When historian Diana Bishop opens a bewitched alchemical manuscript in Oxford’s Bodleian Library it represents an unwelcome intrusion of magic into her carefully ordinary life. Though descended from a long line of witches, she is determined to remain untouched by her family’s legacy. She banishes the manuscript to the stacks, but Diana finds it impossible to hold the world of magic at bay any longer.
For witches are not the only otherworldly creatures living alongside humans. There are also creative, destructive daemons and long-lived vampires who become interested in the witch’s discovery. They believe that the manuscript contains important clues about the past and the future, and want to know how Diana Bishop has been able to get her hands on the elusive volume.
Chief among the creatures who gather around Diana is vampire Matthew Clairmont, a geneticist with a passion for Darwin. Together, Diana and Matthew embark on a journey to understand the manuscript’s secrets. But the relationship that develops between the ages-old vampire and the spellbound witch threatens to unravel the fragile peace that has long existed between creatures and humans—and will certainly transform Diana’s world as well.
A Discovery of Witches will be released in paperback for the first time on December 27th. I am pleased to have a copy to give away to one lucky reader. Also here is a video sponsored by Harkness’s UK publisher which features Harkness giving a walking tour of Oxford with commentary about her inspiration for the book.
For more information about the book and what Deborah Harkness has been up to, you can check out her website here or her facebook page here.
CONTEST:
Leave a comment telling me something you learned about Deborah Harkness or A Discovery of Witches from visiting her website.
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I really liked that the author's inspiration for this story came when she wondered “if there really are vampires, what do they do for a living?” I think this book would be a great read!
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