The Serpent and the Pearl (A Novel of the Borgias #1)
Description
A gripping novel about history’s most infamous family—The Borgias—and an innocent girl pulled into their treacherous rise to power, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Alice Network and The Diamond Eye.
Rome, 1492. The Holy City is drenched with blood and teeming with secrets. A pope lies dying and the throne of God is left vacant, a prize awarded only to the most virtuous—or the most ruthless. The Borgia family begins its legendary rise, chronicled by an innocent girl who finds herself drawn into their dangerous web…
Vivacious Giulia Farnese has floor-length golden hair and the world at her feet: beauty, wealth, and a handsome young husband. But she is stunned to discover that her glittering marriage is a sham, and she is to be given as a concubine to the ruthless, charismatic Cardinal Borgia: Spaniard, sensualist, candidate for Pope—who is passionately in love with her.
Two trusted companions will follow her into the Pope's shadowy harem: Leonello, a cynical bodyguard bent on bloody revenge against a mysterious killer, and Carmelina, a fiery cook with a past full of secrets. But as corruption thickens in the Vatican and the enemies begin to circle, Giulia and her friends will need all their wits to survive in the world of the Borgias.
Praise for The Serpent and the Pearl (A Novel of the Borgias #1)
“A masterful storyteller.” —Margaret George
The novels of Kate Quinn are…
“Full of great characters.”—Diana Gabaldon, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Epic, sexy.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Deeply passionate.”—Kate Furnivall, New York Times bestselling author
“A riveting plunge into an ancient world.”—C. W. Gortner, author of The Vatican Princess
