Do you like romances? Traveling? Adventure? Mysterious horror stories? If you answered yes to any of these, The Historian is for you.

This is the story of a girl and her father and how they are drawn into a search for the greatest villain of all time – Count Dracula. But this isn’t Dracula from the movies, but a powerful warlord who is more than a match for the many hunters who have tried to destroy him.

While the story is ostensibly about Dracula, the plot centers instead on a teenage girl as she reads her father’s letters and discovers his romance with the mother she never knew. Her parents’ travels through Europe looking for information on Dracula make room for descriptions of exotic places, from tiny villages in Romania to Istanbul.

Elizabeth Kostova has obviously done her homework, using flashbacks, letters, and stories to tell a tale that spans 50 years. At times the narrative may seem a bit dry or weighty, but the viewpoint changes often enough to ensure it is never boring, and cliffhanger chapter endings keep you turning pages.

The Historian is a great read not only for any Dracula lover, but anyone who likes romance, history, travel, or just a good solid story.