Claire's Last Secret By Marty Ambrose Set For 9/1 Release

Claire's Last Secret, the latest book by acclaimed novelist Marty Ambrose, will be released nationwide in September. Severn House will publish Claire's Last Secret in a hardcover edition (ISBN: 978-0-7278-8797-9, 192 pages, $28.99) available wherever fine books are sold on September 1, 2018.

An inventive, intriguing and innovative tale, Claire's Last Secret is centered on a real-life literary event-the dark, troubled and tumultuous "haunted summer of 1816" that spawned two of the most influential and heralded horror tales of all time: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and John Polidori's The Vampyre. Claire's Last Secret, an outstanding novel that blends elements of mystery, historical fiction and memoir, is told from the perspective of Mary Shelley's "almost famous" stepsister, Claire Clairmont.

About Claire's Last Secret: 1873, Florence. Claire Clairmont, the last survivor of the haunted summer of 1816 Lord Byron/Mary Shelley circle, is living out her final years in genteel poverty. The appearance of British tourist, William Michael Rossetti, brings Claire hope that she may be able to sell some of her memorabilia to earn enough cash to support her and her niece, Paula. But Rossetti's presence in Florence heralds a cycle of events that links the summer of 1816-when Claire conceived an ill-fated child with Lord Byron, when Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, and when four tempestuous lives collided-to a tragic death. As Claire begins to unravel the truth, she must go back to that summer of passion to discover the identity of her old enemy.

Novelist Marty Ambrose delivers a confident and captivating novel that moves deftly between that fateful summer of 1816 and 1873. With its suspenseful storyline, compelling characters and its powerful juxtaposition of the young, reckless Claire of 1816 and the elderly, destitute Claire of 1873, Claire's Last Secret is mesmerizing. Brilliant, authentic and informed by Ambrose's background as a Romantics Scholar, Claire's Last Secret is made even more powerful by its basis in a factual event in literary history. Beautifully written and resplendent with intrigue, mystery and rich historical detail, Claire's Last Secret marks that advent of an intriguing new trilogy.

In an advance review, Publishers Weekly hails Claire's Last Secret as "most effective as a study of a young woman who takes a huge risk with her body and soul, and spends the rest of her life dealing with the consequences" and adds "Ambrose provides a fresh perspective on Byron and his literary circle."

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Marty Ambrose has been a writer most her life, consumed with the world of literature from the time she first read Agatha Christie mysteries and British Romantic poetry. Marty pursued her undergraduate and graduate degrees in English, both in the U.S. and the U.K. so she could teach students at Florida Southwestern State College about the writers that she so admired. Three decades later, she is still teaching and has enjoyed a writing career that has spanned almost fifteen years, with eight published novels for Avalon Books, Kensington Books, and Thomas & Mercer. Marty Ambrose lives in Florida with her husband, ex- news anchor Jim McLaughlin. She plans to travel to Italy in the Fall to research A Shadowed Fate, the next book in the trilogy. Visit Marty Ambrose online at: www.martyambrose.com

Founded in 1974, Severn House is a vibrant independent publishing house that is home to an impressive list of respected British and American authors. Severn House publishes novels in such genres as Crime & Mystery, Thrillers, Romance, Sagas, General and Historical fiction. Visit Severn House online at: http://severnhouse.com/

Members of the news media wishing to request additional information are asked to contact Maryglenn McCombs by phone: (615) 297-9875 or by email: maryglenn@maryglenn.com

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