The Sicilian Sorceress
Released October 1, 2022!
Alexis is living the good life in San Francisco: a prestigious job as an art curator for the San Francisco Museum of Art, a budding romance with a fellow garden lover, and trips to Europe to immerse herself in history. But when Alexis is accused of theft at work, she turns to an innocuous herbal remedy to relieve her anxiety, only to be sent back in time to 440 BC Girgento.
Instead of curating ancient history, Alexis is living it.
Finding herself in a flourishing Mediterranean city on the southern coast of Sicily, Alexis drops into a parallel world where her job as the gardeness and herbalist of Girgento’s famed Kolymbethra gardens is gratifying but perilous, fraught with deceit, betrayal, and politics. Holding the power to heal or harm, Alexis is at the mercy of the goddess Demeter and a singular quest that seems impossible to fulfill.
Can Alexis accept her fate in this new world and find a way to save Girgento from those who would destroy it? Will she be able to unravel the mysteries that connect her old life to the new?
Or does the goddess have something else in mind for her?
Reviews for The Sicilian Sorceress
"The Sicilian Sorceress is a magical read from start to finish. Words can hardly encapsulate the delightfully whimsical nature of this book. The author takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster, experiencing all of the ups and downs of Alexis's journey. The ending is bittersweet."
— The Historical Fiction Co, "Highly Recommended" award of excellence. ★★★★★
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"This historical novel will take its readers on a sensory journey to ancient Sicily. Mary Knight presents a wonderful sensory read which I would describe as meditative. The Sicilian Sorceress has just enough action to keep the pages turning while also providing beautiful descriptions of gardening, cooking, and living a simple life as well as traveling within ancient Greece.
Her use of historical research, tour of Agrigento, and descriptions of temples, food production, philosophers, and spiritual practices have readers wanting to learn more and book a trip to Sicily tomorrow. This book is an archaeological dig in the form of a narrative. Knight has brought alive a city that was not as famous or big as Athens, yet at its peak in 440 BCE was a place that would have been worth a trip to see.
I highly recommend this book. The Sicilian Sorceress is a deliberately slow story that keeps its readers mindful of the character's surroundings, sights, smells, and tastes. This is a nice read in the quiet hours of the morning and has inspired me that day to focus on my own intentions in the garden and kitchen. Fans of the novel series Outlander by Diana Gabaldon will enjoy The Sicilian Sorceress."
by Samantha Crisford-Eade
worldhistory.org
Reader’s Favorite Five Star Reviews ★★★★★
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"I loved Knight's attention to period detail and the novel served as both entertainment and an immersive history lesson, and I'm excited to see where we go next." Review by Asher Syed of Reader's Favorite.
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"Alexis's bond with the oracle, Iris, and the builder, Leonardo, adds depth to the story and feels as organic as her garden, which Knight brings to life in vivid descriptions, immersing readers in the world of Girgento. The weaving of mystery and intrigue in both timelines keeps the pacing going at a clipping speed, and even though it is part of a series, Knight mercifully spares us from a cliffhanger but with just enough bite to leave us anticipating book two. Very highly recommended." Review by Jamie Michele of Reader's Favorite.
My Novel-inspiring Trip to Sicily
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About the White Dog
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The white dog has special meaning to me after my trip to the Valley of Temples in Sicily... let me tell you about it and how it inspired my novel, The Sicilian Sorceress.
As I wandered the perimeter of the temple of Castor and Pollux, a large, lanky, white dog appeared, slinking between the nearby bushes. Just as quickly as he appeared, he vanished. I felt he was an apparition, perhaps from long ago, there to encourage me to tell the story of Agrigento's past. Because I found him so curious, I knew he had to play a part in my novel.
Note: My story takes place in fictional Girgento, now called Agrigento. It has endured many names including Akragas!
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