We’re pleased to announce the launch of our newest series, KING SOLOMON’S WIVES by the lovely Holly McDowell. KSW is our first suspense/thriller, so we’re doubly excited for all of the readers who have been waiting for our non-romance books!
Her first episode, HUNTED is now available on Kindle, Kindle Fire, the entire NOOK family, and any Android device. Additionally, we are releasing a non-interactive version, so anyone using the Kindle or NOOK apps on an iPad can see what the buzz is all about. Check out the purchasing options here.
KSW follows the two thousand descendants of King Solomon’s ancient harem, a group of women who have the ultimate power of seduction: Their very touch is as addictive as any drug.
But that power comes at a price: Wives die giving birth. They can only bear daughters. They are only fertile until the age of twenty-four.
Hunted for hundreds of generations by men who crave their touch and fear its power, the Wives have kept safe by following three simple rules:
- A Wife shall have no meaningful relationships outside the clan.
- A Wife’s addictive touch may be used only for procreation or to protect the clan.
- A Wife shall sacrifice herself for her daughter at the age of twenty-four.
For any who endanger the clan by breaking the rules, the punishment is death…or worse.
In the first episode, HUNTED, we meet rebellious Sumarra on the night she plans to conceive. Instead, she and the other women find themselves under attack from a group of male hunters, intent on destroying them.
We’ve been in love with this series from our very first read of Holly’s original manuscript. It’s a smart, complex mash-up of historical and suspense, layered with deep questions about identity, desire, and survival. Think in the vein of THE DA VINCI CODE for women. Holly wants to entertain you, but she also wants to make you think.
Notably, at our editorial meeting to discuss the submission, we sounded more like a book club than a publishing house. You can read a bit about Lisa’s experience with the book in her Author Q&A with Holly (it’s a really good read).
Holly also solved one of our biggest internal arguments (“I want to know more about…”) by throwing our own technology back at us: All of the interactive versions have a quiz at the end, so that readers can help Holly prioritize which characters are featured in upcoming episodes.
We can’t wait to hear what you think!