In the News &amp; Beyond

Sep 2026

The Gloss Book Club

Bargains of Fate Named a Gloss Book Club Pick

The Gloss Book Club chose Bargains of Fate as one of its September 2026 Readers’ Choice picks, and member Erin Woodward reviewed it at four stars: “Virts’ greatest strength lies in her ability to make history breathe.”

Television

Sep 2026

Good Morning Washington · WJLA

Historic Home Restoration Inspires Sharon Virts’ Writing Career

Sharon joins Good Morning Washington to share how restoring Selma Mansion inspired her historical fiction writing career — from Masque of Honor and the Fields of Honor series to the forthcoming Swamp of Lies, set for 2027.

Aug 2026

Historical Novel Society

Bargains of Fate — "A Fabulous Immersion"

"A fabulous immersion in this piece of American history—a real page turner with action and characters that never ebb." The Historical Novel Society reviews Book Two of the Fields of Honor series.

Jul 2026

Writer's Digest

Finding the Story Within the Walls of a House

An authored essay on how restoring Selma Mansion uncovered the real lives behind the Fields of Honor series.

Jun 2026

Deborah Kalb Books

Q&A with Sharon Virts

A wide-ranging conversation on the origins of the Fields of Honor series, the real history behind the Mason-McCarty duel, and what is ahead in Book 3, Swamp of Lies.

Jun 2026

Novels Alive

Bargains of Fate — Four Stars

Novels Alive reviews Book Two of the Fields of Honor series, scoring it four stars alongside its June 23 release.

Television

May 2026

Midday Maryland · WMAR

Scandals, Trials & Secrets in Bargains of Fate

Live segment on ABC2 Baltimore ahead of the June 23 release of Bargains of Fate — the second book in the Fields of Honor series.

Apr 2026

Novels Alive

Masque of Honor — Four and a Half Stars

A four-and-a-half-star review of Book One, which noted that “the author’s research about this duel was fascinating.”

2026

The Historic Traveler

Bargains of Fate on the Hot 25 Historic Novels List

Named a Book of the Week and carried on The Historic Traveler’s Hot 25 list of historic novels.

Press Archive

Earlier coverage of the novels and the preservation work, kept year by year.

2024

Boomer Magazine

Nov 14, 2024

More What's Booming: 'The Grays of Truth' with Sharon Virts

Featured in the weekly what's-booming roundup ahead of the Richmond signing: "The bestselling historical true crime author presents her newest book, set in Reconstruction-era Baltimore, as members of the city's elite keep turning up dead."

Loudoun Times Mirror

Nov 6, 2024

Loudoun History Awards Honor Virts, Mountain and Gressitt

The 2024 awards were announced November 3 at the Thomas Balch Library in Leesburg. Sharon was recognized for preserving Loudoun's past — her work with the Loudoun Museum and Oatlands, her historical novels drawn from local events and people, and the nationally recognized restoration of Selma.

Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb

Oct 29, 2024

Q&A with Sharon Virts

"Q: What inspired you to write The Grays of Truth? A: I first learned about this story while researching 19th-century forensic science for my second book, Veil of Doubt. As I delved into the work of chemist Professor William Tonry, I stumbled upon the trial of Baltimore socialite Ellen Wharton."

The Fictional Cafe

Oct 28, 2024

The Fictional Cafe Interview with Author Sharon Virts

"It's 1867 in Baltimore and Jane Gray Wharton's orderly world begins to unravel. What begins as an unexpected tragedy quickly spirals into something far more sinister and Jane is left questioning everything — her family, her past, and her own sanity."

The Crime Cafe

Oct 28, 2024

October New Releases, Short Stories and More

The Grays of Truth included in the monthly new-release roundup: "Sharon's passion truly lies in the creative. She is an accomplished visual artist and uses her gift for artistic expression along with her extraordinary storytelling to build complex characters."

The Nerd Daily

Oct 27, 2024

Q&A: Sharon Virts, Author of 'The Grays of Truth'

A conversation on the true events behind the novel — one of Baltimore's most powerful families, and one woman's quest for answers in her fight for redemption and to save the man she loves.

Loudoun Times Mirror

Oct 24, 2024

Leesburg Author Releases New Novel

Ahead of the October 29 release: "Set in Reconstruction-era Baltimore, the story — inspired by true events — weaves together a murder mystery with power, wealth, mental illness and a botched investigation. 'It has everything I could want in a good story,' she said."

Crime Fiction Lover

Oct 17, 2024

On the Radar: It Is Time for Stormy Weather

The historical true crime roundup that put The Grays of Truth in front of crime readers — Jane Gray Wharton widowed overnight at her brother-in-law's home, a death that looks straightforward until the same house makes her daughter ill weeks later.

2023

Loudoun Times Mirror

Oct 18, 2023

Sharon Virts Releases Historical Fiction Novel 'Veil of Doubt'

On the second novel: "With themes of murder and courtroom drama, 'Veil of Doubt,' set in the late 1800s in Leesburg, is a local author's second historical fiction novel." Sharon spent about three years researching the 1872 murder trial of accused killer Emily Lloyd.

2021

Loudoun Now

Feb 27, 2021

Loudoun Authors Explore Local Legends

Looking at how Masque of Honor came out of the Selma restoration: "When Virts and her husband Scott Miller took on the renovation of historic Selma mansion in 2016, she didn't know the fascinating story of the property's original owner would inspire her first work of fiction."

Lu Reviews Books

Feb 9, 2021