About this talk

Venice, 1612. Two very different women, a notorious courtesan and a Talmudic scholar, are brought together by an artist when they pose for a "Gallery of Beauties," forming a relationship neither of them anticipated.

Conflicted about her past, Belladonna finds herself drawn to Diana, the rabbi's widowed daughter and has ambitions for her future, but only if Diana will discard her origins and her traditions. While Diana is torn by indecision, Belladonna feels threatened, as one by one, the subjects of the portraits are poisoned. The two women must rely on their wits and each other to avoid becoming the next victims, as they confront the powerful men who seek to control them and Venice.

Nina writes with an innate understanding of Venice, the ghetto, and the customs of people and events there, both past and present.  

The Gallery of Beauties  was nominated for an Agatha for Best First Novel, and a Silver Falchion for Best Historical Novel. 

The book has two sequels; "The Courtesan's Secret" follows a converso courtesan who, hiding in the Ghetto, learns about Jewish life and heritage. "The Courtesan's Pirate," to be published on September 3, follows Jews escaping the Old World for religious freedom in the New World, facing new dangers along the way.

You can read more and order the book here: 

https://www.amazon.com/Gallery-Beauties-Venice-Mystery/dp/1685121055

About the Author

Nina Wachsman is a descendant of a chief rabbi of Venice and her family's Sabbath candlesticks were supposedly sourced from the Ghetto (rumored to have been pawned there by a nobleman). The family connection and her study of art at Parsons School of Design spurs her to visit Venice every two years for the Art Biennale, which is a World's Fair of Art.

After reading the autobiography of Rabbi Leon di Modena, a rabbi, scholar, teacher, poet, playwright and compulsive gambler, Nina was inspired to write a series of historical suspense novels set in Renaissance Venice. Her extensive research for the novels led to some interesting discoveries about the Jews of Venice, and the integration of Venetian and Jewish culture.

When she is not writing her novels, Nina runs a digital health company specializing in connecting people with rare diseases (some which are prevalent in Ashkenazi and Persian Jews) to clinical research.