Joyce Yarrow
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A New York City transplant now living in Seattle, Joyce Yarrow began her writing life scribbling poems on the subway and observing human behavior from every walk of life.
Joyce is the award-winning author of the Zahara Series and, according to Library Journal, her literary novels of suspense “appeal to readers who enjoy unusual mysteries with an international setting.” ZAHARA AND THE LOST BOOKS OF LIGHT (book 1 in the Zahara Series), was awarded 5 Stars by Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and chosen as a Best Book in the Historical Fiction category by the PenCraft Awards (Spring of 2024). It has also been translated into Spanish and Portuguese. The second book in the series, STOLEN LIVES earned the 2024 Firebird Award for International Suspense. In 2022, her coming-of-age novel SANDSTORM, won a the 2022 gold medal in Women's Fiction at the CIPA/Evvy Awards. |
Joyce's other published novels of suspense include ASK THE DEAD, RUSSIAN RECKONING, and RIVERS RUN BACK (co-authored with Arindam Roy).
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Interview with Author Event Network
Zahara and the Lost Books of Light
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Historical, Mystery
Best Book in Historical Fiction, PenCraft Award for Literary Excellence, Spring 2024 Praised by Ellery Queen Magazine as "A bibliophile mystery filled with magical realism that surprises the reader by transforming into a suspenseful international thriller." When Seattle journalist Alienor Crespo travels to Granada to apply for citizenship as a descendant of Jews expelled from Spain in 1492, she uncovers her own family story, along with a hidden treasure trove of medieval Hebrew and Arabic books, saved from the fires of the Inquisition. This “Library of Light” is being protected by a secretive group of literary caretakers. Alienor joins their struggle to safeguard the priceless manuscripts from discovery and destruction by a fanatical group devoted to restoring limpieza de sangre, purity of blood, to the Iberian Peninsula. Crespo forms mystical bonds with her female ancestors, both Jewish and Muslim, who once faced the same dark forces aligned against her. What began as a routine, freelance assignment becomes front page news in Spain’s growing confrontation with its troubled past. With a touch of magic realism honoring the mystics of Andalusia, as well as an emerging romance entangled in mystery, this fast-paced novel is rich with conflict and suspense. 
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Stolen Lives
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Historical, Mystery
"Atmospheric, emotional, and historically compelling." D. Donovan, Midwest Book Review Alienor, a tenacious journalist with a rare psychic gift, delves into a forgotten chapter of history: the mysterious shipment of gold to the Soviet Union during the Spanish Civil War and the perilous journey of children torn from their homeland. As Alienor unravels a tapestry woven with secrets, betrayal, and the unyielding quest for justice, her investigation draws her into a vortex of danger. Her unique ability to "visit" the minds of her female ancestors provides not only insight but also the unbreakable will of women who fought against the tides of their times. This connection across generations fortifies her as she faces political adversaries and nefarious forces lurking in the shadows. "Stolen Lives" intertwines the gritty determination of a young woman challenging the legacy of historical injustices with a suspense-filled narrative of intrigue, danger, and love. 
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Sandstorm
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Women's Fiction
GOLD MEDAL WINNER - Cipa Evvy Award for Women's Fiction When you trade the straight and narrow for the crooked pathways of crime, it's likely to become a permanent arrangement. Unless, like Sandie Donovan, you're a born grifter, determined to use your knack for deception and crime to restart your life and achieve success as an actor. 
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Russian Reckoning
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Mystery
Roped into helping her émigré stepfather, Nikolai, escape the clutches of a ruthless blackmailer, Jo Epstein must enter a world where criminals enforce a 19th century code of honor, threats arrive inside traditional Matryoshka (nesting) dolls, and fashion models adorn themselves with lewd prison tattoos. And even as she helps Nikolai—who claims to have been framed—to evade the police, Jo can’t help wondering if her musically gifted but socially inept stepfather is as innocent as he claims. From Vladimir Central Prison to the brooding Russian forest, Jo Epstein investigates the world of the Vory—a criminal sub-culture as brutal as it is romanticized—while racing against the clock to solve crimes committed on two continents. 
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