KIRKUS REVIEWS: "A meticulously researched historical account presented in the form of a thrilling political drama."

Theodora: actress, prostitute, mistress, feminist. And Byzantine Empress of the civilized world. Stephen: handsome Syrian boy, wizard's apprentice, palace eunuch. And Secretary to the Empress. How does this unlikely pair become such allies that one day Empress Theodora asks Stephen to write her biography?

From a very young age, Theodora, daughter of a circus bearkeeper in Constantinople, sets her sights well above her station in life. Her exquisite beauty sets her apart on stages and in the eyes of men.

Stephen, a Syrian lad of striking good looks, is sold by his parents to a Persian wizard, who teaches him a skill in languages that will serve him well.
By the time Destiny brings them together in Antioch, Theodora has undergone heart-rending trials and a transformation, while Stephen has been sold again . . . and castrated.
Discover the enduring bond that, however imperfect, prompts Theodora—as Empress—to request palace eunuch Stephen to write her biography.

 “A historical novel set in sixth-century Constantinople charts the extraordinary ascent of a woman from poverty to royal power. In this ambitious novel, the author vividly brings to life the cinematic story of Theodora’s life, chronicling her rise, more halting than meteoric, to spectacular power. Martin’s command of the historical period—not just the chief political events, but also the nuances of its cultural mores—is masterful. Furthermore, he conjoins that scholarly rigor with novelistic excitement—the entire tale is intelligently conveyed with great emotional poignancy. [This is] a meticulously researched historical account presented in the form of a thrilling political drama.” KIRKUS REVIEWS

"Martin not only unfurls the vast canvas of history, but he paints the deeply personal side of the men and women who lived it. His settings and characters come to life in meticulously researched detail. I felt like I was there." —Lisa Wingate, New York Times Bestselling Author of Before We Were Yours 

"A treasure for historical fiction fans—richly detailed, immersive, and heart-pounding. Martin paints a vivid and satisfying portrait of one of history's most remarkable women."
-Olivia Hawker, bestselling author of The Ragged Edge of Night

Longing for the breadth and grandeur of a Gone with the Wind or Doctor Zhivago? A story, characters, and setting that will draw you in and hold you? This is the series that will do it!

A 2018 Gold Medal IPPI Winner, Best Regional E-book Box Set 

Looking for historical fiction that will transport you to another time and place? One with the sweep of a Doctor Zhivago and Gone with the Wind?

Based on the diary of a countess, this story will enthrall you.

A book club favorite and  IPPI Gold Medal Winner!

Anna and Zofia~two cousins~different as sun from shade.

One chooses love and patriotism~the other, deceit and treason.

And yet~love binds them even as their country hurtles toward the abyss.

Suddenly alone in the world, Anna falls prey to the schemes of Cousin Zofia even as she falls in love with Jan, a patriot ready to put his life on the line for Poland’s Constitution. Zofia refuses to submit to an arranged marriage and will go to any lengths to avoid it, no matter who it may hurt.

Based on a true diary, "Push Not the River contains all the sweep and romance of the classic romantic epics, such as Gone with the Wind and Doctor Zhivago, with a heroine who remains strong in the face of both personal and political tragedy....Anna Maria's story is at once timeless and timely." --India Edghill, author of Queenmaker and Delilah

A panoramic and epic novel in the grand romantic style, Push Not the River is the rich story of Poland in the late 1700s--a time of heartache and turmoil as the country's once peaceful people are being torn apart by neighboring countries without and divided loyalties within. At the vulnerable age of seventeen, Lady Anna Maria loses both of her parents and must leave to go to live with relatives, thrusting her into a world of love and hate, loyalty and deceit. Even kind Aunt Stella, Anna's guardian who personifies Poland's courage and spirit, can't protect Anna from the uncertain future of the country.

Anna turns to love and comfort  in Jan, a brave patriot and architect of democracy, unaware that her beautiful and enigmatic cousin Zofia has already set her sights on the handsome young fighter. Thus Anna walks unwittingly into Zofia's jealous wrath and darkly sinister intentions. Surviving several tragic events, some orchestrated by the crafty Zofia, a strengthened Anna learns to place herself in the way of destiny--for love and for country. Heeding the proud spirit of her father, Anna becomes a major player in the fight against the countries who come to partition her beloved Poland.

Push Not the River is based on the eighteenth-century diary of Anna Maria Berezowski, a Polish countess who lived through the rise and fall of the Third of May Constitution. Vivid, romantic, and thrillingly paced, it paints the emotional and unforgettable story of the metamorphosis of a nation--and of a valiant and resilient young woman.

