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Vanessa Riley




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Looking for a Good Mystery?


Try Murder in Drury Lane!
No good deed goes unpunished when Lady Worthing tries to be of service.

Learn More About Lady Worthing

 

Amidst a web of gambling debts, romantic entanglements, and theater drama, Abigail navigates the complexities of Regency life and the political fight for abolition while trying to catch a murderer who may be coming for her or her husband. 

It's a good book for mystery lovers and readers of historical fiction. It's great for book clubs, and for readers looking for a woman as an amateur detective. Lady Worthing is for you. 

Some of the Lists Featuring Murder in Drury Lane

  

"Combining elements of an Agatha Christie-style whodunit with the vivid portrayal of a more encompassing view of Regency-era England, the second Lady Worthing mystery does not disappoint."

Riley's Regency Era thriller... is not your grandma's period mystery.
 

 

Vanessa Riley Porch Author of Historical Fiction, Mystery, and Romance Office

Vanessa Riley, here.

 

You are powerful, even when you don’t feel like a superhero. My goal is to embolden and encourage you through my novels, which reclaim and reimagine the true lives of women who dared to dream, explore, and build.

Hello, I am Vanessa Riley, award-winning author and proud recipient of the 2024 Georgia Mystery/Detective Fiction Author of the Year. I write Diasporic Fiction that brings to life the hidden narratives of Black women and women of color in novels like Island Queen and Queen of Exiles. My stories celebrate strong sisterhoods, diverse communities, and resilience across historical fiction, romance, and mystery genres.

My work has been honored with accolades such as the 2023 Georgia Literary Fiction Author of the Year and featured in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Publishers Weekly, and The New York Times.

Welcome to this safe space. Here, you’ll find resources for book clubs, researchers, and fellow history enthusiasts. Start with my newsletter, where I share fascinating historical tidbits, laugh-out-loud moments, lifestyle and travel inspiration, and the occasional secret or two.

Let’s embark on this journey together—where stories inspire, history empowers, and community thrives.

 

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Looking for a Good Book to Read?


Try Queen of Exiles
Queen Louise is a Passionate Traveler...

 

You need to know Queen Marie-Louise Coidavid Christophe. This forgotten queen is a woman of elegance and conflicted loyalties. She's a true survivor. The story of her Regency reign and exile is ripped from the headlines for this historical fiction novel. Meet the woman. See her heart. Feel her love. Queen of Exiles is available now.

It's a good book for women. It's great for book clubs. It's an amazing book to boost women's confidence.

 

Some of the Lists Featuring Queen of Exiles:

        Editor's Choice

Sisters AARPDuchess of York's Historical Book Club

        

Learn More About Queen of Exiles

Murder in Westminster

The first in a vibrant, inclusive new historical mystery series by acclaimed author Vanessa Riley portrays the true diversity of the Regency-era, as a widow whose skin color and notorious family history have left her with few friends she can rely on - just as the local vicar names her the prime suspect in a murder case. . .

 

"Vanessa Riley deftly combines historical fact with an exhilarating story and a truly inclusive cast of characters. . . . A triumph: atmospheric, evocative, and utterly irresistible."
- Tasha Alexander, New York Times bestselling author of the Lady Emily series 
 
"A fresh, unique take on the Regency. . . . Lady Worthing is an intrepid and unforgettable heroine. ."
- Deanna Raybourn, New York Times bestselling author of the Veronica Speedwell Mysteries
 
"Vanessa Riley breathes new life into the genre."
- Sherry Thomas, USA Today bestselling author of the Lady Sherlock series 
 
Recommended by: 
 
      Highly Recommend Mystery Best Mystery diverse mystery Black Historical Regency MysteryAmazon editor's Pick for Mystery Best Mystery diverse mystery Black Historical Regency Mystery
 

 

See the Praise Murder in Westminster

Sister Mother Warrior

Two women join together to defeat their oppressors and help a nation become free. Based on the true lives of Adbaraya Toya and Marie-Clair Bonheur. Riley was named the 2023 Georgia Author of the Year Awards Literary Fiction Winner for Sister Mother Warrior.

Sister Mother Warrior is a Summer Pick for Starred Review for the following:

 

Library Journal Starred Review  AudioFile Magazine Audible Award Essence List of Top Books  Atlanta Journal-Constitution  USA Today Bookbub Best Historical Fiction        Amazon Editor's Pick for historical fiction, Black historical fiction, Black History, Caribbean History  Historical Novel Society

 

Learn More about Sister Mother Warrior

Library Journal Review - "Riley follows up Island Queen with another sweeping, powerful historical novel based on two remarkable real women."

 

Island Queen

A remarkable, sweeping historical novel based on the incredible true life story of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a free woman of color who rose from slavery to become one of the wealthiest and most powerful landowners in the colonial West Indies.

Bookclubs and Booksellers' Picks and Starred Reviews:

 

 

 

New York Times Book Review - "Island Queen provides an incisive interior view of some of the thorniest aspects of West Indian colonial culture. Evocative and immersive, Riley's narrative bears that weight with grace; discovering Dorothy's story is a singular pleasure."

 

Click For More News on Island Queen 

Island Queen has been optioned for an adaptation to Television by Longboat Pictures with Julie Anne Robinson, Adjoa Andoh, and Victoria Fea as executive producers.

 


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