Hi, I’m Kerry, here to talk about my historical adventure, THE SECRET COURTESAN, which reads like THE DA VINCI CODE with a feminist twist. Historian Dr. Mia Harding risks her career and safety to prove the sculptor of an unearthed erotic statue was not a famous male artist, but his courtesan erased by history.
T is for thrilling. The twists never let up
H is for heroine. Two heroines chasing the same statue, four hundred years apart.
E is for erased. History erased female artists, including Sophia
S is for spicy romance scenes. A few get steamy!
E is for The Estasi the erotic statue that changes everything
C is for Carnival. This story takes place during the theatrical celebration of Venice
R is for Renaissance, where Sophia fights the unfair laws against women artists
E is for electric. Our two heroines have their lives upended by electric romances
T is for twists, as in plot twists. So many secrets and clues to unravel
C is for courtesan, the highly educated, powerful women of high society Venice
O is for outrun. Mia and Noah must outrun the criminals that threaten them
U is for unearthed. Statues appear throughout Venice that were once buried
R is for risk. Mia risks her career and her safety for the truth
T is for temptation. A courtesan’s world revolves around it
E is for empowered. It’s how you’ll feel after reading this book
S is for scandal. Mia disrupts the entire art world with her theory
A is for action, because the adventure is non-stop
N is for Noah, sexy professor who joins Mia in the chase through Venice
For fans of Kate Quinn, a dual-timeline adventure novel of a historian who risks everything—including her life—to discover the truth about a female Renaissance sculptor unjustly erased by history.
Two determined women four hundred years apart. One mysterious statue. And a bombshell that could change history.
Art historian Mia is running out of time to prove her theory that the sculptor of an unearthed erotic statue was a courtesan erased from history—a scandal no one will believe. Chasing through Venice, she tracks down hidden details of Sofia, a powerful courtesan who seems to have left a trail of sex-fueled art buried across the city, but Mia’s now being followed, and even her boss might be in on the lie.
Meanwhile, in 1609, Sofia defies Venice’s unfair laws to create illicit art that could ruin her future. Her aspirations to become a great artist go up in flames when her patron’s wife steals her work and threatens her lover.
Four hundred years later, it's up to Mia to discover the truth, but now she’s uncovered a world of art theft that could leave her ousted—or, worse, right in the crosshairs of the most powerful crime family in Italy, who will stop at nothing to force her to authenticate the famous statue. Mia’s only hope is to prove Sofia’s existence before everyone involved silences them both forever.
Women's Fiction Historical [ She Writes Press, On Sale: February 10, 2026, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9798896360643 / eISBN: 9798896360650 ]
Kerry Chaput is an award-winning historical fiction author who writes about daring women with loads of adventure and a splash of magic. Kerry’s writing has been an Historical Novel Society editor’s choice, with Midwest Book Review calling her a “Master of the genre.” She’s also been a finalist for Sarton Women’s Book Award and the Chaucer Book Award for early historical fiction. Born in California, she now calls the Pacific Northwest home. Kerry frequents hiking trails, coffee shops, and independent bookstores near her home in Bend, Oregon.
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