The Healer's Daughters

HONORABLE MENTION, FICTION CULTURAL, 2020 READERS' FAVORITE AWARDS A terrorist bombing in Bergama, Turkey kills twenty-three people including three children. Modern Bergama is built on the site of ancient Pergamon, a city whose art and wealth and culture rivaled Athens. It was also the home of the Aesklepion, the world's greatest healing center, and the birthplace of Galen, the Roman Empire's most famous doctor. Tug e Iskan, a Turkish Ministry investigator, finds evidence that links the terrorism to a powerful criminal family and to Galen's life and Pergamon's lost treasures. But Iskan is alone, an outcast in the Ministry because she is honest, diligent, and a woman. As Iskan delves more deeply into the heinous attack, she needs allies outside the Ministry. She must turn to zlem Boroglu, a local archeologist, and Boroglu's daughter Elif, an artist with an affinity for ancient Aegean goddesses. Can these three women defeat ISIL terrorists, criminal oligarchs, and corrupt officials? Can they even survive? "I have never read a book like this before and it kept me engaged throughout... I loved how we had glimpses of the past that connected to the present and even had meaning and guidance for our future. It is a truly special novel." -CVEGNAD, Working Mommy Journal "I devoured the historical and cultural aspects of the story.... Terrorism, antiquities, power, goddesses, brutality, corruption, revenge...I found myself holding my breath, awaiting the outcome. Amberg created characters that, good or bad, evoke an emotion from the reader. Complicated family relationships. Anger, heartbreak...both emotions hit me time and time again. Superb writing." -Betty Taylor, Reading is My Passion "The main characters and their heart and strength pull you into the story and keep you interested through the twists and turns and the suspense." -GranthamLynn, My Reading Journeys "Following the past of the artifacts and people just trying to survive kept me engrossed with the story. There are several threads that wrap around and around until you can see that one or two threads keep them entwined. This is a wonderful read and one I recommend to anyone that likes a great thriller with a history twist added in." -JBronder Book Reviews "I loved the characters and the realistic glimpses into their fictional world. Readers and fans of political thrillers and historical fiction will find a lot to love in this novel. The author weaves cultures, lives, families, and an assortment of motives into a well crafted mystery/thriller." -Angela Thompson, Book Corner News & Reviews "This thriller has me on the edge of my seat and turning pages as fast as they would go." -Destiny, A Fountain of Books "Amberg obviously has a great love for Turkey and Turkish culture. I appreciated the authenticity of minor details throughout the story such as the social rituals of serving tea and the importance of a shared cigarette break ... A more gripping tale for its believability and I liked Amberg took the trouble to show the long-term pain and anguish of people directly affected by terrorist attacks. The Healer's Daughters has an emotional depth that appealed to me as a reader because I could empathise strongly with characters such as Elif, zlem and Tug e." -Stephanie Jane, Literary Flits "A complex and gripping novel. Tying together ancient cultural beliefs, insightful flashbacks, mystical practices, and enough treasure-hunting to satisfy a Clive Cussler fan, this tangled tale is difficult to put down both for its originality and skillful storytelling. The Healer's Daughters is unpredictable throughout, as are the core characters, making this book a genuinely innovative pleasure that will appeal to a wide breadth of genre fans." -S-P Review