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C.W. Gortner

Goodreads Author

Website

http://www.cwgortner.com

Genre

Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers, Literature & Fiction

Member Since

October 2008

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/cwgortner

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Bestselling author C.W. Gortner holds an MFA in Writing, with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies. Raised in Spain and half Spanish by birth, he currently lives in Northern California. His books have been translated in over 20 languages to date.

He welcomes readers and is always available for reader group chats. Please visit him at www.cwgortner.com for more information. ...more

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C.W. Gortner’s books

Average rating: 4.02 · 73,795 ratings · 7,471 reviews · 18 distinct works • Similar authors

	Mademoiselle Chanel 4.10 avg rating — 12,619 ratings — published 2015 — 26 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Last Queen 4.07 avg rating — 11,820 ratings — published 2006 — 47 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Confessions of Catherine de Medici 3.99 avg rating — 10,847 ratings — published 2010 — 46 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Romanov Empress: A Novel of Tsarina Maria Feodorovna 4.29 avg rating — 8,979 ratings — published 2018	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Queen's Vow: A Novel of Isabella of Castile 3.91 avg rating — 9,195 ratings — published 2012 — 46 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Vatican Princess: A Novel of Lucrezia Borgia 3.91 avg rating — 5,514 ratings — published 2016	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Tudor Secret (The Spymaster Chronicles, #1) 3.66 avg rating — 4,357 ratings — published 2011 — 45 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Marlene 3.97 avg rating — 2,324 ratings — published 2016 — 27 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The American Adventuress 4.09 avg rating — 2,215 ratings — published 2022 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Tudor Conspiracy (The Spymaster Chronicles, #2) 3.86 avg rating — 1,884 ratings — published 2013 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by C.W. Gortner…

22 posts
C.W. Gortner's Blog

Historical Accuracy: Therein lies the conundrum

Having written ten historical biographical novels, I’m no stranger to the demands, constraints, and pitfalls of historical accuracy.

Because my protagonists once actually lived, it’s essential to me as a writer to do them justice by portraying them as they were in life, including strengths, flaws, and mistakes. Since I write in first person and we’re often the least likely to see or even recognize Read more of this blog post »

13 likes · Like • 2 comments • flag

Published on December 08, 2018 13:45

View all 22 posts »

Series by C.W. Gortner

The Spymaster Chronicles (3 books)
by

C.W. Gortner (Goodreads Author)

3.77 avg rating — 7,642 ratings

To Catch A Leopard (3 books)
by

C.W. Gortner (Goodreads Author),

M.J. Rose (Goodreads Author)

3.89 avg rating — 689 ratings

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The Hottest Books of Summer

Summer is a dream; summer without books is a nightmare. Prepare yourself for a blissful season of reading with soon-to-be...

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C.W.’s Recent Updates

C.W. rated a book it was amazing Florenzer by Phil Melanson	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Anyone with a passing interest in history or art will recognize Leonardo da Vinci's name. He gave us "The Mona Lisa", among many other works. He was also an accomplished architect and engineer. The flesh-and blood man, however, has long-been obscured ...more
Sep 17, 2025 02:34PM · 12 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Florenzer by Phil Melanson. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Florenzer by Phil Melanson <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
C.W. rated a book it was amazing The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
"There is nothing more human than a broken heart." Sometimes you stumble upon a book by an author you've heard about but haven't yet read. You like the book's title and go in without expectations. And suddenly, before you know it, you're in so deep yo ...more
Aug 30, 2025 01:21PM · 11 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
C.W. rated a book it was amazing The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
"There is nothing more human than a broken heart." Sometimes you stumble upon a book by an author you've heard about but haven't yet read. You like the book's title and go in without expectations. And suddenly, before you know it, you're in so deep yo ...more
Aug 30, 2025 09:35AM · 11 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
C.W. rated a book it was amazing Kingdoms of Death (The Sun Eater, #4) by Christopher Ruocchio (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
KINGDOMS OF DEATH, the fourth book in the Sun Eater series, lives up to the title. Everything that has come before propels us into this terrifying entry in Hadrian Marlowe's exceptionally long life - at this point, he's well over 200 years of age - a ...more
Aug 01, 2025 12:34PM · 4 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Kingdoms of Death by Christopher Ruocchio. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Kingdoms of Death by Christopher Ruocchio <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
C.W. rated a book it was amazing Demon in White (The Sun Eater, #3) by Christopher Ruocchio (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
My obsession with this series continues with this third and meatiest entry thus far. In DEMON IN WHITE, Ruocchio goes full epic, book-ending his sprawling, galaxy-spanning tale with Imperial pomp and devious treachery. There's plenty of terrifying ba ...more
Jul 29, 2025 02:42PM · 7 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Demon in White by Christopher Ruocchio. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Demon in White by Christopher Ruocchio <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
C.W. is currently reading Kingdoms of Death (The Sun Eater, #4) by Christopher Ruocchio (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 29, 2025 02:32PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Kingdoms of Death by Christopher Ruocchio. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Kingdoms of Death by Christopher Ruocchio <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
C.W. rated a book it was amazing Demon in White (The Sun Eater, #3) by Christopher Ruocchio (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
My obsession with this series continues with this third and meatiest entry thus far. In DEMON IN WHITE, Ruocchio goes full epic, book-ending his sprawling, galaxy-spanning tale with Imperial pomp and devious treachery. There's plenty of terrifying ba ...more
Jul 23, 2025 02:58PM · 7 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Demon in White by Christopher Ruocchio. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Demon in White by Christopher Ruocchio <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
C.W. rated a book it was amazing Howling Dark (The Sun Eater, #2) by Christopher Ruocchio (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
It often happens that the second volume in a well-received series has a lot to live up to, especially if that first volume was the epic EMPIRE OF SILENCE, where we're introduced to author Ruocchio's sprawling Sollan Empire and his mythical (or is it ...more
Jun 19, 2025 10:30AM · 5 likes · like · see review
C.W. is currently reading Demon in White (The Sun Eater, #3) by Christopher Ruocchio (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 19, 2025 10:25AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Demon in White by Christopher Ruocchio. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Demon in White by Christopher Ruocchio <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
C.W. rated a book it was amazing Howling Dark (The Sun Eater, #2) by Christopher Ruocchio (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
It often happens that the second volume in a well-received series has a lot to live up to, especially if that first volume was the epic EMPIRE OF SILENCE, where we're introduced to author Ruocchio's sprawling Sollan Empire and his mythical (or is it ...more
Jun 19, 2025 09:32AM · 5 likes · like · see review

