Joyce's Books
Zahara and the Lost Books of Light (2023)
A Novel
"Zahara and the Lost Books of Light is a historical thriller painted along the edges with evocative magic realism. The writing is lushly descriptive, evoking the places and times the narrative explores, and it also weaves in mystery, politics, history, religious philosophy, and romance. There’s something to watch on nearly every page." Independent Book Review
"A bibliophile mystery filled with magical realism that surprises the reader by transforming into a suspenseful international thriller."
Ellery Queen Magazine
"A delightful and thoughtful book."
Teofilo Ruiz, Nat'l Medal
of the Humanities recipient
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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.
Sandstorm
A Novel
“Readers seeking solid urban fiction settings and the spunky but struggling character of a young adult who changes immensely through her experiences and choices will find SANDSTORM worthy and intriguing..." Midwest Book Review
“Sandstorm is entertaining every step of the way. Yarrow places her reader right in the center of quippy, fast-paced, and oftentimes dark action, making this novel a must-read…”
Independent Book Review
A coming-of-age story of a young grifter trying to find her way to legitimacy.
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Rivers Run Back (2016)
This suspenseful, masterfully-told story takes the reader on a thrilling journey with fascinating, unforgettable characters. Spanning two generations and two continents, Rivers Run Back is a riveting, deeply involving tale of international intrigue. ~ Kevin O’Brien, New York Times Bestselling Author
This cross-cultural narrative sweeps across Asia and America, taking in worlds as far-flung as art and Indian philosophy, drug-dealing, antique-smuggling and hardcore trans-continental crime, in the process addressing the binaries of inner growth and outer action. In every sense a confluence of styles, Rivers Run Back is an attractive jugalbandi of authorial voices. ~ Neelum Saran Gour Novelist and Academician
An engaging, highly cinematic, multi-layered story that would make a great film. ~ Parvin Dabas Bollywood Actor and Producer
Russian Reckoning
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.
