The Queen’s Cook by Tessa Afshar is a fun and fast read.

In the heart of ancient Persia, the empire's Jewish citizens face an ominous edict that threatens their very existence. Roxannah, the Persian daughter of an impoverished Persian lord, is devastated by the news but feels helpless to come to the aid of her Jewish friends. Desperate to support her family, Roxannah approaches the royal physician, Adin--the man whose kind eyes haunt her--who helps her to find employment in Queen Esther's kitchens.

In the opulent palace of Susa, Roxannah tries to survive the spiteful ploys of the other cooks as she ascends through the ranks. Her loyalty earns her the trust and friendship of Queen Esther, who is navigating dangerous politics with wisdom and grace. When Roxannah and Adin uncover a sinister plot against Amestris, the king's most powerful wife and Esther's archenemy, they find themselves tasked with the impossible job of discovering the culprit. As secrets unravel and alliances are tested, the fate of Esther's reign hangs in the balance.

The author’s impressive writing style intersperses biblical history, fiction, and a romantic relationship. What makes the story more interesting is that it touches on the class struggle between Persian royalty and their peasantry in the 5th Century BC, interjecting it with Jewish antisemitism.

As an added bonus for those who like to cook, you can find a few middle eastern cooking recipes within the text. (I will try a couple of them myself.)

Tessa Afshar effectively developed her characters, as in “She studied the Scriptures, not like a scribe for the knowledge, but with a sweet devotion that guided her life.”

Also, the story creates periods of relatable high tension like: “Without her work, she could not support her mother. They would not be able to keep their home. Without her work, they would be destitute…”

My favorite line is “Guilt could be so sticky!”

A religious theme runs through the book, not only in the story, but Scripture cited at the beginning of each chapter. These insertions juxtaposed the main character’s struggle to believe in God. The author wrote this great line that continues to ring true even today: “The religious rules of my childhood did nothing to help me. God seemed more like an empty hoax than a source of our salvation.”

Since this story took place in Persia during the late 5th century BC, the author was careful to not cite Scripture that had not been written yet like that of the New Testament.

The good thing about biblical historical fiction is that it brings the biblical characters to life, developing their motivations and inner thoughts. The danger in doing that is the possibility that the story contradicts the Bible. The author seemed careful not to do that.

I received a review copy courtesy of Bethany House Publishers through Interviews & Reviews for an unbiased and objective review.