Secret Courtesan - Paperback

by Kerry Chaput (Author)

For fans of Kate Quinn, a dual-timeline adventure novel of a historian who risks everything--including her life--to discover the truth about a female Renaissance sculptor unjustly erased by history.Two determined women four hundred years apart. One mysterious statue. And a bombshell that could change history.

Art historian Mia is running out of time to prove her theory that the sculptor of an unearthed erotic statue was a courtesan erased from history--a scandal no one will believe. Chasing through Venice, she tracks down hidden details of Sofia, a powerful courtesan who seems to have left a trail of sex-fueled art buried across the city, but Mia's now being followed, and even her boss might be in on the lie.

Meanwhile, in 1609, Sofia defies Venice's unfair laws to create illicit art that could ruin her future. Her aspirations to become a great artist go up in flames when her patron's wife steals her work and threatens her lover.

Four hundred years later, it's up to Mia to discover the truth, but now she's uncovered a world of art theft that could leave her ousted--or, worse, right in the crosshairs of the most powerful crime family in Italy, who will stop at nothing to force her to authenticate the famous statue. Mia's only hope is to prove Sofia's existence before everyone involved silences them both forever.

Author Biography

Kerry Chaput is an award-winning historical fiction author who writes about daring women with loads of adventure and a splash of magic. Kerry's writing has been an Historical Novel Society editor's choice, with Midwest Book Review calling her a "Master of the genre." She's also been a finalist for Sarton Women's Book Award and the Chaucer Book Award for early historical fiction. Born in California, she now calls the Pacific Northwest home. Kerry frequents hiking trails, coffee shops, and independent bookstores near her home in Bend, Oregon.