Forever Past by Marty Ambrose


Claire Clairmont's perilous quest to learn the fate of her daughter with Lord Byron enters its final stages in this last in a captivating historical trilogy based on the 'summer of 1816' Byron/Shelley group.

Italy, 1873. Claire Clairmont, one of the last surviving members of the Byron/Shelley circle, is determined to uncover the true fate of Allegra, her daughter conceived with Lord Byron. But her quest so far has been fraught with danger, and Claire knows she has enemies who will stop at nothing to keep past secrets hidden.

When she learns of a stunning revelation involving the abbess and Allegra, Claire returns to the convent of Bagnacavallo with her close companions to confront the abbess, and soon finds herself grappling with a series of chilling and threatening events.

As Claire finally closes in on the truth, could someone in her closest circle be plotting against her? And can she survive long enough to get the answers she craves for?

Amazon ~~ B&N ~~ Kobo


Excerpt

En route to Bagnacavallo, Italy

July 1873

All of my instincts told me I was moving closer to the truth, an unknown land that seemed to lurk just beyond life’s next momentous turn . . . and I could not stop now. I had already risked everything at this late stage of my life, seen men killed before my eyes, journeyed across Italy from Florence to Ravenna – asked so much of those who loved me. And I refused to allow myself to doubt the purpose of my quest or dishonor the sacrifices of my dearest ones after all these perils and pitfalls. No, I would go forward and never look back.

At least I would know the whole story once and for all.

I would learn everything that had been hidden behind a veil of deception.

I, Claire Clairmont, the almost-famous member of the Byron/Shelley quartet, could not allow myself the luxury of changing course when I was on the verge of knowing whether my daughter conceived with the infamous poet, Lord Byron, had survived the typhus epidemic that supposedly took her life in 1822. Byron had been my greatest love and my most enduring torment, but I never regretted giving birth to our daughter, even when I lost her. To have my beautiful little girl, even for a short time, had been like reaching for a flower and having it bloom in my hand, only to wither away. A forever moment, so brief and poignant.

Allegrina.

The child whom I loved more than life itself.

Was it possible that she still lived?


About the Author

Marty Ambrose is the author of a historical mystery trilogy: Claire's Last Secret, A Shadowed Fate, and Forever Past, all set around the Byron/Shelley circle in nineteenth-century Italy. Her novels have been published by Severn House (U.K. and U.S.) and Thomas Schluck (Germany), earning starred reviews in Publisher's Weekly, as well as finalist status in the Florida Writers Association's Literary Palm Award. Her work has been featured internationally in blogs, journals, and websites.

Website ~~ Facebook ~~ Instagram ~~ Twitter ~~ Goodreads ~~ BookBub

4 comments:

  1. Great excerpt, Forever Past sounds like an excellent read, thanks for sharing it with me!

    ReplyDelete