Monday, January 27, 2025

Spotlight: Liisa Eyerly


Mystery, murder, and mayhem aren’t typical Christian themes, but my love of history, scripture, and whodunits sparked a writing rebellion: why should secular authors have all the fun solving murders in ancient Rome?

My writing—actually—my research journey began with questions about New Testament Christians battling for their beliefs in a pagan world. My lifelong faith and fascination with history fused with the world Christianity was born into, engaged with, and transformed. Is our culture so different from theirs? What kind of people risked death to defy the Roman Empire? These questions inspired countless murder mystery scenarios, all requiring a bold sleuth to unravel. Enter Sabina: a detective who relies on her faith and knowledge of scripture to unmask killers while navigating the dangers of a banned religion, sorcery, a paranoid emperor, and the ever-present threat of betrayal from family and friends.

The Secrets of Ephesus mystery series takes place in 96 AD and adds a fresh Christian twist to the historical mystery genre of the first-century Roman Empire. Set not in Rome but in Ephesus, Turkey, the series brings to life a city prominent in the New Testament and home to many key figures in the early church. My travels to Turkey, Greece, England, and Italy have enriched my ability to recreate the vivid culture, history, and people of the era, while also inspiring fascinating blog posts.

Growing up, I devoured whodunits, relishing the challenge of piecing together breadcrumb clues to guess the ending. My transition from reader to writer took a forty-year journey, interrupted by teaching, motherhood, running a stained-glass business, graduate school, a second career as a librarian, retirement, and travel. Now, I immerse myself in nonstop research, Bible study, writing workshops and conferences, and exploring the lands of the ancient Roman Empire. 
(Roman Colosseum)

I’ve been blessed to live in some of the most beautiful parts of the U.S.—Oregon, Colorado, Montana, Iowa, and Minnesota—and now reside in the Northwoods of Wisconsin with my husband, two dogs, two kayaks, and winters perfect for writing. When not crafting stories, I play pickleball, cater to my dogs, visit children and grandchildren, and read mysteries, fantasy, historical fiction, romantic suspense, and heaps of historical nonfiction.

Obedient Unto Death, book one in the series, was published in 2022 and won the Eric Hoffer First Horizon Award for a debut novel and first place in the Spiritual Fiction category. My second book, Fortunes of Death, released in October 2024, continues Sabina’s adventures.

The Books  

Obedient Unto Death
When a scribe is
 brutally murdered during a secret Christian gathering, an innocent bishop is arrested. Believing sinister forces aim to destroy the fledgling faith, Sabina races to save him from execution. As she delves into the mystery, she uncovers a web of intrigue, betrayal, and danger threatening her life and the survival of her community. Will she uncover the truth before it’s too late?

Fortunes of Death In the bustling streets of ancient Ephesus, fortunes shift in an instant. When a wealthy merchant is found crushed beneath his own monument, the city’s fragile peace shatters. Sabina faces her most perilous case yet, navigating political intrigue, dark sorcery, and forbidden love to uncover the truth amid growing unrest.
Powers of Death (Coming Soon) Sabina’s investigative skills are tested as she seeks justice for a childhood friend found stabbed in a bathhouse at midnight. The case forces her to confront sordid secrets and deadly schemes that strike close to home.

If you’d like to immerse yourself in the world of early Christians and see the great city of Ephesus recreated in its glory, sign up for this virtual tour at https://liisaeyerly.com/newsletter/. Imagine standing in the packed theater where crowds screamed for the Apostle Paul’s death, soaring above a harbor bustling with exotic goods and slaves, and counting the pagan temples the first believers resisted to remain faithful.

Thank you for reading my spotlight! Share your thoughts about writing or reading, and you’ll be entered into a giveaway for one of my books. Winner announced on my blog on HHHistory.com on February 21, 2025. My journey proves it’s never too late to follow your dreams and share your passion with the world.

Visit me at my website, on my Author Facebook page,

You can purchase my books at:
Fortunes of Death
Obedient Unto Death
My Amazon book page





1 comment:

  1. Thank you for giving us a peek at your life, and the reasons why you write! I love this blog for the very reason of getting to know writers better. Reading is my #1 hobby, and has been for my whole life! And getting to learn a bit about the history of all kinds of things is a bonus!

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