Elizabeth Ellen Carter is an award winning historical romance author whose debut novel, Moonstone Obsession, was described as “a roller coaster of love, blackmail, ill-gotten gains, treason and trickery”. She lives in Australia, and loves bringing exciting tales from the past to life.

Your new book, Dark Heart, will be released on May 12, 2017. What was the inspiration for the story?

The inspiration behind the story was learning about a child sex exploitation ring in England which involved the highest levels of power including judges, politicians and aristocrats. I wanted to examine the issues of power, corruption and justice.

Is there an era in history you would like to write but haven’t yet?

I have plans for a Tudor era romance that revisits who had the means, motive and opportunity for killing the ‘princes in the tower’ and to reexamine the reign of Henry VII through the lens of a man with a dubious claim to power trying to rebuild and reunite a divided country and the personal cost.

Why do you write?

To stop the voices in my head… In all seriousness, I love story telling and exploring the consequence of people’s actions for good or ill.

If you had an entire week to do whatever you wanted, with no consequences, what would you do?

Ooooh, I’d drink champagne, eat chocolate, having a daily massage and be treated like a queen!

What is your favourite love story of all time, either book or movie?

I’m going to cheat with this one because it’s not really a conventional romance – The Thin Man, a Dashiel Hammet story turned into a film in 1934 with William Powell and Myrna Loy. They are a happily married couple who solve mysteries together. So many love stories focus on the first meeting and initial attraction, very few look at romance and love into the ‘happily ever after’!

About Dark Heart:

Set during the turbulent times of the Barracks Emperor’s 3rd Century AD Rome, Dark Heart is a historical romantic suspense.
Can love survive a dark heart?

Rome, 235AD

A series of ritual murders of young boys recalls memories of Rome’s most wicked Emperor. Magistrate Marcus Cornelius Drusus has discovered the cult extends to the very heart of Roman society.
Despite his personal wealth and authority, Marcus is a slave to his past – conflicted by his status as an adopted son, bitterly betrayed by his wife and forced to give up his child.
Kyna knows all about betrayal. Sold into slavery by her husband to pay a gambling debt, she found herself in Rome, far from her home in Britannia. Bought by a doctor, she is taught his trade and is about to gain her freedom when her mentor is murdered by the cult.
When the same group make an attempt on her life, Kyna is forced to give up her freedom and accept Marcus’s protection. With no one to trust but each other, mutual attraction ignites into passion but how far will Marcus go for vengeance when he learns the cult’s next victim is his son?
Can the woman who is free in her heart heal the man who is a slave in his?

You can pre-order Dark Heart here:
Amazon AUS
Amazon USA: Dark Heart