"From the ashes of rebellion to heart-rending forbidden love, NECESSARY SINS is a work of art. Bell's voice is a refreshing addition to the genre, and the breadth of her research is impressive. A strong start to a promising series." -- Jessica Cale, bestselling author of TYBURN

"A taut, compelling family drama with a fresh and intriguing setting. NECESSARY SINS will be a welcome read for fans of historical fiction." -- Olivia Hawker, internationally bestselling author of THE RAGGED EDGE OF NIGHT

"A gripping family saga with complex characters, NECESSARY SINS is lushly detailed and beautifully written. I look forward to following the fortunes of this antebellum family in future volumes." -- Susan Higginbotham, author of THE FIRST LADY AND THE REBEL

"In antebellum South Carolina young Joseph Lazare discovers a secret that would ruin his family. Driven to atone, he becomes a priest, only to fall in love with a married woman. In this carefully researched historical novel Bell examines the way race, religion and class weave a web that Joseph may never escape. A thoughtful, vividly imagined and engrossing historical novel, highly recommended." -- Sara Donati, internationally bestselling author of THE GILDED HOUR

About the Author

Elizabeth Bell has been writing stories since the second grade. At the age of fourteen, she chose a pen name and vowed to become a published author. That same year, she began the Lazare Family Saga. It took her a couple decades to get it right.

After earning her MFA in Creative Writing at George Mason University, Elizabeth realized she would have to return her two hundred library books. Instead, she cleverly found a job in the university library. She works there to this day.

Her debut novel, NECESSARY SINS, was a Finalist for the James Jones First Novel Fellowship and won Second Place in the Maggie Awards for Excellence (Category: Novel with Strong Romantic Elements). The opening pages were published in the literary journal Embark.