Böcker av Lindy Vinke

It is 1791, the beginning of the third year of the French Revolution. Sophie and Armand de Boise arrive back home in the early morning of New Year's Day to find that their footman, Marc Paquet, is dead. During the course of her investigation into the circumstances surrounding Marc's death, Sophie experiences a series of dreams and hallucinations about a fascinating and beautiful woman called Blanche who lived during the previous century and who was condemned to death for a terrible crime. The story is further complicated by the arrival of Armand's nephew, Benjamin, who was in contact with Marc before his death and who, with good reason, suspects Sophie of his murder. Gradually, the past merges with the present and time itself seems to be fluid. The lives of Marc, Sophie, Blanche and Benjamin are entwined, with near-disastrous consequences. Sophie's life continues amidst the turbulence of the political, social and economic times of Revolutionary France and she is caught up in the main events of 1791: the departure of the King's aunts to Italy; the so-called "Day of the Daggers"; the debacle of the oath of the civil constitution of the Clergy; the recommendations of Dr Guillotin; the amassing of counter-revolutionary armies across the borders of France under the leadership of the Prince de Condé; the flight of the royal family, their arrest in Varennes and their forced return to Paris; the lynchings at the Champ de Mars on 17 July when thousands demanded the dethronement of the King; the signing of the first Constitution; the reckless printing of money and the rampant inflation that it caused. The historical facts in this book are all true and are based upon meticulous research. The lives of Sophie, the de Boise household and Blanche are imaginary.

These memoirs tell the story of a remarkable friendship and an amazing journey. The friendship was between the writer of the memoirs, Baronne Henriette d'Oberkirch and Sophia-Dorothea of Württemberg who changed her name after her marriage and became Maria Feodorovna, Grand-Duchess of Russia and eventually the Czarina. The journey was a lengthy stay in Paris in 1782 (and from there a journey to Belgium, Holland and parts of Germany) with the Grand Duchess and the Grand Duke of Russia (later Czar Paul I) during the golden years (for aristocrats) just prior to the French Revolution. She enjoyed her stay in Paris so much, and she made such good friends there, that she went back again in 1784, and 1786. This book is the first volume of the translation of her memoirs. It includes the descriptions of her youth and her relationship with the young Sophia-Dorothea and ends with the close of her first trip to Paris, when she is leaving with the Russian Royalty for the rest of their European tour.

The Savanna Murders is a murder-mystery set in the African bush at an exclusive, privately-run game lodge belonging to a mining magnate. He has invited six guests for one week, in addition to which a game ranger, a tracker and various members of staff are present. The Lodge is far from anywhere, off the grid and not in contact with the rest of the world. It is to be re-designed for the overseas tourism "safari" market and each of the guests has a role to play in the re-vamping of the Lodge. When the first death takes place, they are faced with a dilemma. The weather is extremely hot, they are far from the nearest town, out of cell-phone reach and unable to contact the police or obtain any other help. They bury the body without official permission. As the book unfolds, it appears that each one of them has a reason to kill at least one of the others and each one of them has secrets to hide. They start to suspect each other and relationships start to unravel. The history of the Lodge comes back to haunt them: a terrible fire, a poaching incident and the death of two people. In this desolate and beautiful area of the world, their pasts eventually catch up with them.

A Letter to Madame is an intriguing mystery set in 1790 in France in the second year of the Revolution. The fascinating and mysterious Comte de Navasse, who owns a plantation on the French colony of Saint Domingue, takes Paris by storm. When he meets the beautiful Sophie, Comtesse de Boise, he is astonished to notice that she looks almost identical to a portrait that he owns of a woman called Adèle de Montbasson. Sophie's investigation into the history of Navasse and Adèle leads her to a series of fateful discoveries not only about their lives but about her own. This is a story of betrayal, hardship and revenge that weaves its way through the streets of Paris, the prison of Vincennes, the palace of the Tuileries, the magnificent Châteaux of the aristocracy, the courtrooms of the Palais de Justice and the plantations of the French Colonies. Its characters include Royalty and aristocrats, politicians and spies, prostitutes and slaves. The complex political and economic issues of the time form the backdrop to this rich and atmospheric novel, which will keep you spellbound until the last page. A Letter to Madame is the second novel in a series set during the French Revolution. It is the sequel to A Favour for Marie Antoinette, which is set in 1789.