On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club - The Shadows of Versailles (An Affair of the Poisons Book One) by Cathie Dunn HistoricalFiction #HistoricalMystery #Versailles #BlogTour #BookReview @cathiedunn @maryanneyarde

 

Dazzled by Versailles. Broken by tragedy. Consumed by revenge.

When Fleur de La Fontaine attends the court of King Louis XIV for the first time, she is soon besotted with handsome courtier, Philippe de Mortain. She dreams of married life away from her uncaring mother, but Philippe keeps a secret from her.

Nine months later, after the boy she has given birth to in a convent is whisked away, she flees to Paris where she mends gowns in the brothel of Madame Claudette, a woman who helps ‘fallen’ girls back on their feet.

Jacques de Montagnac investigates a spate of abducted children when his path crosses Fleur’s. He searches for her son, but the trail leads to a dead end – and a dreadful realisation.

Her boy’s suspected fate too much to bear, Fleur decides to avenge him. She visits the famous midwife, La Voisin, but it’s not the woman’s skills in childbirth that Fleur seeks.

La Voisin dabbles in poisons.

Will Fleur see her plan through? Or can she save herself from a tragic fate?

Delve into The Shadows of Versailles and enter the sinister world of potions, poisoners and black masses during the Affairs of the Poisons, a real event that stunned the court of the Sun King!

My Review

When I think of Versailles I think of the splendour of the Hall of Mirrors, the wonder of the staterooms and the grandeur of the War and Peace rooms, not to mention the beautiful and unforgettable landscaping of the gardens. But underneath all of the glamour, there was a seedier side. The Palace of Versailles, was sometimes a dark and dangerous place that seemed so at odds with the Sun King's dream of creating something so very beautiful. In the shadows of all of this elegance is where Cathie Dunn has staged her story. The Shadows of Versailles is part fiction, part historical retailing of the Affairs of the Poisons. In this court of secrets and lies, there is only one certain thing, trust no one. There are those who will do anything to get rid of any rivals and to have revenge upon their enemy.

This novel follows Fleur de La Fontaine as she enters court for the first time accompanied by her cold and calculating mother. Although at first Fleur is overwhelmed by the Palace, Fleur is soon silently disguised by the would-be suitors that her mother throws in her path. But then she meets Philippe and she begins to hope that she can have the one thing her mother did not - a marriage based on love and mutual understanding. But this is Versailles, and nothing and no one is what they seem.

We are introduced to Fleur as a young woman coming to court for the first time. Having being educated by nuns there is an air of innocence about her. She is quick of wit and has a very loving and gentle disposition, but the lecherous men that she meets at Versailles open her eyes. Unfortunately, they do not open her eyes wide enough, for the one man who is the most dangerous, is the one she falls in love with. Without giving away the plot, Fleur's life is changed forever because of one moment of passion. What comes after is a story of heartbreak, resilience, and a desperate desire for revenge. 

Fleur goes from a sweet-natured young woman to a cold and calculating one as she waits for the right moment to strike. I was surprised how readily some of the noble ladies agreed to help Fleur in her mission, and how easy it was to obtain the poisons that she needed to implement her plans. Fleur is so blinkered, so determined to make those who had hurt her pay, that she does not seem to fully understand where it would lead her. She becomes someone who is seemingly unrecognisable to the sweet girl we first meet. It was very interesting how this change happened over the course of this book. Fleur started out as the protagonist but events in her life turned her into the antagonists.

This novel is quite dark in the telling and the further you read the darker it becomes. Do not expect a happy ending, for you will be disappointed!

I really enjoyed The Shadows of Versailles and I will certainly be looking out for more books from this very talented author.

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Cathie Dunn

Cathie Dunn writes historical fiction, mystery, and romance.

Cathie has been writing for over twenty years. She studied Creative Writing, with a focus on novel writing, which she now teaches in the south of France. She loves researching for her novels, delving into history books, and visiting castles and historic sites.

Her stories have garnered awards and praise from reviewers and readers for their authentic description of the past.

Cathie is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Alliance of Independent Authors.

After nearly two decades in Scotland, she now lives in the historic city of Carcassonne in the south of France with her husband, two cats and a rescue dog. 

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