One of Mexico’s most celebrated new novelists, F. G. Haghenbeck offers a beautifully written reimagining of Frida Kahlo’s fascinating life and loves. When several notebooks were recently discovered among Frida Kahlo’s belongings at her home in Coyoacán, Mexico City, acclaimed Mexican novelist F. G. Haghenbeck was inspired to write this beautifully wrought fictional account of her life. Haghenbeck imagines that, after Frida nearly died when a streetcar’s iron handrail pierced her abdomen during a traffic accident, she received one of the notebooks as a gift from her lover Tina Modotti. Frida called the notebook “The Hierba Santa Book” (The Sacred Herbs Book) and filled it with memories, ideas, and recipes. Haghenbeck takes readers on a magical ride through Frida’s passionate life: her long and tumultuous relationship with Diego Rivera, the development of her art, her complex personality, her hunger for experience, and her ardent feminism. This stunning narrative also details her remarkable relationships with Georgia O’Keeffe, Leon Trotsky, Nelson Rockefeller, Ernest Hemingway, John Dos Passos, Henry Miller, and Salvador Dalí. Combining rich, luscious prose with recipes from “The Hierba Santa Book,” Haghenbeck tells the extraordinary story of a woman whose life was as stunning a creation as her art. F.G. Haghenbeck is a novelist, historian and comic-book writer. Has a degree in Architecture, LaSalle University Mexico city. He worked as museum designer, television producer and architect, until he was devoted to his literature career taking in full time job. Haghenbeck now is a well know fiction novelist on many countries. Is famous by his Noir-books, like the bestseller Trago Amargo (Bitter Drink), book winner of "Vuelta de tuerca award" for Best Mystery Novel 2006. Published on France (Denöel Edit.), Spain (Roca) and USA (Amazon Crossing). And bios of Mexican artists like Frida Kahlo: The secret book of Frida Kahlo (Atria) published on Germany, Holland, Brazil, USA, China, France, Serbia and Italy. Also wrote the books El Diablo me obligó, Aliento a Muerte and El Código Nazi. On Comic books, he was the co-creator and co-writer of Crimson for DC Comics (1999-2002); creator and writer of Alternation (Image Comics, 2003); and the only professional Mexican writer in a Superman title (DC Comics). He wrote the graphic novel Corre democracia, corre with the artist Micro and Un mexicano en cada hijo. Also, is the creator of the children's books Santa vs. los vampiros, and Niña Mar with the artist Tony Sandoval. The author is living in Tehuacan, Puebla with a beautiful chef (his wife), a young anarquist (his daughter), and Brandy (his dog). F. G. Haghenbeck , a native of Mexico, is an award-winning novelist and screenwriter. His novel Frida Kahlo’s Secret Book has been translated into ten languages. He lives in Tehuacán, Mexico. CHAPTER I That night in July wasn’t like any other; the rains had gone, leaving a starry sky free of careless clouds weeping tears on the city’s residents. Occasionally, a slight breeze whistled like a mischievous child playing in the trees surrounding the imposing blue house slumbering in the warm summer night. It was precisely on this quiet summer eve that a constant drumming rolled through every corner of the Coyoacán neighborhood. A horse’s hooves clip-clopped against the cobblestone streets. The echo of its steps rang out on every corner and in front of the tall tile-roofed homes to warn residents of the visiting stranger. Curious, because Mexico City was already a modern metropolis far removed from its archaic fables and provincial legends, the residents of Coyoacán interrupted their suppers to peek at the mysterious rider who came in on a cool summer breeze more appropriate to the dead or to apparitions. A mad dog barked at the stranger, which didn’t bother the beautiful white steed, much less its driver: a sullen horseman dressed in brown with holsters bearing loaded guns crisscrossing his chest. His large straw hat was like a church dome, completely obscuring his face. The only things visible through the shadows were his startling bright eyes and a thick mustache that extended beyond the sides of his face. As he rode by, the elders double-locked, bolted, and barred their doors; they still had fearful memories of the Revolution, when strangers brought ruin and desolation. The horseman came to a stop at the corner of Londres Street, in front of an indigo house whose all-cobalt façade made it stand out in the neighborhood. The windows looked like giant eyelids on either side of the door. The horse was a bit nervous but calmed down when the man dismounted and tenderly petted its neck. After adjusting his hat and holsters, the stranger swaggered toward the door and pulled the cord to ring the bell. An electric light flicked on and the entire entryway was immediately lit up, revealing an army of moths humming desperately about the spotlight. When Chucho, the houseboy indis