**“Urban fantasy, unexpected romance, and mythology all collide in King's latest. A must for V.E. Schwab and Katee Robert fans.” –BooklistIn this stunning contemporary fantasy novel for fans of V. E. Schwab and Kaliane Bradley, a historian’s dream job in Italy takes a dark turn when she discovers her employers aren’t exactly human…**After losing her book deal and her academic position, historian Aida Reale needs a new career, and fast. After all, she and h...

A Goodreads Most Anticipated Historical Fiction Book of Fall 2024“A sinister romance and hypnotic Gothic fairytale—surreal and luscious with a fascinating twist on the story of Hades and Persephone.” —Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of AriadneA woman with no past. A man who seems to know her. And a monstrous garden that could be the border between their worlds…Italy, 1948Julia L...

A captivating novel of Renaissance Italy detailing the mysterious life of Bartolomeo Scappi, the legendary chef to several popes and author of one of the bestselling cookbooks of all time, and the nephew who sets out to discover his late uncle’s secrets—including the identity of the noblewoman Bartolomeo loved until he died.When Bartolomeo Scappi dies in 1577, he leaves his vast estate—properties, money, and his position—to his nep...

Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel PrizeA Massachusetts Book Award “Must Read”Set amongst the scandal, wealth, and upstairs-downstairs politics of a Roman family, this “addictively readable first novel” (Kirkus Reviews) features the man who inspired the world’s oldest cookbook and the ambition that led to his destruction.In the twenty-sixth year of Augustus Caesar’s reign, Marcus Gavius Apicius has a singular ...

A captivating novel of Renaissance Italy detailing the mysterious life of Bartolomeo Scappi, the legendary chef to several popes and author of one of the bestselling cookbooks of all time, and the nephew who sets out to discover his late uncle’s secrets—including the identity of the noblewoman Bartolomeo loved until he died.When Bartolomeo Scappi dies in 1577, he leaves his vast estate—properties, money, and his position—to his nep...

A Goodreads Most Anticipated Historical Fiction Book of Fall 2024“A sinister romance and hypnotic Gothic fairytale—surreal and luscious with a fascinating twist on the story of Hades and Persephone.” —Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of AriadneA woman with no past. A man who seems to know her. And a monstrous garden that could be the border between their worlds…Italy, 1948Julia L...

**“Urban fantasy, unexpected romance, and mythology all collide in King's latest. A must for V.E. Schwab and Katee Robert fans.” –BooklistIn this stunning contemporary fantasy novel for fans of V. E. Schwab and Kaliane Bradley, a historian’s dream job in Italy takes a dark turn when she discovers her employers aren’t exactly human…**After losing her book deal and her academic position, historian Aida Reale needs a new career, and fast. After all, she and h...

Set amongst the scandal, wealth, and upstairs-downstairs politics of a Roman family, Crystal King’s seminal debut features the man who inspired the world’s oldest cookbook and the ambition that led to his destruction.On a blistering day in the twenty-sixth year of Augustus Caesar’s reign, a young chef, Thrasius, is acquired for the exorbitant price of twenty thousand denarii. His purchaser is the infamous gourmet Marcus Gavius Apicius, wealthy beyond measure, obsessed with a taste ...