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Secret d'État #2
Secreto De Estado Ii El Rey De Les Halles [Perfect Paperback] by paperback
Barcelona. 24 cm. 445 p. Encuadernación en tapa dura de editorial con sobrecubierta ilustrada. Colección 'Secreto de estado', numero coleccion(2). Traducción, Francisco Rodríguez de Lecea. Traducción de: Le roi des Halles. Secret d'État. numero coleccion( 2) .. Este libro es de segunda mano y tiene o puede tener marcas y señales de su anterior propietario. ISBN: 84-666-1597-0
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
3 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
Juliette Benzoni
304 books154 followersJuliette Benzoni, (Andrée-Marguerite-Juliette) was a French author and international bestseller in several genres, including historical romance, historical fiction, mystery and screenwriting. Named by the Media as the « Queen of History Novels » and « Daughter of Alexander Dumas».
Born 1920 in Paris and growing up in an upper-middle-class family. At the age of nine, she discovered her passion for history while looking at a photo of ‘Joan of Arc’. Benzoni studied at the Institut Catholique de Paris’, philosophy, law and literature. At the age of fifteen, her parents moved to Saint-Mandé where she lived until her death.
In 1941, she married a doctor from Dijon, and was soon mother of two children. During that period, she studied at the libraries of Dijon the History of the Dukes of Burgundy, where she stumbled on the Legend of the Order of the Golden Fleece, which would later inspire her for her Catherine series.
In 1950, her husband died and she went to Morocco, visiting relatives of her late husband and joined the editorial staff at a radio station and met her future husband, Colonel Count André Benzoni di Conza. They married in 1953, but because of the unstable political situation, she returned to Paris, while her husband was to join the 6th Regiment of Moroccan Spahis in Hué.
Back in Paris, she launched into journalism and worked for various Newspapers, Magazines and wrote for ‘Confidences’ historical articles and interviewed celebrities such as Jean Cocteau, Jean Marais, Erich von Stroheim and Maurice Chevalier.
In 1959, Gérald Gauthier, director of the Press Agency at Opéra Mundi, watched her in a popular television Quiz show and impressed by her historical knowledge about the Italian Renaissance asked her if she were able to write a historical romance series
in the style of Anne Golon's ‘Angélique’.
Benzoni affirmed, remembering her fascination for the ‘Order of the Golden Fleece’. Her research for that soon-to-become Bestseller took up three years and in 1963, 'Catherine, Il suffit d’un amour’ was published. The success was enormous and there followed in 1965, a Song called ‘Catherine, ma mie’ composed by Paul Amar, text by Juliette Benzoni.
The Catherine series was translated into 26 languages. Benzoni's Works includes: 3 Single Novels, 17 series, 18 self-contained short stories; 55 million Readers and 300 million books sold Worldwide. She was a huge fan of the books by Agatha Christie, Anne Perry and Ken Follet. In 1978 she received from the White House a letter by President ‘Ronald Reagan’ for the way she described in her Novel ‘The Lure of the Falcon’ the Independence War!
Four of her Bestsellers the ‘Catherine, Marianne, Le Gerfaut and La Florentine’ series were filmed for French television, for which she wrote the Screenplay, together with Jean Chatenet. Although her later works were not widely translated, in 1984, she was one of the top ten female French writers whose works were translated into English. Two weeks before her death in 2016, her last book ‘Le Vol du Sancy: Des carats pour Ava’? was published. It was the 15th adventure of her favourite hero Prince Aldo Morosini, a mystery series.
Her Awards and Honours:
1973 the Alexandre Dumas Prix, for the Catherine and Marianne series.
1988, the Prix Littéraire « Louis Barthou » Silver Medal from the Académie Française for Felicia au soleil couchant.
1998, the Chevalier of the National Order of Merit Medal, by Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.
Born 1920 in Paris and growing up in an upper-middle-class family. At the age of nine, she discovered her passion for history while looking at a photo of ‘Joan of Arc’. Benzoni studied at the Institut Catholique de Paris’, philosophy, law and literature. At the age of fifteen, her parents moved to Saint-Mandé where she lived until her death.
