Washoe County Library System

A novel inspired by the life of Qing dynasty courtesan Sai Jinhua follows the experiences of an orphan whose world transforms when she becomes an emissary's concubine during the late-nineteenth-century clashes between China and imperialist Europe.

Escaping the sack of Rome in 1527, with their stomachs churning on the jewels they have swallowed, the courtesan Fiammetta and her dwarf companion, Bucino, head for Venice. Yet as their fortunes rise, this perfect partnership comes under threat, from the searing passion of a lover who wants more than his allotted nights to the attentions of an admiring Turk in search of human novelties for his sultan's court. But Fiammetta and Bucino's greatest challenge...

In this latest installment of the Little Black Girl Lost series, holier-than-thou courtesan Johnnie Wise must pay for her past indiscretions when the police believe that she is involved in several murders and the theft of two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

"...Raised as courtesan to wealthy and powerful men, Tessa of Delos serves at the whim of her current patron, the politician Glaucus. After ten years with him, Tessa has abandoned all desire for freedom or love, choosing instead to lock her heart away. But when Glaucus meets a violent death in his own home, Tessa grasps at a fragile hope. Only she knows of his death. If she can keep it a secret long enough, she can escape. Tessa throws herself on...

From short tales to lists of beautiful and ugly things, Sei Shonagon tells of a leisurely life in the court of tenth century Heian Japan. She can be lyrical, she can show her claws, but she is always fascinating.