The Night's Dark Shade

Set amid the turmoil of the Albigensian Crusade in thirteenth century France, THE NIGHT'S DARK SHADE tells of heresy versus orthodoxy, and of forbidden love versus fidelity. Heiress of her father's estates in Auvergne, the orphaned Lady Raphaelle leaves her home to marry a nobleman in a remote castle in the Pyrenees. There she encounters the mysterious Cathar sect who challenge all of her most deeply held beliefs. As she seeks the path of her true calling, she discovers hatred and betrayal, as well as abiding friendship and unexpected love.

"A harrowing and engrossing journey."~Catherine Delors, author of Mistress of the Revolution

"The Night's Dark Shade explores the passions of the human soul, the danger of heresy...and the heady enchantment of courtly love....A gripping tale filled with danger, intrigue, and adventure...." ~Historical Novel Reviews Online

"In her third work of fiction, both a richly detailed historical novel and a dark morality tale, Elena Maria Vidal takes readers deep into the heart of the 13th-century French Pyrenees...." ~Sarah Johnson, author of Historical Fiction: A Guide to the Genre