Ariel Lawhon

I Was Anastasia Ariel Lawhon

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of The Frozen River, this enthralling feat of historical suspense unravels the extraordinary twists and turns in Anna Anderson’s claim to be Anastasia Romanov. Is she the Russian Grand Duchess or the thief of another woman's legacy?

"Tantalizing, surprising, compelling, and utterly fascinating."—Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours

Russia, July 17, 1918: Under direct orders from Vladimir Lenin, Bolshevik secret police force Anastasia Romanov, along with the entire imperial family, into a damp basement in Siberia, where they face a merciless firing squad. None survive. At least that is what the executioners have always claimed.

Germany, February 17, 1920: A young woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Anastasia Romanov is pulled shivering and senseless from a canal. Refusing to explain her presence in the freezing water or even acknowledge her rescuers, she is taken to the hospital where an examination reveals that her body is riddled with countless horrific scars. When she finally does speak, this frightened, mysterious young woman claims to be the Russian grand duchess.

The questions swirling around Anna Anderson’s past and the mystery of Anastasia Romanov’s fate chart a saga that spans half a century and touches three continents. Every bit as vivid and climactic as it is poignant and enchanting, this novel brings a piece of legendary history to life.