Talking Aussie Books with Karen Brooks

I was thrilled to welcome the uber talented Karen Brooks back to the podcast recently to discuss her brand new novel. Called ‘The Extraordinary Florence Stoker’ this book is both fascinating and enthralling in equal measures. A book that follows the life of Dubliner Florence Balcombe, a witty and beautiful woman, who marries Bram Stoker - the man who would become best-known for his gothic horror novel ‘Dracula’. With impressive attention to detail and underpinned by extensive research, what Karen has done with this novel is to give us an intimate glimpse into the life of this woman who it becomes clear was indeed extraordinary for so many reasons. Not the least of which was her marriage to a man who was to all intents and purposes an enigma as well as her fight to ensure copyright in her husband’s work was protected against unauthorised adaptations. From the moment I began reading this book, I knew I was in skilled hands. I simply couldn’t put it down. Out in Australia from the 1st of September, if you are a fan of historical fiction, you will not be able to resist this book. Happy listening!