A Gold Medal IPPI Winner

Engaging and opulent, The Warsaw Conspiracy unfolds as a family saga set against the November Rising (1830-31), partitioned Poland's daring challenge to the Russian Empire. Brilliantly illustrating the psyche of a people determined to reclaim independence in the face of monumental odds, the story portrays two brothers and their fates in love and war. Michal is a seasoned veteran soldier, cautious of the evolving conspiracy; Jozef, his much younger brother and impassioned cadet, finds himself caught up in the vortex of a daring plot to abduct the Grand Duke of Russia. With Siberia or emigration to France looming as heart-rending contingencies, matriarchs Anna and Zofia stay steadfast in their resolve to steer the clan through ever-muddying waters.

Expert archer Aleksy has his heart set on joining the elite hussars at the Battle of Vienna.

Countess Krystyna turns his heart in a different direction.

As an outsider, Aleksy knows that both dreams are forbidden. And yet, one day he finds that he must choose between the two.

Best-selling Fantasy and Science Fiction writer PIERS ANTHONY:  "This is not an ordinary haunt story. There are nice bits of original thinking along the way, especially in the relevance of the title, and the denouement left me with mixed feelings, identifying as much with the haunts as with the protagonist. I saw the terminal fillip coming, and it gratified me."

The Haunted Reading Room Reviews: “What I didn't expect was that this haunting story would continue to linger, playing on the empathy I had developed for the characters, and the unexpected identity of the hauntings. This one is definitely 12-star.” Mallory A. Haws

Chicagoan Margaret Rockwell falls in love with a wonderful old Greek revival home in Hammond, Indiana, and convinces hesitant husband Kurt that fate meant it for them. So begins a journey that will take them down a circuitous path fraught with the unknown—and danger. 

Why do the Rockwells, expecting their first child, seem at once welcomed and repelled? What does it mean when Margaret starts to dream of the family that built the house in 1910? For her the house comes alive with its own sounds, sights, thoughts, and intentions. How could the death of a child ninety years before impact their lives? And why?

Suddenly alone in the world, Anna falls prey to the schemes of Cousin Zofia even as she falls in love with Jan, a patriot ready to put his life on the line for Poland’s Constitution.

Zofia refuses to submit to an arranged marriage and will go to any lengths to avoid it, no matter whom it may hurt.

Looking for historical fiction that will transport you to another time and place? One with the sweep of a Doctor Zhivago?

Based on the diary of a countess, this story will enthrall you. 

A book club favorite and  IPPI Gold Medal Winner

Anna and Zofia~two cousins~different as sun from shade.

One chooses love and patriotism~the other, deceit and treason.

And yet~love binds them even as their country hurtles toward the abyss.

Based on a true diary, "Push Not the River contains all the sweep and romance of the classic romantic epics, such as Gone with the Wind and Doctor Zhivago, with a heroine who remains strong in the face of both personal and political tragedy....Anna Maria's story is at once timeless and timely." --India Edghill, author of Queenmaker and Delilah

A panoramic and epic novel in the grand romantic style, Push Not the River is the rich story of Poland in the late 1700s--a time of heartache and turmoil as the country's once peaceful people are being torn apart by neighboring countries without and divided loyalties within. At the vulnerable age of seventeen, Lady Anna Maria loses both of her parents and must leave to go to live with relatives, thrusting her into a world of love and hate, loyalty and deceit. Even kind Aunt Stella, Anna's guardian who personifies Poland's courage and spirit, can't protect Anna from the uncertain future of the country.

Anna turns to love and comfort  in Jan, a brave patriot and architect of democracy, unaware that her beautiful and enigmatic cousin Zofia has already set her sights on the handsome young fighter. Thus Anna walks unwittingly into Zofia's jealous wrath and darkly sinister intentions. Surviving several tragic events, some orchestrated by the crafty Zofia, a strengthened Anna learns to place herself in the way of destiny--for love and for country. Heeding the proud spirit of her father, Anna becomes a major player in the fight against the countries who come to partition her beloved Poland.

Push Not the River is based on the eighteenth-century diary of Anna Maria Berezowski, a Polish countess who lived through the rise and fall of the Third of May Constitution. Vivid, romantic, and thrillingly paced, it paints the emotional and unforgettable story of the metamorphosis of a nation--and of a valiant and resilient young woman.

"James Conroyd Martin is in every way a modern day Henryk Sienkiewicz, weaving history and stories together in an accessible and thrilling manner."  Dr. Donld Pienkos, Political Science Professor Emeritas, UWMilwaukee