Engrossing and moving, this sequel (to The Colour of Power) about the second part of Theodora’s life as empress of Byzantium opens with intrigue as one of Justinian’s old enemies, Cappodocian John, is revealed as a threat to the throne. Theodora once again emerges as a woman of strength and courage, who commands the love and dedication of two powerful men. Heese’s novel The Double Crown won the Commonwealth Prize (Best Book: Africa) 2010

The sequel to The Colour of Power. Engrossing and moving, this sequel about the second part of Theodora’s life as empress of Byzantium opens with intrigue as one of Justinian’s old enemies, Cappodocian John, is revealed as a threat to the throne. Theodora’s unremitting feeling of guilt for a massacre she did not foresee, motivates her faith and many of her actions. And Justinian’s strange reference to the triple-headed serpent also lingers in her mind, casting a shadow… But Theodora once again emerges as a woman of strength and courage, who commands the love and dedication of two powerful men. Praise for The Colour of Power: “Heese ... has captured the mood of an era, the soul of a woman and the ethos of a world.” – Shirley de Kock Gueller in the Cape Times.“Her ability to transport her readers back to Constantinople in AD 505 and have them walk in Theodora’s shoes is magical ...  You’ll learn more from this novel about the ways of the world and woman’s struggle to be an equal than in most feminist manifestos.” – Natalie Bosman in the Citizen.