Searchers in Winter: A Novel of Napoleon’s Empire
In 1806, a new French Empire is starting to rise, led by Napoleon, who is seeking to consolidate his power. In Paris, peace and prosperity have risen to new heights, but throughout the rest of Europe, fear of Napoleon is spreading, and a new coalition has formed against him. Underlying it all is the vast fortune of Prince Regent Wilhelm of Hesse-Cassel. Has it been smuggled out of the country, or can Napoleon get his hands on it?
This complex and well-written novel is centered on the War of the Fourth Coalition (1806-1807), the mystery of Wilhelm’s fortune, and the connection of that fortune to the Rothschild family. Told from three points of view, this sequel to Where the Light Falls once again follows Andre Valiere, Sophie Valiere, and Jean-Luc St. Claire, not long after the French Revolution. Andre has plans to finish out his conscription but then is drawn into a plot to seize a vast fortune and deliver it to Napoleon. Sophie is trying to manage the estate in Andre’s absence, but a newly arrived count seems to have other plans. Jean-Luc is offered a position with Joseph Bonaparte, the brother of Napoleon. But is everything as it seems?
In alternating viewpoints, Jean-Luc, Andre, and Sophie tell us their stories, and Owen Pataki weaves them together in a grand historical adventure. This is a well-researched novel that fans of French history and Napoleonic historical fiction will enjoy.
