The Pale Assassin by Patricia Elliott

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Eugenie de Boncoeur is a spoiled, orphaned young aristocrat living in France at the start of the French Revolution. While her maid, Hortense, has a passion for politics and loves attending the National Assembly, Eugenie would rather spend her days with dresses, lemonade in cafes and pate de guimauve, her favorite treat. What she doesn't know is that her guardian, thinking he is doing what's best, has promised her hand in marriage to Raoul Goullet, also known as Le Fantome, who has sworn to kill her father and destroy his family. As the Revolution becomes more and more dangerous, Eugenie's guardian sends her to a convent thinking she will be safe there and hoping she will learn how to be a proper wife for Le Fantome. But when that convent is attacked and Eugenie finds herself with no home to go to and no one to depend on but her brother, Armand, she must give up her spoiled tendencies and try to survive. But it seems that no matter where she goes, even when she flees to England to seek the help of the brother of her deceased mother, the pale assassin that is Le Fantome never seems far away. Eugenie must decide who she can trust, if anyone. Will romance and loyalty keep her from making that decision?

I have always loved historical fiction, and one of my favorite time periods is the 17oos, so when I saw The Pale Assassin I just knew it would be right up my alley. I was not disappointed. The book was historically accurate while remaining a good work of fiction. The characters were developed nicely, and their actions were not too predictable. Speaking of predictable, this novel was not. I was pleasantly surprised several times. I do wish the story was less about the French Revolution and more about Eugenie's story, but I still enjoyed this novel very much and I was very disappointed when it ended. I look forward to reading the sequel, The Traitor's Smile.

Patricia Elliott lives in England as has traveled all over the world. A sequel to The Pale Assassin is soon to be available. For more information on The Pale Assassin, Patricia Elliott, and her other works, please visit www.patriciaelliott.co.uk.