Before the King

Joanna comes from a wealthy family with ambitions of joining Herod's inner circle. When her father's respected seat in the Sepphoris Sanhedrin comes under threat, the family turns to keeping a dark secret. Joanna has to find her way through aristocratic life and an arranged marriage, pulled between loyalty to her family and what she wants for herself.

Then tragedy strikes, leaving her with a life-altering injury and bringing her into an unexpected encounter with Herod's financial minister. She must face a future she never planned, one that tests both her sense of duty and her hope of finding love.

Years later, a rabbi arrives preaching a new kingdom and healing the sick, and Joanna is changed for good. Her position is dangerous. The court where she lives mocks Jesus of Nazareth, the community of believers regards her with suspicion, and her husband keeps secrets of his own. As the pressure grows, she must hold to her allegiance to the Christ, whose message draws her in even as it puts her at risk. Heather Kaufman's novel is a story of faith, resilience, and love set in the danger of King Herod's court.