More of C.W.'s books…

Quotes by C.W. Gortner (?)

“The truth is, not one of is innocent. We all have sins to confess.”
― C.W. Gortner, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici

tags: innocence, medici

38 likes

“Love is a treacherous emotion. You will fare better without it. We Medici always have.”
― C.W. Gortner, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici

tags: love, medici

19 likes

“The world is only as small as we see it, my lady. Imagination knows no limits.”
― C.W. Gortner, The Queen's Vow: A Novel of Isabella of Castile

tags: imagination

17 likes

See all C.W. Gortner's quotes »

Polls

Which book would you like to read for our November 15 - January 15 European Royalty group read?

The Wars of the Roses by Alison Weir

13 votes, 25.0%

The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner

13 votes, 25.0%

Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick

10 votes, 19.2%

Reign of Madness by Lynn Cullen

7 votes, 13.5%

George, Nicholas and Wilhelm: Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I by Miranda Carter

6 votes, 11.5%

Dreaming the Eagle by Manda Scott

3 votes, 5.8%

52 total votes

1 comment

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Pick-a-Shelf: 2010-07 - History - Post July Reviews Here	56	102	Aug 01, 2010 10:18AM
The Seasonal Read...: Summer Challenge 2010 Completed Tasks (do NOT delete any posts in this thread)	3022	3286	Aug 31, 2010 10:39PM
Historical Fictio...: Challenge #3 - June 1 - August 31st	741	609	Sep 01, 2010 07:10PM
The Seasonal Read...: * READERBOARD	10	611	Oct 17, 2010 10:08AM
100+ Books in 2025: Tina In Taiwan's 100 in 2010	84	73	Nov 30, 2010 02:24AM
The Seasonal Read...: Fall Challenge 2010 Completed Tasks (do NOT delete any posts in this thread)	2785	1207	Nov 30, 2010 09:03PM

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C.W.’s Quotes

“To unpathed waters, undreamed shores.”
― William Shakespeare

47 likes

“Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all -- the apathy of human beings.”
― Helen Keller

tags: indifference, wrong-direction

520 likes

“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.”
― Coco Chanel

tags: courage, dignity, empowerment, freedom, independence, individuality, judgment, self-determination, speaking-out, thought

7231 likes

“Only the unprotected self can feel joy.”
― Siri Hustvedt

tags: joy

5 likes

C.W.’s Friend Comments

Comments (showing 1-7) post a comment »

date

newest »

message 7: by Lady Alexandrine

Dec 31, 2016 11:20AM

HAPPY NEW YEAR! :) LET'S MAKE IT FULL OF SUCCESS, JOY AND GOOD BOOKS!

reply | flag

message 6: by Analisa

Aug 22, 2013 04:39PM

I just finished reading The Queen's Vow and it was amazing! I thought you did an incredible job of capturing Isabel's spirit. Thank you for such an exciting and delightful read!

reply | flag

message 5: by C.W.

Aug 06, 2013 10:26AM

Great picture! There is a very similar bust of her in Antigua, Guatemala, too. Queen gets around :)

reply | flag

message 4: by Ana

Jun 16, 2013 10:18AM

Hi C.W.! I was strolling through Old San Juan (Puerto Rico) and stumbled upon this bust of Isabel de Castilla. Thought you'd appreciate the picture... :)

reply | flag

message 3: by C.W.

Apr 24, 2012 02:55PM

Mr Puddy wrote: "C.W. As far as I read your books. I love it all. You made all characters are so real ! Having fresh and Blood ! Thank you to write all good books."

Thank you very much. I'm honored.

reply | flag

message 2: by Mr Puddy

Apr 09, 2012 04:17AM

C.W. As far as I read your books. I love it all. You made all characters are so real ! Having fresh and Blood ! Thank you to write all good books.

reply | flag

message 1: by ♥♥Mari♥♥

Aug 19, 2010 05:40PM

Hi, C.W.! Thanks for accepting my friend request! : )

reply | flag

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