Verona, 1576.
Heresy is fatal in late Renaissance Italy, but Martin Luther’s book ignites a young girl’s faith.
She must choose—abandon her beliefs or risk everything.
Join Lucia as she navigates the exciting and perilous world of late 16th-century Italy!
“A gripping tale of a young girl of Renaissance Italy…a superb example of historical fiction based on actual fact.”
Dr. Jeannine Olson, Professor of History, Rhode Island College
HISTORICAL NOVELIST
C.L.R. Peterson
Renaissance history came to life for C.L.R. Peterson during a semester in Italy.
Later the classic David-versus-Goliath battle of Luther and the Roman Church hooked her on the Reformation, and she earned a PhD in Early Modern European History at Stanford University.
She loves to tell the stories of little-known heroes of the Renaissance/Reformation era.
Lucia’s Renaissance is her debut novel, soon to be followed by the sequel, Lucia’s Journey.
She has also written several short stories in Lucia’s storyworld, including “Caterina’s Choice,” which is available at no charge to readers who sign up for her author newsletter.
My New Short Story! Free to my Subscribers!
Verona, 1571.
When Caterina welcomes her husband’s brilliant student, Alessandro, into their home, she has no idea how he will heighten the danger her family faces as the Inquisition closes in.
Against the vivid backdrop of Renaissance Verona, this prequel short story to my novel Lucia’s Renaissance captures the terror of the Inquisition’s reach.
Immerse yourself in rich historical detail and high emotional stakes in this dramatic story of danger and conscience!
Recent Blog Posts
Frozen in Time: The Glassmaker of Renaissance Murano
Books, like people, sometimes demand our attention. As soon as I discovered Tracy Chevalier’s 2024 novel, The Glassmaker, I knew I wanted to read it. Why? It offers a rich portrayal of life in Renaissance Venice and the neighboring island Murano Its focus on a female...
The Family Behind the Infamy: The Booth Legacy
Since this is the month the U.S. celebrates its presidents, we review a related novel: Booth, by Karen Joy Fowler, which explores the family’s role in the life of John Wilkes Booth, as well as each family member’s response to his assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.
The Sunflower House: Uncovering the Legacy of Lebensborn
This post includes my review of The Sunflower House, a novel focusing on the Nazis’ Lebensborn program, which aimed to breed perfect Aryan children to fulfill Hitler’s dream.
Season’s Greetings and Christmas Bells!
Season’s greetings + my review of Christmas Bells, by Jennifer Chiaverini
A Book Club for Dark Days
My review of The Air Raid Book Club, and an interview with author Annie Lyons.
Grazia’s Journey Through the Italian Renaissance
My review of The Secret Book of Grazia dei Rossi, which takes readers through numerous key events of the Italian Renaissance (wars, conflicts between Italian city-states, religious persecution, the sack of Rome, to name a few), from the unique vantage point of a gifted Jewish woman attempting to find her way in an often-hostile Christian culture.