“Writers of historical fiction are often faced with a problem: if they include real-life people, how do they ensure that their make-believe world isn't dwarfed by truth? The question loomed large as I began reading 'The Black Tower', Louis Bayard's third foray into historical fiction and fifth novel overall.”

Canadian journalist, editor, and crime fiction authority

Sarah Weinman is a Canadian journalist, editor, and crime fiction authority. She is known for her work on crime writing and for her book The Real Lolita: The Kidnapping of Sally Horner and the Novel That Scandalized the World. The book examines the kidnapping and captivity of 11-year-old Florence Sally Horner by a serial child molester, a case widely believed to have influenced Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita. It drew attention in reviews from NPR, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe.