The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova was the fastest-selling first novel in U.S. history and the first debut novel to enter the New York Times Best Sellers list at no. 1. The culmination of 10 years of research, the intricately plotted historical novel brought to life the story behind the legend of Vlad the Impaler who inspired the Dracula legend. In her eagerly awaited second novel, Kostova unspools a sweeping tale of historical intrigue spanning centuries and continents--with madness, obsession, and the power of art to preserve human hope taking center stage.