In 1941, she married a doctor from Dijon, and was soon mother of two children. During that period, she studied at the libraries of Dijon the History of the Dukes of Burgundy, where she stumbled on the Legend of the Order of the Golden Fleece, which would later inspire her for her Catherine series.
In 1950, her husband died and she went to Morocco, visiting relatives of her late husband and joined the editorial staff at a radio station and met her future husband, Colonel Count André Benzoni di Conza. They married in 1953, but because of the unstable political situation, she returned to Paris, while her husband was to join the 6th Regiment of Moroccan Spahis in Hué.
Back in Paris, she launched into journalism and worked for various Newspapers, Magazines and wrote for ‘Confidences’ historical articles and interviewed celebrities such as Jean Cocteau, Jean Marais, Erich von Stroheim and Maurice Chevalier.
In 1959, Gérald Gauthier, director of the Press Agency at Opéra Mundi, watched her in a popular television Quiz show and impressed by her historical knowledge about the Italian Renaissance asked her if she were able to write a historical romance series
in the style of Anne Golon's ‘Angélique’.
Benzoni affirmed, remembering her fascination for the ‘Order of the Golden Fleece’. Her research for that soon-to-become Bestseller took up three years and in 1963, 'Catherine, Il suffit d’un amour’ was published. The success was enormous and there followed in 1965, a Song called ‘Catherine, ma mie’ composed by Paul Amar, text by Juliette Benzoni.
The Catherine series was translated into 26 languages. Benzoni's Works includes: 3 Single Novels, 17 series, 18 self-contained short stories; 55 million Readers and 300 million books sold Worldwide. She was a huge fan of the books by Agatha Christie, Anne Perry and Ken Follet. In 1978 she received from the White House a letter by President ‘Ronald Reagan’ for the way she described in her Novel ‘The Lure of the Falcon’ the Independence War!
Four of her Bestsellers the ‘Catherine, Marianne, Le Gerfaut and La Florentine’ series were filmed for French television, for which she wrote the Screenplay, together with Jean Chatenet. Although her later works were not widely translated, in 1984, she was one of the top ten female French writers whose works were translated into English. Two weeks before her death in 2016, her last book ‘Le Vol du Sancy: Des carats pour Ava’? was published. It was the 15th adventure of her favourite hero Prince Aldo Morosini, a mystery series.
Her Awards and Honours:
1973 the Alexandre Dumas Prix, for the Catherine and Marianne series.
1988, the Prix Littéraire « Louis Barthou » Silver Medal from the Académie Française for Felicia au soleil couchant.
1998, the Chevalier of the National Order of Merit Medal, by Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 10, 2017
Una combinación perfecta de misterio, intrigas y romance!!!!
January 19, 2015
Excelent writting, the author truly knows how to capture every single scene and charater... The story is something else Silvie strong and determined to get the mistery of her family out, she is willing to sacrifice every single thing she loves just to keep alive and find out the true.
May 9, 2022
'Je ne vous reverrai de ma vie.' 😭😭😭
November 25, 2011
The first book of this trilogy La chamber de la reine starts the saga of Sylvie Valaine who tries to escape from the villainous hands of Cardinal Richelieu. She is raised by the Vendome family and becomes Anne d'Autriche's "fille d'honneur" in the middle of a climate of conspiracy and treachery. However, Sylvie is close watched by his childhood friend and guardian Francois de Vendome.
In this second book of this trilogy, Sylvie is obliged to marry La Ferriere who betrays her and Francois must prompt help her in order to save her virtue from the Cardinal.
The plot of this second book is much more interesting and it’s a real page-turner. A good reason to finish this trilogy and see what happens next.
In this second book of this trilogy, Sylvie is obliged to marry La Ferriere who betrays her and Francois must prompt help her in order to save her virtue from the Cardinal.
The plot of this second book is much more interesting and it’s a real page-turner. A good reason to finish this trilogy and see what happens next.
