Other Gods: The Averillian Chronicles

It is the mid-twelfth century: the Normans have conquered England, the crown is in contention, and violence and corruption continually arise throughout the land. Dame Averilla, Infirmaress of the Benedictine abbey at Shaftesbury, is sorely troubled: a precious collection of herbal lore has gone missing. So has eccentric Dame Agnes - presumed by many to be possessed. Averilla suspects a connection between the losses and the town's wise woman, Galina, rumored to be a witch. But her efforts to solve the mystery are hampered by a discipline-obsessed sub-prioress and the ongoing power struggle between the nuns of Anglo-Saxon heritage and the daughters of the new Norman elite. Evoking all the fascinating color and customs of medieval England, this twelfth-century detective story will delight mystery and history fans alike.

Barbara R. Geisler is an author and retired librarian whose lifelong career surrounded by books eventually led her to create her own expansive literary worlds. With a background in library science, she possesses a researcher's eye for detail, which she applies to the rich world-building found in The Averillan Chronicles. Her writing is deeply influenced by her interest in Church history, mythology, and the "big questions" of faith and power. In Other Gods, she explores the tension between ancient religious structures and the individuals caught within them, a theme she approaches with both intellectual rigor and a sense of high adventure. Geisler's work is characterized by its moral complexity and its focus on the "ordinary" hero tasked with extraordinary burdens. When she isn't mapping out the continents of Averilla or tracing the lineages of its deities, she is a dedicated student of history and an active member of the literary community. She resides in the United States, where she is currently working on the subsequent volumes of her epic series.