We are excited to welcome Naomi Kelsey back to the Book Tree to discuss her atmospheric and intriguing historical fiction novel, Pale Mistress.

Those of you who joined us when Naomi visited with her previous novels, or have read The Burnings and The Darkening Globe, will know what a fabulous storyteller she is. Her books are infused with historical detail and pack a page-turning punch. Part Shakespearean retelling, part psychological thriller, Pale Mistress is no exception!

Atmospheric, immersive and engrossing, Pale Mistress tells the story from the point of view of Bianca, a character both dismissed and villainised in Othello, overshadowed by the virtuous Desdemona, the courageous Emilia, the tragic Othello and the cunning Iago.

This reimagining is set before, during and after the events of the play have unfolded, exploring the human cost of love, envy and ambition. The story of Iago, one of literature’s most notorious villains, is woven into Bianca’s as she fights to prove her innocence and save her own life.

We will chat with Naomi about the book, her writing, research and inspiration. There will be a chance for the audience to ask questions and Naomi will sign copies of the book at the end of the evening.

The bookshop door will be open from 7pm and complementary drinks will be available until the event starts at 7.30pm.

The event is free to attend, but booking is essential. Please contact the shop or use the form below to reserve your seats.

We hope to see you there!

About the Book

A bold and beautiful triumph. In prose as rich as Cyprus wine and as sharp as a Venetian blade, Naomi Kelsey gives voice to the silenced and reshapes tragedy through a woman’s eyes. Lyrical, haunting, and breathtakingly tense, this is historical fiction at its most electrifying — Seth Insua, author of Human, Animal

“Let heaven and men and devils, let them all, all, cry shame against me, yet I’ll speak…”

Cyprus, 16th century. Murder, lies and vengeance has left lovers dead, promises broken and no one to trust. Only one woman survives, Bianca.

The slain? History knows their names: Emilia, Desdemona, Othello.

But why do we not know Bianca? Who was the pale mistress? Liar or lied to? Instigator or victim? In telling one woman’s story, Naomi Kelsey dazzlingly recasts a Shakespearean tragedy as a psychological thriller of jealousy and gaslighting, ambition and envy, and the making and breaking of one of Shakespeare’s most notorious villains, Iago.

Naomi Kelsey cements her position as one of the foremost writers of historical fiction today… I could not put it down until every secret was exposed — Laura Shepperson, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Heroines, on The Darkening Globe

About the Author

Naomi Kelsey is the winner of two Northern Writer’s Awards and the HWA Dorothy Dunnett Competition. Her fiction has been published in Mslexia magazine and shortlisted for several further awards including the Bridport Prize and the Bristol Prize.

Her debut novel, The Burnings, was published to critical acclaim in 2023 and The Darkening Globe, an Elizabethan gothic tale, has captivated readers and booksellers alike.