January 19, 2020
With the first book, we are given the impression that everything can happen and the author's imagination and audacity has no limits. With this second book there are no doubts left. The author will definitly surprise you and you will be left, most certainly, with a broken heart.
August 13, 2025
Continuación de las aventuras de Sylvie (a la que dimos por muerta en el primer libro) en los últimos días del reinado de Luis XIII. Richelieu se apaga y Mazarino comienza a hacerse un lugar en la Corte, pero el peligro para François de Beaufort no ha disminuido. las intrigas alrededor de la protagonista ? se espesan e interlazan con los juegos de poder en la corte francesa. Folletín sin disimulos y sin remordimientos pero, por lo mismo, sencillo de leer y agradable.
March 4, 2025
Je l'ai lu la première fois à un âge où les autres lisaient Harry Potter et je n'avais pas bien saisi le drame qui se noue dans ce deuxième tome. Il reste néanmoins aussi bon que le 1er.
July 2, 2025
Excelente libro, muestra claramente los inicios de revoluciones en Francia. Un final inesperado, pero muestra como las posiciones y amistades se ven comprometidas en el fervor de las revoluciones.
November 28, 2012
Depois de ter lido O Quarto da Rainha não consegui resistir e lancei-me ao segundo volume da triologia Segredo de Estado, embora não com grandes esperanças principalmente por causa da tradução. Embora esta tenha ficado a cargo do mesmo tradutor posso dizer que, talvez um pouco incompreensivelmente (ou não), desta feita o trabalho está visivelmente melhor - os nomes de personagens e locais, por exemplo, foram mantidos no francês original e a nível dos tempos verbais já não encontramos tantas falhas. As expressões idiomáticas continuam a ser um problema ainda que no geral o trabalho tenha melhorado a olhos vistos.
No que respeita à trama desta história, continuamos a desvendar aos poucos a misteriosa vida de Sylvie que foge dos assassínos da sua família com a ajuda do seu grande amor François de Bourbon-Vêndome e da sua grande amiga Marie de Hauteford. É principalmente graças a este personagem masculino e à sua familia que nos são apresentados vários episódios interessantes e por nós quase desconhecidos da História de França e da vida na corte de Luis XIII, Ana de Áustria e do temível cardeal Richelieu.
A intriga e o mistério continuam a ser elementos essenciais e muito presentes nesta trama contribuindo para que queiramos virar as páginas e deixar-nos envolver por uma Paris em crise em que a revolta social ganha cada vez mais adeptos. Para quem conhece a cidade das luzes as descrições, embora não muito ricas, tornam-se muito importantes pois conseguem transportar-nos aos grandes boulevard e avenidas, aos parque e edifícios magistrais da capital francesa fazendo-nos sentir toda a sua vida e energia .
Embora curiosa com o desfecho desta história este volume não conseguiu, no final, deixar-me com "aquela" vontade de me dedicar de imediato ao livro que se segue. Descobrirei então o destino de Sylvie numa ocasião mais propícia.
No que respeita à trama desta história, continuamos a desvendar aos poucos a misteriosa vida de Sylvie que foge dos assassínos da sua família com a ajuda do seu grande amor François de Bourbon-Vêndome e da sua grande amiga Marie de Hauteford. É principalmente graças a este personagem masculino e à sua familia que nos são apresentados vários episódios interessantes e por nós quase desconhecidos da História de França e da vida na corte de Luis XIII, Ana de Áustria e do temível cardeal Richelieu.
A intriga e o mistério continuam a ser elementos essenciais e muito presentes nesta trama contribuindo para que queiramos virar as páginas e deixar-nos envolver por uma Paris em crise em que a revolta social ganha cada vez mais adeptos. Para quem conhece a cidade das luzes as descrições, embora não muito ricas, tornam-se muito importantes pois conseguem transportar-nos aos grandes boulevard e avenidas, aos parque e edifícios magistrais da capital francesa fazendo-nos sentir toda a sua vida e energia .
