Vanessa Riley

About Vanessa Riley

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Buy Murder in Drury Lane, A Lady Worthing Mystery

Looking for a Good Mystery?


Try Murder in Drury Lane!
No good deed goes unpunished when Lady Worthing tries to be of service.

Learn More About Lady Worthing

 

Amidst a web of gambling debts, romantic entanglements, and theater drama, Abigail navigates the complexities of Regency life and the political fight for abolition while trying to catch a murderer who may be coming for her or her husband. 

It's a good book for mystery lovers and readers of historical fiction. It's great for book clubs, and for readers looking for a woman as an amateur detective. Lady Worthing is for you. 

Vanessa Riley Historian Research Author of Historical Fiction Romance Mystery

Vanessa Riley, here.

 

You are powerful, even when you don't feel like a super hero. My goal is to embolden and encourage you through my novels which reclaim and reimagine the true lives of women who dared to dream, explore, and build. 
 
I'm the author of Island Queen, A Good Morning America Buzz Pick, and the forthcoming Queen of Exiles and was recently named the 2023 Georgia Author of the Year Awards Literary Fiction Winner for Sister Mother Warrior. My works have been featured in the AJC, Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Publisher Weekly, and the New York Times.
 
Welcome to this safe space. I have resources for you and your book clubs, for researchers and fellow history nerds. Start with my newsletter where I share historical tidbits, power moments, lifestyle and travel, plus secrets.

 

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Buy Queen of Exiles

Fans of Regency romances and stories of strong Black women will find Haiti's Queen Marie--Louise irresistible. Riley's engaging characters pull us into the world of privileged royals, their stately homes, breathtaking wealth, and, deliciously, their romances and illicit affairs. Acutely aware of the challenges facing a Black queen, Riley deftly builds a portrait of a proud woman who commits her life to showing the world "that it was possible to be royal, Black, and have a happily-ever-after life." -- Kirkus
 
"A gripping tale of triumph and tragedy. . . The immensely talented Vanessa Riley traces the little--known yet crucially important life of this real-life, nineteenth-century woman, immersing readers in Queen Louise's inspiring history. A tour de force!" --MARIE BENEDICT, New York Times bestselling author of The Mitford Affair
 
"From the very first page, I was drawn into the Kingdom of Hayti and into the life of Marie-Louise Christophe. This book is majestic from the characters that were so well written it seemed as if 1 could feel each one's heartbeat, to the travel between the decades where I felt the joy of her triumphs as the queen, to the pain of her exile. Queen of Exiles is one novel that you will never want to put down. It should be required reading. -- VICTORIA CHRISTOPHER MURRAY,
New York Times bestselling author of The Personal Librarian
 
The Queen of Black historical fiction is back, following Sister Mother Warrior (2022) with another novel exploring the life of a powerful but often overlooked Black woman, Queen Marie-Louise Coidavid of Haiti. Riley brings well-deserved vitality to the story of an incredible woman and a unique newborn nation. -- Booklist

Looking for a Good Book to Read?


Try Queen of Exiles
Queen Louise is a Passionate Traveler...

Indie Bookstore Campaign for Limited 8x10 Print

 

You need to know Queen Marie-Louise Coidavid Christophe. This forgotten queen is a woman of elegance and conflicted loyalties. She's a true survivor. The story of her Regency reign and exile is ripped from the headlines for this historical fiction novel. Meet the woman. See her heart. Feel her love. Queen of Exiles is available now.

It's a good book for women. It's great for book clubs. It's an amazing book to boost women's confidence.

 

Early Reviews

"You may not know Marie-Louise Christophe but once you have met her, you won't forget her. Vanessa Riley's historical novel feels timely and relevant, commemorating a time when Black women were queens." - Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author
 
"A sweeping look at the political, social, and romantic intrigue surrounding Haiti's first and only queen. Riley's depiction is richly imagined and wholly original." - Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Magnolia Palace
 
"Queen of Exiles is the riveting account of Marie-Louise Christophe, Haiti's first and only Queen. Bold, ambitious, historically sound and beautifully told." - Sadeqa Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of The House of Eve
 
 

List and Reviews Featuring Queen of Exiles:

        Editor's Choice

Sisters AARP

Duchess of York's Historical Book Club

   

     

Murder in Westminster

The first in a vibrant, inclusive new historical mystery series by acclaimed author Vanessa Riley portrays the true diversity of the Regency-era, as a widow whose skin color and notorious family history have left her with few friends she can rely on - just as the local vicar names her the prime suspect in a murder case. . .

 

"Vanessa Riley deftly combines historical fact with an exhilarating story and a truly inclusive cast of characters. . . . A triumph: atmospheric, evocative, and utterly irresistible."
- Tasha Alexander, New York Times bestselling author of the Lady Emily series 
 
"A fresh, unique take on the Regency. . . . Lady Worthing is an intrepid and unforgettable heroine. ."
- Deanna Raybourn, New York Times bestselling author of the Veronica Speedwell Mysteries
 
"Vanessa Riley breathes new life into the genre."
- Sherry Thomas, USA Today bestselling author of the Lady Sherlock series 
 
Recommended by: 
 
      Highly Recommend Mystery Best Mystery diverse mystery Black Historical Regency MysteryAmazon editor's Pick for Mystery Best Mystery diverse mystery Black Historical Regency Mystery
 

 

See the Praise Murder in Westminster

Sister Mother Warrior

Two women join together to defeat their oppressors and help a nation become free. Based on the true lives of Adbaraya Toya and Marie-Clair Bonheur. Riley was named the 2023 Georgia Author of the Year Awards Literary Fiction Winner for Sister Mother Warrior.

Sister Mother Warrior is a Summer Pick or Starred Review for the following:

 

Library Journal Starred Review  AudioFile Magazine Audible Award Essence List of Top Books  Atlanta Journal-Constitution  USA Today Bookbub Best Historical Fiction        Amazon Editor's Pick for historical fiction, Black historical fiction, Black History, Caribbean History  Historical Novel Society

 

Learn More about Sister Mother Warrior

Library Journal Review - "Riley follows up Island Queen with another sweeping, powerful historical novel based on two remarkable real women."

 

Island Queen

A remarkable, sweeping historical novel based on the incredible true life story of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a free woman of color who rose from slavery to become one of the wealthiest and most powerful landowners in the colonial West Indies.

Bookclubs and Booksellers' Picks and Starred Reviews:

 

 

 

New York Times Book Review - "Island Queen provides an incisive interior view of some of the thorniest aspects of West Indian colonial culture. Evocative and immersive, Riley's narrative bears that weight with grace; discovering Dorothy's story is a singular pleasure."

 

Click For More News on Island Queen 

Island Queen has been optioned for an adaptation to Television by Longboat Pictures with Julie Anne Robinson, Adjoa Andoh, and Victoria Fea as executive producers.

 


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