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Tessa Afshar joins us on the show this week to talk about her upcoming book, The Queen’s Cook. We chat about her research for the novel, her love of cooking and what she’s growing in her garden, and many other fun topics. Patrons will hear what her first impressions of America were when she came to the country.
The Queen’s Cook by Tessa Afshar
“A tender and touching tale. Tessa Afshar has given us two wonderfully charming heroines.”–ANGELA HUNT, New York Times bestselling author of The Emissaries series
In the heart of ancient Persia, the empire’s Jewish citizens face an ominous edict that threatens their very existence. Roxannah, the daughter of an impoverished Persian lord, is devastated by the news but feels helpless to come to the aid of her Jewish friends. Desperate to support her family, Roxannah approaches the royal physician, Adin–the man whose kind eyes haunt her–and seeks his help to find employment in Queen Esther’s kitchens.
In the opulent palace of Susa, Roxannah tries to survive the spiteful ploys of the other cooks as she ascends through the ranks. Her loyalty earns her the trust and friendship of Queen Esther, who is navigating dangerous politics with wisdom and grace. When Roxannah and Adin uncover a sinister plot against Amestris, the king’s most powerful wife and Esther’s archenemy, they find themselves tasked with the impossible job of discovering the culprit. As secrets unravel and alliances are tested, the fate of Esther’s reign hangs in the balance.
What One Reviewer Had to Say: “Queen Esther’s story is an extremely familiar one for any woman who has studied the Bible any length of time, but you probable haven’t seen it quite like this! In this book, you’ll follow the timeline of Esther’s story through the eyes of Roxannah, the queen’s cook.
I thoroughly enjoyed her character and the Jewish physician Adin who helped open her eyes to faith in the One True God. Another thing I loved about this book was the layers! You get recipes, mystery, royalty, romance, and faith plus a strong female lead. If you’re looking for a unique perspective on a popular Bible story, Tessa Afshar does a beautiful job with bringing Queen Esther’s court to life.”
Get your copy of The Queen’s Cook by Tessa Afshar.
Meet Tessa:
Tessa Afshar’s historical fiction has been on Publishers Weekly, CBA, and ECPA bestseller lists and has been translated into 12 languages.
Her novel, Pearl in the Sand is the recipient of the ECPA’s Bronze Milestone Sales Award. Tessa’s books have received the Christy, INSPY, and ECPA Christian Book of the Year (Bible Study category) Awards, and are Carol, Christy, and ECPA Christian Book Award finalists.
Tessa was born in the Middle East and lived there for the first fourteen years of her life. She then moved to England, where she survived boarding school for girls and fell in love with Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte, before moving to the United States permanently.
Her conversion to Christianity in her twenties changed the course of her life forever. Tessa holds a Master of Divinity from Yale, where she was elected as the co-chair of the Evangelical Fellowship at the Divinity School for one year. She served in women and prayer ministries for twenty years before becoming a full-time writer.
Tessa is a devoted wife, a mediocre gardener, and an enthusiastic cook of biblical recipes.