Embora curiosa com o desfecho desta história este volume não conseguiu, no final, deixar-me com "aquela" vontade de me dedicar de imediato ao livro que se segue. Descobrirei então o destino de Sylvie numa ocasião mais propícia.
February 12, 2021
After, what probably is the most heart-breaking, hideous and ruthless ending ever written, Juliette Benzoni is back for the second part of this unbelievable history.
Make no mistake, it is not over yet.
The conspiracies from the first book were nothing compare to what is coming. Secrets, alliances from the past will be tested.
New influences will emerge, new pacts will be forged…all and all, overbalancing an already unbalanced peace. And, once again, the greedy and ungrateful machine that is the french court has to adjust itself…
As for our heroes and heroin …. what can I say? We are faced with an atypical trio: Sylvie and two passionate souls.
This book had my heart completely torn apart…it gave me hope only to destroy it in next pages. After which, points to a new direction, almost a reawaken, that we AGAIN barely have time to savor and enjoy, and once more we are thrown into pages fill with despair and tears!
This book proves that sometimes love, even stronger as the one that we witness, life-saving as it was for Sylvie, may not be enough …
In the end, even the most fierce, tender and pure feelings can be shatter.
One may try to glue the pieces back together, but can one make it whole again?
Make no mistake, it is not over yet.
The conspiracies from the first book were nothing compare to what is coming. Secrets, alliances from the past will be tested.
New influences will emerge, new pacts will be forged…all and all, overbalancing an already unbalanced peace. And, once again, the greedy and ungrateful machine that is the french court has to adjust itself…
As for our heroes and heroin …. what can I say? We are faced with an atypical trio: Sylvie and two passionate souls.
This book had my heart completely torn apart…it gave me hope only to destroy it in next pages. After which, points to a new direction, almost a reawaken, that we AGAIN barely have time to savor and enjoy, and once more we are thrown into pages fill with despair and tears!
This book proves that sometimes love, even stronger as the one that we witness, life-saving as it was for Sylvie, may not be enough …
In the end, even the most fierce, tender and pure feelings can be shatter.
One may try to glue the pieces back together, but can one make it whole again?
August 20, 2012
I adored this Juliette Benzoni book. From the beggining, it was able to lock me in its story.
I must say, Jean de Fontsomme isn't my favourite guy. I would definitely go for François. He's mysterious and passionate. However, he was terribly stupid in the end of it. After he and Sylvie had had sex for the first time, Jean attacked him and he corresponded to it. In my opinion, he shouldn't have. Now, Sylvie hates him for taking her husband from her. She loved him, after all, and he was Marie's father. Leaving Sylvie and Jean's daughter without a dad was very irresponsible of François. And - surprise - he's a father again! Second son, I must say. The King itself is François' son, and now Sylvie's son is his too. What a mess! But aren't messes always fun to figure out?
I'm looking forward to the third and final book of the trilogy. I am certain that I'll be reading it very soon. ;)
(Read from 9th to 19th November)
I must say, Jean de Fontsomme isn't my favourite guy. I would definitely go for François. He's mysterious and passionate. However, he was terribly stupid in the end of it. After he and Sylvie had had sex for the first time, Jean attacked him and he corresponded to it. In my opinion, he shouldn't have. Now, Sylvie hates him for taking her husband from her. She loved him, after all, and he was Marie's father. Leaving Sylvie and Jean's daughter without a dad was very irresponsible of François. And - surprise - he's a father again! Second son, I must say. The King itself is François' son, and now Sylvie's son is his too. What a mess! But aren't messes always fun to figure out?
I'm looking forward to the third and final book of the trilogy. I am certain that I'll be reading it very soon. ;)
(Read from 9th to 19th November)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2010
Ce qui devait arriver arriva... Mais c'est un peu longuet...
May 27, 2010
I loved it!!!!! The end was...wow! I will immediately start with the third book!
December 21, 2021
Gostei bem mais deste livro do que do primeiro. A história cativou-me bastante.
May 3, 2017
Es un libro lleno de intriga, romance, suspenso... ¡Me gustó muchísimo!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews