The Stone Witch of Florence - by Anna Rasche (Hardcover)

About the Book

"1348. As the Black Plague ravages Italy, Ginevra di Gasparo is summoned to Florence after nearly a decade of lonely exile. Ginevra has a gift--harnessing the hidden powers of gemstones, she can heal the sick. But when word spread of her unusual abilities, she was condemned as a witch and banished. Now the same men who expelled Ginevra are begging for her return. Ginevra obliges, assuming the city's leaders are finally ready to accept her unorthodox cures amid a pandemic. But upon arrival, she is tasked with a much different mission: she must use her collection of jewels to track down a ruthless thief who is ransacking Florence's churches for priceless relics--the city's only hope for protection"--

Book Synopsis

"A twisty, historical witchy escape." --Entertainment Weekly

A woman's secret. A deadly Plague. Unleash the hidden magic...

1348. As the Black Plague ravages Italy, Ginevra di Gasparo is summoned to Florence after nearly a decade of lonely exile. Ginevra has a gift--harnessing the hidden powers of gemstones, she can heal the sick. But when word spread of her unusual abilities, she was condemned as a witch and banished. Now the same men who expelled Ginevra are begging for her return.

Ginevra obliges, assuming the city's leaders are finally ready to accept her unorthodox cures amid a pandemic. But upon arrival, she is tasked with a much different mission: she must use her collection of jewels to track down a ruthless thief who is ransacking Florence's churches for priceless relics--the city's only hope for protection. If she succeeds, she'll be a recognized physician and never accused of witchcraft again.

But as her investigation progresses, Ginevra discovers she's merely a pawn in a much larger scheme than the one she's been hired to solve. And the dangerous men behind this conspiracy won't think twice about killing a stone witch to get what they want...

Review Quotes

"A twisty, historical witchy escape." --Entertainment Weekly

"An interesting look at the intersection of folk magic, medicine and religion in the 14th century." -The Washington Post

"Impeccably researched with vibrant prose, The Stone Witch of Florence is magnificent. Fans of Katy Hays's The Cloisters will be in awe of this breathtaking debut." --Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary

"Magical in every sense of the word, Rasche's debut stole my heart. A feast of a novel, The Stone Witch of Florence is erudite, transportive, and addicting. It's that precious and rare type of story--the kind that makes you want to fly through its pages while simultaneously savoring every word. Bottom line: The Stone Witch of Florence is a gem." --Katy Hays, New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters

"The Stone Witch of Florence sparkles with suspense and the magical power of women. An engaging and entrancing debut." --Laurie Lico Albanese, author of Hester