In Another Life

Starred review from December 1, 2015

Following the death of her beloved husband, historian Lia Carrer returns to her native France to heal and to finish her dissertation. Once there, she reconnects with Father Jordi Bonafe, who intrigues her with the opportunity to learn more about the mysterious Cathars, a religious group that occupied southern France in the 13th century and held distinct ideas about death, the afterlife, and reincarnation. Along the way, Lia meets and falls in love with Raoul Arango, a man with secrets of his own. Lia becomes enmeshed in a centuries-old secret about the Cathars and learns that death doesn't necessarily separate us from those we love as firmly as we thought. Debut author Johnson handles what could be an overwhelming amount of historical details with skill, presenting a fascinating mystery grounded in historical fact. Her lyrical, sensuous style is beguiling in its own singularly seductive way. Readers can practically taste the ever-present wine and feel the winter wind. Lia is a dream of a narrator, one whom readers will root for. VERDICT A perfect match for readers who enjoy Kate Mosse's "Languedoc Trilogy" and fans of female-driven romantic historical works such as Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series.--Kristen Droesch, Library Journal

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