Kate Quinn

"What a great book!...one of the best things I’ve read in months and months. Full of great characters…So gripping your hands are glued to the book, and so vivid it burns itself into your mind's eye and stays with you long after you turn the final page.”

-- Diana Gabaldon, bestselling author of the OUTLANDER series

“This stunning novel about Emperor Domitian’s Rome has it all - depth, color, and unforgettable characters. Kate Quinn is a masterful storyteller…the most rewarding aspect is the author’s gift for making you care about the characters and what befalls them. It is no mean feat to write a novel that is both literary and a page-turner.”

-- Margaret George, bestselling author of HELEN OF TROY and THE MEMOIRS OF CLEOPATRA

“Kate Quinn is a mistress of storytelling. She gives us a wonderful and intensely emotional spectacle, full of sound and fury. She skillfully intertwines the private lives of her characters with huge and shocking events. A deeply passionate love story, tender and touching, in the heat and danger of the brutal arena that was Ancient Rome. An exhilarating read. Quinn is a remarkable new talent.”

-- Kate Furnivall, bestselling author of THE RUSSIAN CONCUBINE and THE GIRL FROM JUNCHOW

"A unique and compelling debut. Mistress of Rome is equal parts intrigue and drama, action and good old-fashioned storytelling. Featuring a cast of characters as diverse as the champions of the Colosseum, Mistress of Rome is destined to please."

-- John Shors, bestselling author of BENEATH A MARBLE SKY, BESIDE A BURNING SEA, and DRAGON HOUSE

"...for sheer entertainment, drama, and page-turning storytelling, this tumultuous debut novel is well worth reading."

-- Library Journal

"Quinn convincingly conjures the terrifying reign of Emperor Domitian in her solid debut that follows the travails of Thea, a slave girl and mistress to the emperor. While she is tormented by Domitian, she holds her secrets—a gladiator lover, a young son—close. When these facts are brought to Domitian's attention by Thea's jealous rival, Thea takes drastic actions to secure her family. Quinn's command of first-century Rome is matched only by her involvement with her characters; all of them, historical and invented, are compelling and realistic, and she explores their dark sides without crossing into gratuitousness. Readers will finish eager for a sequel, which is a good thing because Quinn has left the door wide open for a follow-up. This should make a splash among devotees of ancient Rome." -- Publisher's Weekly

`A heady and exciting roller-coaster of a tale set in the reign of Emperor Domitian. Based on actual events, the brutality and decadence of the times is brought powerfully to life in a gripping and entertaining way.' -- Bookseller

In this epic debut, Kate Quinn gives us a gripping version of 1st-century Rome...what seems at first to have all the earmarks of a straightforward romance expands to encompass greater themes, offering the intrigue of a political thriller and the depth of great literary fiction... Overall, Mistress of Rome is impeccably researched and beautifully executed. Such an accomplished debut can only augur many more impressive historical novels to come! -- Historical Novels Review

`Fans of Philippa Gregory's books who have had enough of Elizabethan times will be entranced by this Rome-set debut....Awash with historical detail, this is a violent, passionate, compelling read.' -- Elle Magazine, UK

'a rollicking account...Thea's story rattles along with such infectious relish that the most pedantic classicist would be beguiled by it in the end.' -- Daily Mail, UK

`A riveting tale...glamorous and brutal, a heady mix of intrigue and combat, with added decadence and depravity...An exhilarating read.' -- Marie Claire, UK

`A wildly entertaining read, this vivid tale of scandal and romance will have you holding your breath with excitement.' -- Now Magazine, UK