In his gripping new Ghost on the Throne, James Romm adds the narrative verve of a born writer to the erudition of a scholar. Taking what until now had been a murky gray area of ancient history that was once the province of specialists—the eventful, convoluted, and bitter struggles for power immediately following the death of Alexander the Great—Romm has crafted a richly colored, expertly narrated page-turner. For too long, the immense spreading shadow of Alexander himself has eclipsed the careers of those around him: Romm's new account now alters that balance, providing unforgettable, darkly-glinting cameos of the dead conqueror's generals, friends, and relatives--most of them grasping, some memorably hapless—among whom figure a startling array of remarkable female players in this "Macbeth"-like drama. A wonderful book for anyone interested in history, power—or just an amazing tale.

— Daniel Mendelsohn, contributor, The New York Review of Books, and author of The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million