The Faberge Secret

Charles Belfoure

Dec 2020 · Severn House Publishers Ltd

About this ebook

New York Times bestselling author Charles Belfoure takes readers on a breathless journey from the gilded ballrooms of Imperial Russia to the grim violence of the pogroms, in his latest thrilling historical adventure.

St Petersburg, 1903. Prince Dimitri Markhov counts himself lucky to be a close friend of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra. Cocooned by the glittering wealth of the Imperial court, the talented architect lives a life of luxury and comfort, by the side of his beautiful but spiteful wife, Princess Lara. But when Dimitri is confronted by the death and destruction wrought by a pogrom, he is taken aback. What did these people do to deserve such brutality? The Tsar tells him the Jews themselves were to blame, but Dimitri can’t forget what he’s seen.

Educated and passionate, Doctor Katya Golitsyn is determined to help end Russian oppression. When she meets Dimitri at a royal ball, she immediately recognizes a kindred spirit, and an unlikely affair begins between them. As their relationship develops, Katya exposes Dimitri to the horrors of the Tsar’s regime and the persecution of the Jewish people, and he grows determined to make a stand . . . whatever the cost.

Ratings and reviews

Immerse Yourself in Pre-Revolutionary Russia -- Audiobook Review -- I absolutely loved this audiobook, both the story and the narrator’s performance. I've had a fascination with pre-revolutionary Russia since I was a teenager... and that was some time ago! This book starts in 1903, the year before the birth of the tsarevich. The author does a brilliant job of showing what Russia was like from the viewpoints of the various strata of Russian society at the time, from Jews and peasants to the nobility and the highest echelons of the Romanov autocracy. The words were so evocative of time and place that I could easily visualize this book and became swept up in its world. This book has quite a cast of characters, but both the author and the narrator were able to make them distinct. Here's a hint: the ones to follow are Katya and Dmitri. We see life in the tsar and tsarina’s household, with their little Grand Duchesses, who are 2, 4, 6, and 8 at the book start. They come across as such a loving family. However, the tzar does not come across as a good leader at all. He seemed mired in the old ways and determined to be an autocrat, with no understanding whatsoever of what life was like outside of his palaces. I think Dmitri might have been the most interesting character, as we see him going from a devil-may-care aristocrat with his head in the sand to a man who has certainly been “woke” to the realities of others in his country at the time. I thought the book ended a bit abruptly, as things really seemed to be gearing up toward more interesting happenings… but which turned out to be the end of the book. I thought the book would continue, not that it had reached its climax. Hopefully, the author has another few books up his sleeve that follow the Russian Revolution to its bitter end. I thought the narrator did well, especially with the female voices, including the little Grand Duchesses. The male characters were a little too similar, but that seems to be a common weakness when the narrator is female. All in all, I found this to be an absolutely gripping listen. I received a free copy of this audiobook, but that did not affect my review.

historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-romance, history-and-culture, ridiculous-expense, early-19th-century, political-intrigue, tsarist Russia, cultural-exploration***** Some things were meticulously researched, others were creative/poetic license. But it made for a beautifully imaged historical romance full of political intrigue and visions of horror (pogroms). The beliefs about Tsar Nickolas by their church and people were quite interesting, the parts regarding their small family were heart rending because we know how that part ended, and the idiocy of the aristocracy was appalling (not only Russian, but they had more money). One thing that made me nutz was the repeated reference to Russia as Fatherland when everyone I know refers to Mother Russia. The love story and early political rumblings are covered in the publisher's blurb so there is no need to repeat or do the spoiler thing. But I did love the imagery of clothing, places, and the incredible artistry of the jeweler Faberge. It is a story well worth reading whether you believe everything you read or double check a lot of facts (me). The characters are made very real, even the awful ones. I really enjoyed it! The narrator is Nancy Peterson who is an accomplished voice actor despite some awful mispronunciations. I requested and received a free audio copy from Dreamscape Media via NetGalley. Thank you!

About the author

Charles Belfoure is the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Architect, House of Thieves and The Fallen Architect. An architect by profession, he graduated from the Pratt Institute and Columbia University, and he taught at Pratt as well as Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. His area of specialty is historic preservation. In addition to his historical fiction, Belfoure is also the award-winning author of several architectural histories, and has been a freelance writer for The Baltimore Sun and The New York Times. He lives in Westminster, Maryland.