The Heiress of Northanger Abbey Is On Sale

On September 1st, The Heiress of Northanger Abbey goes on sale as an ebook, paperback, or hardcover, available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

Set twenty-two years after Jane Austen’s classic, the novel features Catherine Tilney, who is horrified when her daughter Phoebe appears to fall prey to the Thorpe family that once made Catherine's life a misery. She must journey into the shadowy moorland, confront past enemies, and master real-world perils to save her daughter from disaster.

This novel is for Jane Austen fans who adore a high-spirited Regency tale, for readers who savor a hint of the Gothic—and for anyone who longs to be transported to the mist-shrouded moors.

To order The Heiress of Northanger Abbey, go to these retailers:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Bookshop.org
Apple
Kobo

"If you're looking for a cozier thriller, this 'sequel' to Jane Austen's last novel may be the perfect pick. It finds Northanger Abbey heroine Catherine Tilney trying to help her daughter avoid entanglements with the very family that nearly ruined her happiness—which takes them to an isolated manor beset with secrets (and maybe vampires?). You'll get a touch of that Austen spirit, with a Gothic mystery mixed in." -- Real Simple magazine, "Perfect for Fall Reading List"

"Bilyeau successfully builds upon Austen's themes by exploring motherhood, legacy and the lasting consequences of youthful misjudgments. The result is a sequel that honors its literary predecessor while offering enough of a fresh perspective to satisfy both Austen fans and historical mystery readers." -- Publishers Weekly BookLife Prize critic's report

"The Heiress of Northanger Abbey is a perfect fall read, filled with romantic plots, horrifying villains and a shockingly passionate but twisted plot that will leave the reader gasping. Go gothic this fall and enjoy every single page of it." -- Smart Bitches, Trashy Books review

My Tudor Thriller 'The Crown' is Only $1.99

For the next two weeks, my debut novel, The Crown, is on a deep discount as an ebook in the United States. Usually, this ebook is priced at least $14.99.

Until the end of August, The Crown costs $1.99 on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple.

When the novel was published, Woman's Day said it was “part The Da Vinci Code, part The Other Boleyn Girl." Which tells you something about the time when it was published: 2012. :)

I prefer the review in Oprah magazine:

“The spirited young nun at the center of Nancy Bilyeau's expansive novel of political treachery, The Crown (Touchstone), is the very definition of an accidental heroine. In 16th-century London, with Rome at war with the Church of England, Sister Joanna lives happily cloistered in a Dominican priory, "insulated from the selfishness and vanity, the mindless pomp of the world." But when her beloved cousin is sentenced to burn for treason, Joanna bravely slips away from the priory—risking excommunication—to provide comfort at the execution. Soon she is arrested and coerced into a Da Vinci Code–like scheme; refusal to cooperate could mean her father's brutal death. Bilyeau deftly weaves extensive historical detail throughout, but the real draw of this suspenseful novel is its juicy blend of lust, murder, conspiracy, and betrayal.”

Tudor fiction was once all I wanted to write! I dove into my deep feelings for the Tudor era in my latest Substack column: Thoughts About the Tudorverse

To order The Crown:

 Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Apple 

Interview with Judith Starkston

 

Everyone is talking about Christopher Nolan's blockbuster film, The Odyssey. It makes me want to shine the light on historical novelist Judith Starkston, author of Achilles's Wife: A Novel of Greek Myth Retelling. I met Judith at my very first Historical Novel Society conference, in St. Petersburg, Florida, and we became friends. We met again at the conference in San Antonio, Texas, and we actually walked through the Alamo fort together!

