The Queen's Handmaid by Tracy L. Higley REVIEWED

About the Book:
From the servant halls of Cleopatra’s Egyptian palace to the courts of Herod the Great, Lydia will serve two queens to see prophecy fulfilled.

Alexandria, Egypt 39 BC

Orphaned at birth, Lydia was raised as a servant in Cleopatra's palace, working hard to please while keeping everyone at arm's length. She's been rejected and left with a broken heart too many times in her short life.

But then her dying mentor entrusts her with secret writings of the prophet Daniel and charges her to deliver this vital information to those watching for the promised King of Israel. Lydia must leave the nearest thing she’s had to family and flee to Jerusalem. Once in the Holy City, she attaches herself to the newly appointed king, Herod the Great, as handmaid to Queen Mariamme.

Trapped among the scheming women of Herod’s political family—his sister, his wife, and their mothers—and forced to serve in the palace to protect her treasure, Lydia must deliver the scrolls before dark forces warring against the truth destroy all hope of the coming Messiah.

My Thoughts:

“A flutter of something tickled her belly – apprehension, excitement.  Destiny?”  (p. 97)

Tracy Higley has left me with my mouth gaping this time!! WOW!!  Truly, she is the master of historical fiction!  She takes an obscure palace servant – Lydia – and builds a story that is intense from the beginning.  Danger, drama, complex relationships….and it builds and builds….it builds until you think to yourself, “There is no way this will work out!”  And then….the entire picture slowly comes to light and you are blown away!  I mean, this is a very well thought out, historically accurate, complex story line that brings ancient history to brilliant light!  I love it!!

Lydia captures my heart from the beginning, because it is blatantly clear that she has struggled with the lack of history surrounding her very existence.  Her deepest longing is to know who she is and where she came from.   Just at the moment when she begins to catch a glimpse of her past, her destiny beckons her  - or rather, violently shoves her – into her future.  Although struggle, violence and dark emotions surround Lydia’s character, Higley beautifully reveals  God’s sovereignty in the path of her life’s purpose.  I think that’s what intrigues me most.  It is just beautifully woven throughout the story, and when the truth grabs you….well,  you are left with your mouth gaping at the brilliance of the truth.

I’m a long-time fan of Tracy’s work, and The Queen’s Handmaid is truly one of her most brilliant works!  Her passion to discover the history that surrounds every event on the planet is palpable.  She gets better and better with each novel!  I will always be a fan!  Bravo!!

About the Author:

Tracy L. Higley started her first novel at age eight and has been hooked on writing ever since. She has authored many novels, includingGarden of Madness and So Shines the Night. Tracy is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Ancient History and has traveled through Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Italy, researching her novels and falling into adventures. 

See Tracy's travel journals and more at: tracyhigley.comtracyhigley.com