In the Shadow of Jezebel by Mesu Andrews

Raised to fulfill her future roles as high priestess to Baal Melkart and a queen of destiny, Princess Jehosheba learned early to use manipulation, cruelty and fear to gain power and impress Queen Athalia, her father's wife. An invitation from Jezebel, the Queen Mother of Israel, and a letter from the dead prophet, Elijah, begin a whirlwind of events as Jehosheba learns deep family secrets and reluctantly marries Yahweh's high priest. As Jehosheba learns more of Yahweh, she loses faith in Baal Melkart.  Under a death sentence should she fail to carry out the plans of the queens of destiny, will Jehosheba overcome her fear and fully trust Yahweh for life, love and a safe future?

I was very impressed by In the Shadow of Jezebel, the first book I've read by Mesu Andrews. From the beginning, the story had my attention and, in spite of one scene that I think had a lapse in tone, my interest in the characters and their stories, never waned. One thing I particularly enjoyed was the story's setting. I haven't read a lot of fictional stories set in this period and the use of unfamiliar words such as “Ima” and “Gevirah” intrigued me. Andrews expertly weaved Biblical events with fictional elements. This book actually made me want to go back and read the correlating Biblical accounts. I can not say enough good things about this book and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys Biblical fiction.

Read an excerpt from In the Shadow of Jezebel by Mesu Andrews on the publisher's website.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."