Late one night exploring her father's library a young woman finds an ancient book & a cache of yellowing letters addressed ominously to ' My dear & unfortunate successor' Her discovery plunges her into a world she never dreamed of
- a labyrinth where the secrets of her father's past & her mother's mysterious fate connect to an evil hidden in the depths of history In those few quiet moments she unwittingly assumes a quest she will discover is her birthright
- a hunt for the truth about Vlad the Impaler the medieval ruler whose barbarous reign formed the basis of the Dracula myth Deciphering obscure signs & hidden texts reading codes worked into the fabric of medieval monastic traditions & evading terrifying adversaries one woman comes ever closer to the secret of her own past & a confrontation with the very definition of evil Elizabeth Kostova's debut novel is an adventure of monumental proportions
- a captivating tale that blends fact & fantasy history & the present with an assurance that is almost unbearably suspenseful
- & utterly unforgettable