The Versailles Formula (The Genevieve Planche Mysteries)
This is the third book in Nancy Bilyeau’s series of historical thrillers about Huguenot artist Genevieve Planché, set in 1760s England and France. Genevieve and her husband, chemist Thomas Sturbridge, are living a quiet life in the English countryside when Genevieve receives an invitation to Horace Walpole’s Gothic mansion, where she finds a forged Fragonard painting with a brilliant blue pigment invented by her husband. Genevieve had been involved in espionage to obtain the formula for this color, which is so rare that people have killed for it, and it is the subject of a treaty between England and France, in which both sides have agreed not to produce the pigment. When two murders occur which are linked to the painting, British spymaster Sir Humphrey Willoughby sends Genevieve to Paris to discover who is making the blue pigment. She travels in the company of Captain Howard, an arrogant Army officer. He and Genevieve take an instant dislike to each other, but they must learn to work together to uncover a nest of spies, murderers, and traitors.
This is a wonderful novel, and Genevieve is an engaging protagonist. She is talented in both art and intrigue, but she is also vulnerable and makes mistakes. She can be impulsive and stubborn, which gets her into trouble a number of times, but she uses her intelligence to get herself, and those she loves, out of danger. I loved the settings in 18th-century France, including a porcelain factory near Versailles, Madame du Deffand’s salon, and a masked ball where the guests dress as nuns, monks, and friars. I enjoyed the development of Genevieve’s relationship with Captain Howard as they overcome their initial dislike. Highly recommended.
