Court of Lions

Jane Johnson

Sometimes at the lowest point in your life, fate will slip you a gift. Exotic adventure and a quest for redemption collide in this stunning new novel from Jane Johnson.

Kate Fordham, escaping terrible personal trauma, has fled to the beautiful sunlit city of Granada, the ancient capital of the Moors in Spain. There she is scraping by with an unfulfilling job in a busy bar. One day, in the glorious gardens of the Alhambra—once home to Sultan Abu Abdullah Mohammed—Kate finds a scrap of paper hidden in one of the ancient walls. Upon it, in strange symbols, has been inscribed a message from another era. The message has lain undiscovered since before the Fall of Granada in 1492, when the city was surrendered to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand.

Born of love, in a time of danger and desperation, the fragment will be the catalyst that changes Kate's life forever. An epic saga of romance and redemption, Court of Lions brings one of the great turning-points in human history to life, telling the dual stories of a modern woman and the last Moorish sultan of Granada, as they both move towards their cataclysmic destinies.

Jane Johnson is a novelist and publisher. She is the British editor for George R.R. Martin, Robin Hobb, and Dean Koontz, and was for many years publisher of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Married to a Berber chef she met while researching The Tenth Gift, she divides her time between Cornwall and Morocco.

Buy it now in print: Amazon Barnes & Noble IndieBound

Buy it now in ebook: Amazon Barnes & Noble Apple Kobo

Endorsements & Reviews

"Johnson adds to her catalog of highly immersive, well-researched historical fiction. Engaging and peppered with references to real-life people, places, and events, Johnson’s novel takes readers on an emotional journey through the extremes of love, greed, loyalty, devotion, fanaticism, and sacrifice. For afficionados of dual time novels." Library Journal

"Told from alternating points of view, Court of Lions masterfully recreates an era of intense upheaval and change. Johnson provides a window into the events surrounding the fall of Granada, capturing the culture and divisions within it. A satisfying read for lovers of history and historical fiction." Booklist

"The past narrative of personal loss and unrequited love is balanced by Kate’s story. In a Shakespearean way, her world rights itself in time’s fullness. If you enjoy exquisitely told, superbly researched, epic dual narratives with characters that remain in your mind after the last page is turned, read Court of Lions." Historical Novels Review (Editor's Choice)

"Wildly yet convincingly romantic. A delectable adventure of the heart." USA Today [praise for Jane Johnson's 'The Tenth Gift']

"An intriguing, well-written historical fiction novel!" Fresh Fiction

"Jane's books have everything—they hook you from the first page and sweep you along with passion, history and romance." Katie Fforde, author of 'A French Affair' and 'Recipe for Love' [praise for Jane Johnson's ‘The Tenth Gift’]

"A remarkable view of Barbary pirates and their times, and an engrossing romance of clashing cultures and wonderful characters." Diana Gabaldon, #1 New York Times bestselling author [praise for Jane Johnson's ‘The Tenth Gift’]

"What a tangled web Jane Johnson weaves with the opening of a book of old embroidery patterns! Johnson stitches the threads of both stories into a lovely, enticing whole." Karleen Koen, New York Times bestselling author of 'Dark Angels' [praise for Jane Johnson's ‘The Tenth Gift’]

"Jane Johnson’s wonderfully researched book leaves the fragrance of spices and the rustle of beautiful silks lingering in the mind with images of two exceptional women and the men in their lives." Rosalind Laker, author of 'The Golden Tulip' [praise for Jane Johnson's ‘The Tenth Gift’]