Esther’s courageous story begins in captivity—having been captured along with her cousin and guardian, Mordecai, by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Esther and Mordecai ended up in Susa (in modern day Iran), one of the providences ruled by Xerxes, where she became one of several candidates for queen after Xerxes deposed Vashti for refusing to appear at one of his kingly parties. What happened next is a story filled with intrigue, spies, murderous plots and ultimately—victory, although deadly. The end could have been a lot worse had not Esther stepped up, putting her own existence in peril, to save thousands of Jews. A fascinating story that reflects the hand of God—although God is never mentioned in this book.