A Bitter Veil: American Woman Trapped in Khomeini's Iran

· The Revolution Sagas: Historical Thrillers (Audiobooks) Book 2 · The Red Herrings Press · Narrated by Diane Pirone Gelman
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It all begins with a line of Persian poetry . . .

Anna & Nouri fall in love, move to Tehran, and marry. Four months later the shah is deposed.


Anna, a young American studying in Chicago falls in love with fellow-student Nouri, the son of a wealthy Iranian business executive. Anna, whose parents are divorced and remote, eagerly moves to Tehran where she marries and is embraced by Nouri's family. A few months later, however, in February 1978, the Shah is deposed and the Islamic Republic of Iran is formed

.

"Readers will be drawn in through the well-researched inside look at Iran in the late 1970s and gain perspective on what the people in that time and place endured. A Bitter Veil is so thought-provoking that it especially would be a great title for book clubs to discuss." Amy Alessio, BookReporter.com


Life turns upside down for the couple as men, but especially women, are restricted in their activities, clothing, and behavior. Arrests and torture are frequent, education for women is prohibited, and Anna cannot travel without her husband's permission. Although she tries to conform to please her husband and new family, Anna chafes under the oppression, while Nouri seems to embrace it.


Anna grows increasingly unhappy, and as events become more explosive, so does Nouri. Anna is desperate to return to America, but Nouri refuses to allow it. Tension builds until a shattering event changes everything and plunges Anna into a tumultuous—and dangerous—vortex, raising the possibility she will never leave Iran alive.


Hellmann crafts a tragically beautiful story around a message that is both subtle and vibrant. The author does an amazing job of delivering her point but never by sacrificing the quality of her storytelling. Instead, the message drives the psychological and emotional conflict painting a bleak and heart-wrenching tale that will stick with the reader long after they finish the book. Bryan Van Meter, CrimeSpree Magazine


If you enjoy the historical novels of Ken Follett, Kristin Hannah, and Kate Quinn, you'll love the Compulsively Readable Thrillers by Libby Hellmann. Scroll up and grab one today!

About the author

Libby Fischer Hellmann is a critically acclaimed crime writer loved by readers the world over for her compulsively readable thrillers and strong female characters. Her fast-paced crime fiction spans 10 novels and 20 short stories, and she has also edited a popular crime fiction anthology called Chicago Blues. With critics describing her work as masterful and meticulously researched. It's not hard to see why Libby's thrilling and richly varied crime novels have won numerous awards. Libby is exceptionally committed to her work, and in 2005-2006 she was the National President of Sisters in Crime, a 3,400+ member organization dedicated to strengthening the voice of female mystery writers. Libby started out in broadcast news, beginning her career as an assistant film editor for NBC News in New York before moving back to DC to work with Robin McNeil and Jim Lehrer at N-PACT, the public affairs production arm of PBS. Retrained as an assistant director when Watergate broke, Libby helped produce PBS's night-time broadcast of the hearings. She went on to work for public relations firm Burson-Marsteller in Chicago in 1978, where she stayed until she left to found Fischer Hellmann Communications in 1985. Originally from Washington, D.C. where, she says, "When yoy're sitting around the dinner table gossiping about the neighbors, you're talking politics." Libby earned a Masters Degree in Film Production from New York University and a BA in History from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to writing, multi-talented Libby writes and produces videos, and conducts speaker training programs in platform speaking, presentation skills, media training and crisis communications. Libby is known for her portrayal of strong female characters. Her Ellie Foreman, series is described by Libby as a cross between "Desperate Housewives" and "24." Her second series (Easy Innocence, Doubleback, and Toxicity) follows the Chicago PI Georgia Davis, a no-nonsense detective. In addition to her hugely popular series, Libby has also written three standalone thrillers in diverse settings and historical periods that demonstrate her versatility as a writer.

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