The Shadows of Versailles
An Affair of the Poisons Book One
By Cathie Dunn
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!
Publication Date: November 20th, 2020
Publisher: Ocelot Press
Page Length: 251 (ebook) / 277 (pb)
Genre: historical fiction / mystery
MY THOUGHTS
Blanchefleur ‘Fleur’ wanted love, she wanted to experience the feeling of being in a man's arms whom she desired above all others. Whereas her mother, the distant and cold, Sophie de La Fontaine wanted her daughter to marry for financial gain and she cared not a wit for her daughter's feelings.
Nothing about her childhood prepared Fleur for Versailles. Everything they said about The Sun King's Palace was true. It was stunningly in both its beauty and extravagance. And then Fleur meets Philippe de Mortain, a handsome courtier. With an innocence that was befitting for a young woman who grew up in a convent, Fleur believes and hangs onto every word he says. But Philippe is not the man that Fleur thought he was. He could not have hurt her more if he had torn out her heart and stamped upon it. There would never be a future for them, but their starlight lovemaking would lead to a catastrophic series of events that would shock the court of Versailles with devastating consequences.
Away from the glamorous Versailles, Jacques de Montagnac is investigating the disappearance of newborn babies. With his collogue body discovered floating in the Seine, Jacques is one of the few men still undercover. He fears that the missing children were linked to the black masses, and he is determined to find out the truth. It seems a world away from Versailles, but the paths of both Fleur and Jacques will cross.
This novel starts with the execution of Marie-Madeleine, Marquise de Brinvilliers. Marie-Madeleine had finally given her accusers what they wanted, a confession—although this had only happened after a prolonged and agonised torture. Marie-Madeleine execution foreshadows the entire novel.
The Shadow of Versailles is a deeply moving novel about a young woman who is cruelly abused and taken advantage of. Her innocent love for Philippe is thrown back in her face, although I do believe that his feelings for her were genuine, but his destiny was never to marry this innocent flower. And although his actions were deplorable, he had no idea of the consequences that Fleur would endure because of him. Philippe is not really the antagonists of this tale, he is merely the instrument that sets off a catastrophic chain of events.
Fleur is a young woman who is punished by her mother for simply existing. Sophie is a cruel, bitter woman. Fleur represents everything that has gone wrong in Sophie's life. She cares not a bit for Fleur's happiness. There are several villains in this tale but I think Sophie was in a league of her own. Her cruelty, her twisted sense of justice and punishment spoke volumes. This was a woman who was not only self-seeking but there was also a very sinister and dark side to her character.
Fleur finds herself in the most desperate of situations, but she always holds onto the belief that she would make a life for herself, alas that is not to be. When her baby is stolen from her, the very moment she had birthed him, Fleur finds herself on a collision course with all the people that had led her up to that moment. Her heart, having been torn to shreds, now desires only one thing - revenge.
This riveting story is certainly one where I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat while the tragedy played out in front of me. There are scenes of unbearable agony in this novel and I certainly shed a few tears especially for Fleur and the horrors that she has to endure. Salvation always lags one step behind her, and because of this, she cannot be saved. She is consumed with the idea of revenge. She wants those who had lied and abused her to know the extent of her wrath. But by allowing this desperate need for vengeance, Fleur becomes someone unrecognisable, someone the reader could no longer connect with.
I have always been intrigued by the Affairs of the Poisons. Behind the masquerade, behind the glamour, there was a seedy and dark side that thrived during the reign of King Louis XIV. Maybe it was hysteria, maybe there was murderous intent, but it certainly led to many arrests. Although fictional in the telling, Dunn has depicted how easy it was to slip a little poison in a drink, and how the wealthy could manipulate events to hide their dark intentions.
The Shadows of Versailles was a very engaging read, although I did think that the ending was a little rushed. Nevertheless, it is a novel that I certainly enjoyed and would happily recommend.
This novel is available on #KindleUnlimited
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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