The Empress Irini series is a thrilling dive into Byzantine power and intrigue, vividly portraying one of the empire’s only female rulers. Rich detail and stunning design make it a must-read for historical fiction fans.
Jean Fraser - Head of Publishing, Scotland Street Press
In the treacherous corridors of 8th-century Constantinople, where power is won through cunning and ambition, a young woman is destined to shape the fate of an empire.
Seventeen-year-old Thekla, fierce and relentless, has been abandoned at the altar for the third time. Determined to reclaim her betrothed—or make him pay—she sets out for the imperial capital, armed only with her wits and her blade. But Constantinople is no place for the faint-hearted. Here, intrigue and betrayal lurk in every shadow, and survival demands more than mere determination.
Amidst the dazzling splendor of the Byzantine court, Thekla crosses paths with Irini of Athens—a strikingly beautiful orphan plucked from obscurity to wed Co-Emperor Leon, son of the ruthless Constantine. But Irini is no mere pawn. Beneath her delicate exterior lies an unyielding will and an insatiable hunger for power.
As Thekla and Irini forge an uneasy alliance, the city erupts with unrest, torn apart by religious conflict and political machinations. In this volatile world of shifting loyalties, ambition can be a weapon, and trust can be fatal. Will Thekla become Irini’s greatest ally—or her most dangerous rival?
The rise of an empress begins …
In the ruthless world of 8th-century Constantinople, where alliances shift like the tides and betrayal lurks behind every gilded door, Irini of Athens fights to secure her place as Empress of the Byzantine Empire. But power comes at a deadly cost.
Surrounded by enemies within her own palace—her scheming mother-in-law, five treacherous step-brothers, and a husband who sees her as a threat—Irini knows that survival is not guaranteed. With childbirth looming, she summons the only person she can trust: Abbess Thekla, the knife-wielding woman who owes her a life debt. But Thekla soon realizes that Irini's ambitions reach far beyond being a dutiful wife and mother—she craves absolute power, and she will stop at nothing to seize it.
As blood stains the marble halls of the Great Palace, Thekla must navigate a web of intrigue, deception, and vengeance. Can she survive Irini’s unrelenting thirst for dominance, or will she become just another casualty in the empress’s ruthless ascent? Loyalties will be tested. Betrayals will be paid in blood. The empire will never be the same.
Poison is a Woman's Weapon is the second book in the thrilling Empress Irini Serie that chronicles the dramatic ascent of Irini of Athens to become Empress of the Byzantine Empire.
McGiffin offers a compelling glimpse into royal and monastic life in the Byzantine Empire, and she brings power and resonant insight to her portrayal of women during this era. Lovers of women-centric books and stories of ancient politics and intrigue will relish this.
Publisher’s Weekly, Book Life
This gripping third installment of the Empress Irini Series is set in the cutthroat world of 8th-century Byzantium, where power, betrayal, and ambition collide in a deadly game for the throne.
When Constantine’s father dies unexpectedly, the nine-year-old is thrust onto the imperial throne, with his mother, Irini, assuming the role of Regent. But as Irini consolidates power and ruthlessly blocks her son’s attempts to rule, Abbess Thekla finds herself torn between loyalty to the ambitious empress and a growing allegiance to the rightful emperor, Constantine.
Irini forces Constantine into an unwanted marriage to the unpopular Maria, prevents him from gaining his full authority at eighteen, and has him imprisoned when he dares to challenge her dominance. But Constantine’s loyal army rallies to his side, freeing him and overthrowing Irini’s reign. Now, the battle for the throne intensifies as a resourceful and relentless Irini vows to stop at nothing to reclaim her power.
Thekla must navigate a dangerous web of deception and intrigue—can she prevent the mother and son from destroying each other, or will Irini’s savage ambition tear the empire apart?
The rise of an empress begins …
In this explosive final installment of the Empress Irini Series, the ruthless and cunning Irini of Athens stops at nothing to claim ultimate power in the treacherous world of 8th-century Byzantium.
After regaining the throne, Irini ensnares Constantine in a web of deceit, convincing him to divorce Maria and banish his wife and daughters to Abbess Thekla’s island convent—where Maria slowly descends into madness. But Irini’s thirst for dominance knows no bounds.
Manipulating Constantine into turning against the soldiers who once betrayed her, Irini ignites a brutal civil war, plunging the empire into chaos—army against army, mother against son. As the battle rages, Irini orchestrates a final, ruthless strike, capturing Constantine and leaving him blinded and powerless.
Even as she seizes the throne for herself, one question remains: will Abbess Thekla, her former ally, stand by her side—or become the force that finally brings her down?
She may have lost her memory, but she didn’t lose her mind. Her name is Grazia Conti. She’s Italian. She’s a lawyer. And she’s tough. On vacation in New York, she meets an old friend in a trendy bar. The next morning Grazia wakes up groggy and sick, with no memory of the night before, but realizes that she was drugged with an amnesiac—for sex. But who sexually assaulted her while she was drugged? And why is he stalking her?
At first terrified, then enraged, Grazia calls up all her ingenuity and brain power to track down her attacker. With the help of an ER nurse, hotel maid, crisis counselor, and a New York police detective, Grazia sets up a sting operation to prove his identity—and then she exacts her own kind of revenge. Date Rape New York is based on a true story.
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