Mistress of Rome -- Kate Quinn

<b>The first in an unforgettable historical saga from the <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Alice Network</i> and <i>The Diamond Eye.</i></b> <p/> <b>"So gripping, your hands are glued to the book, and so vivid it burns itself into your mind's eye and stays with you long after you turn the final page."--Diana Gabaldon, #1 <i>New York Times </i>bestselling author</b> <p/><i>First-century Rome: One young woman will hold the fate of an empire in her hands.</i> <p/>Thea, a captive from Judaea, is a clever and determined survivor hiding behind a slave's docile mask. Purchased as a toy for the spoiled heiress Lepida Pollia, Thea evades her mistress's spite and hones a secret passion for music. But when Thea wins the love of Rome's newest and most savage gladiator and dares to dream of a better life, the jealous Lepida tears the lovers apart and casts Thea out. <p/>Rome offers many ways for the resourceful to survive, and Thea remakes herself as a singer for the Eternal 'City's glittering aristocrats. As she struggles for success and independence, her nightingale voice attracts a dangerous new admirer: the Emperor himself. But the passions of an all-powerful man come with a heavy price, and Thea finds herself fighting for both her soul and her destiny. <p/>Many have tried to destroy the Emperor: a vengeful gladiator, an upright senator, a tormented soldier, a Vestal Virgin. But in the end, the life of Rome's most powerful man lies in the hands of one woman: the Emp