Judith, who has degrees in classics, wrote Hand of Fire: A Novel of Briseis and the Trojan War, which I very much enjoyed. The novel takes the perspective of the woman whom Achilles pursues, depicting her as a fully developed person and not just a spoil of war. I was intrigued to learn that this spring, Judith published Achilles’s Wife: A Novel of Greek Myth Retelling.   This book tells the story of the woman Achilles married before he sailed for Troy. I caught up with Judith to ask her some questions. Nancy Bilyeau: Please talk about what kind of novels you write. Judith Starkston: I write historical fiction that retells Greek myths. In both my earlier novel, Hand of Fire, and my current release, Achilles’s Wife, I chose as my central focus women who have been silenced or marginalized in the myths. Many of the underlying assumptions of our culture came from the Graeco-Roman tradition—for example, the idea that powerful women are “monstrous” (or “brassy” or a witch, etc). My novels rework those stories in ways that expand our unconscious view of the “appropriate” roles for women. What better way to rewire our stubbornly ingrained archetypes than turning those ancient myths on their heads in immersive, entertaining fiction? NB: What draws you to the story of Achilles and the fascinating women in his life, his mother, lovers and wife? JS: In modern understanding, Achilles is often reduced to a selfish, bloodthirsty warrior who lets his fellow Greeks die because their Commander-in-Chief Agamemnon took away his war loot. That’s not how I see the tradition.   Briefly put, Achilles is the only one who challenges a greedy, power-hungry Agamemnon and the meaningless war Agamemnon has caused. Achilles is forced into withdrawing from the battle through the twists that come from this morally driven stance. There’s a cost to standing up to corruption.   So, as a character for my fiction, Achilles is a juicy source of tragic flaws, admirable courage, and, to add another element, ambiguous, complicated love stories with one all-important man and two (mythically silent) women. As you can imagine, Briseis and Deidamia (Mia for short) are no longer silent in my novels. Hand of Fire takes place close to Troy, and the power struggles between Achilles and Agamemnon are key to its plot, which is experienced through Briseis’s eyes as a war captive of Achilles. In essence, it’s the Trojan War told from a key woman’s perspective. Achilles’s Wife opens earlier in mythic time, with Thetis, the goddess mother of Achilles, trying desperately to protect her mortal son from his foretold early death at Troy. She is a mysteriously powerful goddess, whose forced marriage to a mortal has turned her against all humans. She calls them “worms.” But she also faces the overwhelming force of motherlove for her human son who will die. Trapped between contradictory drives, she makes decisions that throw her into conflict with her son—not the least of which is to “hide” him inside a woman’s body so no one will find him to recruit for the war. That’s a shift I added to the myth. Achilles is usually portrayed in slapstick drag, dressed up like a girl, but still in a very male body. No one would notice a big warrior in a dress, would they?   This shift from the silly to the traumatic creates room for Achilles, during his time as a woman, to develop a serious friendship with the young woman Deidameia, whom the myth tells us he married on the island of Skyros before the Trojan War began. Traditionally, the myth mentions only that she was a pretty girl whom he got pregnant.   You could sum it up: randy teen gets girl pregnant and splits. Not very interesting! Instead, growing out of their meaningful friendship, the novel explores a more complex story of gender and friendship, marriage and motherhood, and, most challenging, motherhood and governance. NB: Does the popular culture’s fascination with the Trojan War present opportunities or challenges for you when writing historical fiction? JS: The opportunities far outweigh the challenges. While some readers are very set in their view of these mythical characters and thus are positively allergic to “my” Deidamia or Achilles, most are intrigued to find new takes in each myth retelling, whether mine or any of the many excellent writers of the genre. Mythology-based films, like Nolan’s Odyssey, and best-selling novels set in the Trojan War, like Song of Achilles or A Thousand Ships, bring enthusiastic readers to this subgenre of historical fiction. Popularity is a benefit.   I bring historical accuracy to my Bronze Age Greek world that isn’t always found in this genre, and I think my readers appreciate it. I don’t think such dedication to history is required for good mythic tales, but it is for me. Mythology has always been full of contradictory and changing versions, so the current popularity of reinterpreted myth retellings is a continuation of a centuries-long trend. Most readers revel in that variability and creativity. That makes it very fun to write. See more on Achilles's Wife here. And you can read Judith's review of The Odyssey here.

