The Fabergé Secret

Trigger warnings: antisemitism, murder, violence/gore, mention of rape

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Prince Dimitri Markhov is a nobleman in the court of Tsar Nicholas II's Russia who has his eyes opened to the plight of the Jews by his lover Dr. Katya Golitsyn.

At the court of Tsar Nicholas II, Prince Dimitri Markhov is both a nobleman and an architect. He is close with the tsar, who asks him periodically to create monuments or buildings. Dmitri's most recent project from the tsar is a monument to the Russian composer Tchaikovsky.

Dimitri's wife Lara is beautiful and highly sought after in the Russian court as a mistress. Dmitri no longer loves her because of her infidelity, and they both take multiple lovers, as is expected from Russian courtiers.

At a party, Dimitri meets Dr. Katya Golitsyn. He is drawn to her because of her knowledge of music and architecture. They are both educated despite it being abnormal -- Katya because of her gender and Dimitri because of his rank. Katya is determined to end Russian persecution of the Jewish people, and Dimitri witnesses the horrors firsthand.

Although Dimitri is an aristocrat, he sees the need for Russia to become a constitutional monarchy like Britain. He joins revolutionaries in their mission to help the poor and disenfranchised people in Russia. He hopes his friends the tsar and tsarina will come around to his way of thinking to protect themselves, but the royals believe in their people and their right to rule.

Recommended for fans of Russian historical fiction and those that can't get enough of the end of the Romanovs.

Charles Belfoure is an author and architect. He has written historical fiction novels and non-fiction about architecture.

Publisher: Dreamscape Media (audio); Severn House (print)

Narrator: Nancy Peterson

Running Time: 10 hours

Length: 256 pages

Release Date: January 5, 2021

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I received an electronic audio recording of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.