabeth Barton. Barton's prophecy condemning Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn led to her execution and the destruction of all copies of her prophecies--or so the world believed.

With Alison's discovery, she is catapulted to academic superstardom and scores an invitation to the exclusive Codex Consortium, a week of research among a select handful of fellow historians at a crumbling manor in England, located next to the ruins of the priory where Elizabeth herself once lived.

What begins as a promising conference turns into a nightmare as the eerie house becomes the site of a murder. Suddenly, everyone is a suspect, and it seems that answers lie at the root of a local legend about centuries-old hidden treasure. Alison's research makes her best-suited to solve the mystery--but when old feelings resurface for a former colleague, and the stakes of the search skyrocket, everyone's motives become murky.

Alison's cutthroat world of academia is almost as dangerous as Elizabeth Barton's sixteenth-century England, where heretics are beheaded, visions can kill, and knowing who to trust is a deadly art. The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton is a thrilling novel, crackling with the voices of the past and propelled by a mystery that will leave readers in suspense until the very last page.

Review Quotes

"Captivating. . . Brown excels at depicting the manipulation of women across the centuries while exhibiting both shrewd mystery-writing skills and a knack for folding deep historical research into a propulsive narrative. Fans of historical suspense will be wowed." - Publishers Weekly starred review

"Brown expertly weaves the past and present into a cracking good tale and offers the promise of more to come from Alison Sage regarding just what she finds in that bejeweled small gold chest bearing etchings of female saints. Recommend to fans of Wolf Hall and all readers consumed with the treacherous Tudor times." - Booklist starred review

"A vivid and erudite reimagining of Barton's life encased within a present-day murder mystery that revolves around the discovery of a transcribed account of Barton's visions. . . [an] intricate--and blood-soaked--Tudor tapestry." - Wall Street Journal

"Combining a historical thriller with a suspenseful contemporary narrative of archival discovery, [this] is an utterly mesmerizing read, lavish and erudite yet unputdownable. . . A riveting, brilliantly bookish debut. - Bruce Holsinger, nationally bestselling author of Culpability and The Gifted School

"An English country manor, a long-lost manuscript, and a sixteenth-century prophetess: Jennifer N. Brown, you had me at hello and never let go. Books that resurrect the voices of forgotten women, especially one bold enough to deliver prophecies against the Crown, are always worth the read. But The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton is more than worth it: it's a riveting debut that will leave you wanting to know more about Elizabeth Barton. With echoes of Philippa Gregory and the heart-pounding pace of a modern thriller, Jennifer N. Brown delivers a dual-timeline mystery filled with emotional depth, historical intrigue, and the timeless danger of daring to tell the truth. This is a novel where prophecy, passion, and peril converge in a page-turning thriller that you won't put down until the last gasp of betrayal and revelation." - Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of The Story She Left Behind

"The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton hits the sweet spot of historical fiction: whip-smart yet accessible, and propulsive from start to finish. A masterclass on the power of a dual-timeline story, Brown's fiction debut will tug on your heartstrings with the emotional impact that brave women of the past have on brilliant women of the present." - Karin Tanabe, author of A Woman of Intelligence

"If Philippa Gregory and Ruth Ware ever decided to co-write a book, they might come up with [this] brilliantly written...wholly captivating book...Peel back the layers of high society, whether that be English royalty or the ivory tower of academia, and along with a sprinkling of romance, you might find a hornet's nest of rivalry, revenge, and even murder." - Tracey Enerson Wood, USA Today bestselling author of Katharine, the Wright Sister, The President's Wife, The War Nurse, and The Engineer's Wife

"Fascinating . . .a remarkable tale concerning Henry VII, ancient priory ruins, and the cutthroat world of academia." - Goodreads Spring's Most-Anticipated Books

"Fans of dual-timeline historical mysteries inspired by real women will adore this fascinating new novel." - Woman's World

"Brown's debut blends academic intrigue and murder in an engaging narrative. Recommended for readers interested in Tudor history and scholarly suspense." - Library Journal

"A plot-driven page-turner that weaves together historical fiction, academic satire, and detective fiction into a compulsively readable and intellectually rewarding book." - Christian Science Monitor

About the Author

JENNIFER N. BROWN is the Dean of Arts & Sciences at Bentley University, where she is also Professor of English and Media Studies, with a specialization in medieval literature written for and by women. She has published a lot on this topic but The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton is her first novel. She lives in the Boston area with her husband, their two children, and two miniature dachshunds.