Elizabeth Kostova

Elizabeth Kostova (born Elizabeth Johnson) is an American novelist best known for her debut novel The Historian (2005). Her work blends historical research, travelogue, and Gothic themes; she has published The Swan Thieves (2010) and The Shadow Land (2017). Kostova studied at Yale University and earned an MFA from the University of Michigan. Her interest in Eastern European history and folklore—especially the Dracula legend—informs much of her writing.