Let the Dead Bury the Dead

"Epstein imbues this alternate history with elements of fantasy and folklore to create a heady, transportive read."—Shelf Awareness A spoiled prince who might become a hero. A tired soldier, in love with his country and the man he serves. A revolutionary, risking her life for justice. And a woman who commands the wind and snow, and whose owl-amber eyes promise everything you've dreamed of… Allison Epstein's Let the Dead Bury The Dead unfolds an alternate history of nineteenth-century Imperial Russia, where politics, idealism, intrigue, and desire weave plots that reach from the meanest back alley to the grand Winter Palace… Fifteen miles from St. Petersburg, the tsar's younger son, Felix, chases pleasure in social exile. When Sasha, his beloved personal guard, arrives home from war, both men expect a peace of their own at last. But Sasha returns carrying a strange woman he rescued from freezing in the tsar's wood. Sofia Azarova soon captivates Felix with tales of suffering in Petersburg and insinuates that the prince can save his people. She teases Sasha about his conviction that she is no mortal, but a vila, a folktale come to life. And in a cramped Petersburg apartment, Sofia urges on Marya, right-hand woman of a rebel group torn between idealism and bloodshed. None of them understand Sofia's full intent. But as she guides them together, their lives will change forever… Praise for Let the Dead Bury The Dead "Epstein weaves a sweeping love story set against the backdrop of a cleverly reimagined Imperial Russia, glittering, gritty, and pushed to the very edge of rebellion by a dark creature of legend, a delightfully powerful femme fatale that will seduce anyone who meets her—or destroy them."—Olesya Salnikova Gilmore, author of The Witch and the Tsar "Epstein's unique retelling is richly enhanced by Slavic folklore, and the confusion between duty to family or country is expertly portrayed. Historical fiction fans will be spellbound."—Publisher's Weekly "A vividly imagined tapestry of turbulent times."—Kirkus