Esther, queen of Persia, who inspired the eponymous book of the Bible, is a fascinating character whose story lends itself well to a fictional retelling. The novel opens as a contemporary woman named Hadassah receives a letter penned by Esther and passed down through her family for generations. The reading of the letter transports the reader back to the Persian Empire. From their imaginative fleshing out of Esther's unusual girlhood and preparation for her encounter with the king to the uttering of her famous words, "If I perish, I perish," the authors reinvigorate an age-old story. A few surprise twists will catch readers familiar with the story off-balance. Our readers should enjoy this account of one of the Bible's most courageous heroines.