The Versailles Formula

This is the third book in Nancy Bilyeau's 18th-century Genevieve Planché series. While it probably can be read as a standalone novel, I recommend beginning with the first book in the trilogy The Blue and then The Fugitive Colours. There is too much backstory that a reader needs to know in order to understand the current story. Please note that I received an advanced review copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. The book will be published on April 17, 2025.

The publisher's summary:

Genevieve Sturbridge was never meant for a quiet life in the English countryside. Once an artist in the heart of London, she now spends her days in restless solitude. But when a familiar figure from her past arrives with an urgent request, she is thrust into a perilous world of spies and a formula that could shift the balance of power between France and England.

The thrill of the chase is intoxicating—the cryptic clues hidden in plain sight, the challenge of ferreting secrets from dangerous opponents, the undeniable rush of being needed again. But with every step deeper into the mystery, the danger grows. Someone is watching. Someone is hunting. And the more she uncovers, the more she wonders: Has she walked willingly into a trap?

The story started out well but as I reached Part 2, I wondered when art and pigments would enter the plot. Almost simultaneously with my thoughts, Genevieve is asked to return to France to investigate who is using the forbidden blue color that her husband created. While there, Genevieve will do a little spying for her country. 

I was disappointed with the book. It is advertised as a historical thriller but it isn't a thriller. I would categorize it as a historical mystery; a good one. A big part of my disappointment was the extremely high expectations that I held. Each of the author’s earlier eight novels were spectacular. Another blockbuster was expected. That said, it is a fairly good mystery. I would not want this installment of the series to be the end though. I believe that the series is only three books and, if so, The Versailles Formula is not the best ending. Another problem I have is that the story wasn't about the chemical formula for blue but rather the possibility that it is being misused. It took alot of pages before the identity of this mystery was given. 

Approximately one third of the book gave background information from the first two books. It was done well with equal amounts of dialogue and narrative but unless you've read those books, the level of drama from the backstory is missing. Also, Genevieve's career as an artist is not part of the plot. That's a departure from the earlier two books in the series. 

Enough with the negatives. What is positive about the book? Genevieve and Captain Howard's mission in France was fraught with plenty of twists and I was often afraid for both of them. It didn't appear that they would succeed in their quest to determine who was using the forbidden blue color. Almost daily they were accosted by enemies of England but the two were not always aware of the identity of these enemies. Part of the mission was to figure out who was who. If they could return to England with the name of the forger of blue then they were successful. Along the way these two met interesting Frenchmen who added "color" to the story. Pun intended. 

The book reads like a historical spy story. However, my impression of the series was something else. If this was a standalone novel I would rate it highly. It is part of a series, though, so I can only rate it based upon this fact. 3.7 stars out of 5 stars.

The Bombay Prince

The Bombay Prince is the third Perveen Mistry historical fiction novel by Sujata Massey. Perveen is the first female solicitor in India and works in her father's law firm in Bombay. This installment of the series takes place in November 1921. Edward VIII, the Prince of Wales and future ruler of India, has just arrived in Bombay for a four month tour of India.

There is local unrest over the royal's visit which quickly spirals into rioting. Perveen Mistry, though, is angered by the death of Freny Cuttingmaster, an eighteen-year-old female college student who has fallen from a second story gallery just as the prince's procession was passing by her college. Freny had visited Perveen two days before asking for legal advice on whether to steer clear of the prince's procession. Every student and teacher at the college were required to attend the procession. To avoid the celebration meant risking expulsion from the school. Freny was a member of the Student Union Club which advocated for eschewing the prince's visit. Independence was the divisive issue here. Some people wanted independence and others didn't. Perveen felt guilty for failing to assist Freny and decides to assist her parents in their dealings with the coroner. When her death is ruled a homicide at the coroner's inquest, Perveen and her father work to see justice done. However, Bombay seems to be erupting as armed British soldiers march in the streets, rioters attack anyone perceived to have British connections and desperate shopkeepers destroy their own wares so they will not be targets of racial violence.

What a wonderful story! I read this novel in one sitting while in the park on a sunny summer day. It was a sweet experience. The plot is intricate yet fast paced. I would say that this installment of the series is a historical thriller, not just a historical mystery, and it is the best novel in the series to date. The writing was tight for a historical novel with the author weaving in historical details and background information without the use of narrative. 

The Bombay setting was described in detail. The reader can feel the tension among the Indians to the Prince's visit as well as their fear of being arrested by the British. With insightful dialogue we read what it felt like to live through the riots and how the city residents dealt with their conflicted feelings concerning independence. Bombay had residents who were Indians, British, Anglo Indians and also Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, Parsi and Christians. Their ability to coexist is a prominent feature although the thin veneer of silence among the groups is sometimes interrupted. 

This is a must read.  10 out of 5 stars!