Goodreads Giveaway of 'The Heiress of Northanger Abbey'

Goodreads is running a giveaway of my historical mystery, The Heiress of Northanger Abbey. Five signed paperbacks are being offered. To enter, go here.

Early reviews have been encouraging!

BlueInk Review gave it a star and said, "Nancy Bilyeau’s novel is a smart update and sequel to Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, set 22 years later. But Bilyeau doesn’t just attempt a stiff Regency pastiche; instead, she writes with a gorgeous, fluid voice that brings Jane Austen’s beloved characters back to life in a beautifully layered and thoroughly human way."

“Prepare to be captivated by this brilliant homage to the Gothic genre that will thrill Austen fans and lovers of historical fiction alike. Impossible to put down.”
—Syrie James, bestselling author of The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen and The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall

“Mysteries and dangers … very enjoyable!”
—Janie Chang, USA Today bestselling author of The Fourth Princess: A Gothic Novel of Old Shanghai

“Twenty years after the events of Northanger Abbey, one of Jane Austen’s most gentle and warm-hearted heroines sets out to protect her daughter from the very real dangers of being an heiress. The result is a sparkling tribute to Gothic stories, replete with moors, ruined castles, vampyre stories and forbidden romance. Insightful and charming, this is a novel of which Miss Austen would surely approve.”
—Susan Breen, award-winning author of Merry

“The Heiress of Northanger Abbey is richly layered, deliciously Gothic, and brimming with psychological suspense.”
—Emilya Naymark, author of the Sylvan mystery novels

“A compelling version of the story years after Austen’s own story closes….Impossible to put down and highly recommended.”
—Michelle Cameron, author of Napoleon’s Mirage  

Unveiling the Gothic Cover for My New Jane Austen Sequel

I'm excited to share the cover of The Heiress of Northanger Abbey. It's a Gothic historical mystery and a sequel to Jane Austen's classic. Twenty-two years later, Catherine Tilney must fight to protect her daughter from fortune hunters.

This novel is for Austen fans and anyone who adores a high-spirited Regency tale, savors a hint of the Gothic, and longs to be transported to the mist-shrouded moors.

The book officially goes on sale September 1st. Preorders are possible now--and the ebook is discounted to $4.99 before publication. (Paperback will be sold later.)

Amazon 

Barnes & Noble

Bookshop.org

Apple

I'm so grateful for the endorsements that have come in:

"Prepare to be captivated by this brilliant homage to the Gothic genre that will thrill Austen fans and lovers of historical fiction alike. Impossible to put down!"- Syrie James, bestselling author of The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen and The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall

"Nancy Bilyeau's sequel employs prose reminiscent of Austen's writing, with enough twists to keep the story interesting. Very enjoyable!" -Janie Chang, USA Today bestselling author of The Fourth Princess: A Gothic Novel of Old Shanghai

"Twenty years after the events of Northanger Abbey, one of Jane Austen's most gentle and warm-hearted heroines sets out to protect her daughter from the very real dangers of being an heiress. The result is a sparkling tribute to Gothic stories, replete with moors, ruined castles, vampyre stories and forbidden romance. Insightful and charming, this is a novel of which Miss Austen would surely approve." -Susan Breen, award-winning author of Merry

“The Heiress of Northanger Abbey is richly layered, deliciously Gothic, and brimming with psychological suspense.” —Emilya Naymark, author of the award-nominated Sylvan crime novels

"Catherine Morland is older and wiser, but twenty years on, she’s still drawn to the Gothic. A thrilling sequel that honours the original but brings its own delicious drama. Familiar characters in a masterful new tale about the next generation of the Tilney family."— Kate Braithwaite, author of The Scandalous Life of Nancy Randolph

“A compelling version of the story years after Austen’s story closes…impossible to put down and highly recommended.” —Michelle Cameron, author of Napoleon’s Mirage