Books

I Was Anastasia

Ariel Lawhon

FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE FROZEN RIVER

‘Told with masterful intensity and moments of true human compassion’ Helen Simonson, New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Before the War

‘Inspired by history, and infused with imagination and intrigue, this novel satisfies with every twist and turn’ Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis

‘A gorgeous, haunting puzzle of a book that will grip you until the final page’ Abbott Kahler, New York Times bestselling author of Sin in the Second City

In an enthralling new feat of historical suspense, Ariel Lawhon unravels the extraordinary twists and turns in Anna Anderson’s 50 year battle to be recognized as Anastasia Romanov. Is she the Russian Grand Duchess, a beloved daughter and revered icon, or is she an imposter, the thief of another woman’s legacy?

Countless others have rendered their verdict. Now it is your turn.

Russia, July 17, 1918: Under direct orders from Vladimir Lenin, Bolshevik secret police force Anastasia Romanov, along with the entire imperial family, into a damp basement in Siberia, where they face a merciless firing squad. None survive. At least that is what the executioners have always claimed.

Germany, February 17, 1920: A young woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Anastasia Romanov is pulled shivering and senseless from a canal. Refusing to explain her presence in the freezing water or even acknowledge her rescuers, she is taken to the hospital where an examination reveals that her body is riddled with countless horrific scars. When she finally does speak, this frightened, mysterious young woman claims to be the Russian grand duchess.

As rumours begin to circulate through European society that the youngest Romanov daughter has survived the massacre at Ekaterinburg, old enemies and new threats are awakened. The question of who Anna Anderson is and what actually happened to Anastasia Romanov spans fifty years and touches three continents. This thrilling saga is every bit as moving and momentous as it is harrowing and twisted.

FIVE STAR RAVE READER REVIEWS

‘Oh! What a perfect ending!’
‘The best Romanov story I have ever read’
‘Fascinating, intriguing and very hard to put down! … Spellbinding from start to finish’
‘WOW! Just, a 5+ stars WOW!’
‘You will be enraptured’
‘It’s going to break your heart’
‘A truly remarkable book’

Paperback

ISBN: 9781800756212

Published: August 13, 2026

Ebook

ISBN: 9781800755727

Published: June 19, 2025

Category:
Fiction

Reviews for I Was Anastasia

‘I Was Anastasia is a wild train trip through time. The doors swish open here, then there, scenes sometimes racing by, sometimes drifting far into the mysterious lives of Anastasia Romanov and Anna Anderson. Every view is tantalizing, surprising, compelling, and utterly fascinating. Ariel Lawhon unfolds a complicated story with skill, style, and compassion’ – Lisa Wingate, New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours

‘A young Tsarina traveling towards tragedy and an aging Grand Duchess penniless and betrayed. Twin stories so gripping you will believe history itself can be rewritten. Told with masterful intensity and moments of true human compassion’ – Helen Simonson, New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Before the War

‘Ariel Lawhon is a masterful storyteller; I Was Anastasia is a wild ride, extravagant with its vivid sensory experiences and page turning suspense. Inspired by history, and infused with imagination and intrigue, this novel satisfies with every twist and turn. I was both captivated and enchanted’ – Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Driftwood Summer and The Bookshop at Water’s End

‘The fate of the Grand Duchess Anastasia, youngest daughter of the last Tsar, is an old mystery that never gets old. In the hands of Ariel Lawhon, it springs to life again, challenging everything we believe about what we remember and who we are …This is a deft and deeply moving saga‘ – Jacquelyn Mitchard, New York Times bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean

‘I don’t know what’s most impressive about I Was Anastasia: the wildly inventive structure, the ferocious heroine (or is it two?), or the dark, twisted questions it raises about the stories we tell – both to others and to ourselves. Ariel Lawhon has written a gorgeous, haunting puzzle of a book that will grip you until the final page‘ – Karen Abbott, New York Times bestselling author of Sin in the Second City and Liar Temptress Soldier Spy

Author

Ariel Lawhon

ARIEL LAWHON is a critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction. Her books have been translated into numerous languages. She lives in the rolling hills outside Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and four sons.