Brooklyn author writes time-bending debut novel
Brooklyn BookBeat
In “The Scribe of Siena,” debut author Melodie Winawer transports readers to medieval Italy, where the past and present collide and a 21st-century woman discovers love — and a plot to destroy Siena.
In this transporting love story and gripping historical conspiracy — think “The Girl with a Pearl Earring” meets “Outlander” — accomplished neurosurgeon Beatrice Trovato knows that her deep empathy for her patients is beginning to hinder her work. When her beloved brother, a historian, passes away suddenly, she travels to the Tuscan city of Siena to settle his estate. Overworked and in need of a respite, she welcomes the unexpected trip as she wrestles with her grief. As she delves into her brother’s affairs and his unfinished research, she discovers evidence of a 650-year- old conspiracy to destroy Siena.