Click the links below to view the biographies of EJ Tanda.

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

FULL BIOGRAPHY

REVIEWS

“Tanda suffuses her storytelling with heart…There are sharp, suspenseful moments when readers will clearly experience Violetta’s desperation…While the novel offers the suspense, intrigue, and even the romance you would hope for in the kickoff to a series titled “Mafia Matriarch,” historical fiction readers will appreciate Tanda’s serious handling of the Italian immigrant experience, as she draws on her own Italian heritage to paint an honest picture of the trials her community faced–while not shying away from the drama of what one character calls “The Black Hand, the Commission, Cosa Nostra. The mob. The Mafia.” – BookLife Reviews

“Queen of Secrets is an intriguing story of two generations of women and the Mafia. The author has clearly done their research on the historical aspects of the novel and crafted some strong female characters. The cliffhanger at the end leaves readers wanting to learn more about Vi and her true love.” –Judge, 31st Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards.

Queen of Secrets was awarded third place in the Orange County Romance Writers Book Buyers Best Contest 2023 for Mainstream Fiction with Romantic Elements and was the winner of the 2024 PenCraft Seasonal Book Award Winter Competition for Fiction-Women’s Genre.

Crown of Confessions won first place for best Historical Romance in the Orange County Romance Book Buyers Best Contest 2024

8th annual PenCraft awards, Las Vegas, Nevada on April 28th, 2025

February 10, 2024 | Fallon House | 175 W Saint John St. San Jose

In honor of the season of love, History San José is excited to welcome local author E.J. Tanda to the Carmela and Thomas Fallon House Historic Site to talk about her sizzling historical romances: the Mafia Matriarch series.