A witty, irreverent tour of history's worst plagues—from the Antonine Plague, to leprosy, to polio—and a celebration of the heroes who fought themIn 1518, in a small town in Alsace, Frau Troffea began dancing and didn’t stop. She danced until she was carried away six days later, and soon thirty-four more villagers joined her. Then more. In a month more than 400 people had been stricken by the mysterious dancing plague. In late-seventeenth-century England an eccentr...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NPR BOOKS WE LOVE 2025 PICKA thrilling biography of Mamie Fish that explores how women used parties and social gatherings to gain power and prestige, from the author of Madame Restell and Get Well Soon**.**"As entertaining as it is illuminating ... Wright is a brilliant social observer and she knows how to tell a rollicking story. An utter joy...

A history of heartbreak—replete with beheadings, uprisings, creepy sex dolls, and celebrity gossip—and its disastrously bad consequences throughout time.Spanning eras and cultures from ancient Rome to medieval England to 1950s Hollywood, Jennifer Wright's It Ended Badly guides you through the worst of the worst in historically bad breakups. In the throes of heartbreak, Emperor Nero had just about everyone he ever loved—from his old tutor to most of his frie...

Discover the true story of a self-taught surgeon and trailblazing figure in medical history—Madame Restell, a revolutionary surgeon who fought for women's rights and healthcare in Gilded Age New York.An industrious immigrant who built her business from the ground up, Madame Restell was a self-taught surgeon on the cutting edge of healthcare in pre-Gilded Age New York, and her bustling “boarding house” provided birth control, abortions, and medical assistance to tho...

A powerful collection of stories about women who murdered—for revenge, for love, and even for pleasure—rife with historical details that will have any true crime junkie on the edge of their seatIn every tragic story, men are expected to be the killers. There are countless studies and works of art made about male violence. However, when women are featured in stories about murder, they are rarely portrayed as predators. They're the prey. This common dynamic is one of ...

Isadora Duncan was RedPut on a scarf; popped off her headFashion is silly, thought SteinIt may tear your head from your spineA darkly comic book about some surprisingly lethal garments. Featuring stories like the untimely demise of dancer Isadora Duncan caused by her signature red scarf and the bloody riot that greeted the appearance of the first top hat, among many others, these bite-size accounts will frighten and delight. ...

Amid the 1900 Galveston hurricane, one woman's perseverance is tested in this captivating story from the author whose work has been called "intelligent and arresting" ( Foreword Reviews ) and "historical fiction as it is meant to be told" ( Library Journal )."Old Galveston shines in this beautifully written tale of a woman's quest to both lose herself and find herself."

A powerful collection of stories about women who murdered—for revenge, for love, and even for pleasure—rife with historical details that will have any true-crime junkie on the edge of their seatIn every tragic story, men are expected to be the killers. There are countless studies and works of art made about male violence. However, when women are featured in stories about murder, they are rarely portrayed as predators. They’re the prey. This common dynamic is one of the reasons that...

Noah has suppressed his urges for other men for years, but when a sexy bartender comes crashing into his life, all bets are off.Due to his career as a lawyer and his father’s strict ways, Noah has always ignored the side of him that craves the touch of another man, not wanting to upset the calm waters of his life. But when he’s out one night celebrating his friend’s first win in a courtroom, Noah is taken aback by the raw lust that consumes him when he meets Shea. He wants...

Zane has everything in his life under control and in order, but can he keep it that way when a young dragon is thrown into his life?Zane was meant to be a warrior—end of story. Though he may not have had the most pleasant life living at the coven, he still loved being there. But the steadiness of his world came to a halt all within one day's events. A man he never saw coming has pushed the boundaries of what little normalcy he has, and learning of a secret love is just con...

Keddrick has denied claiming his mate for four years, separating them by worlds just to keep the man he loves safe…from him. Can he resist temptation when his love lands on his doorstep in need of help?Eli has lusted after Keddrick from the moment the vampire stepped through the portal and into Earth. He had desperately wanted to go with Keddrick when the man returned to Pavarus, but it wasn't allowed—not to mention Eli was under the impression that Keddrick was straight. ...

Is it truly better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all?In Larken’s case, he isn’t so sure. He did love someone, then he lost them, and it hurt like hell. Now, Larken has to figure out how he’s going to get over it and find love once more. Then again, does he even want to care for someone so strongly for a second time? He’s had his heart broken once, and he fears it’s too soon to open up to someone else. But how can he really deny the new feelings that ar...