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Genevieve Planché #3
The Versailles Formula
She craved purpose. She found danger. Now, there may be no turning back.
Genevieve Sturbridge was never meant for a quiet life in the English countryside. Once an artist in the heart of London, now she spends her days in restless solitude, longing for the passion and purpose she once knew. 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?
Torn between exhilaration and fear, Genevieve must decide—was this the life she was always meant for, or has she risked everything for a mission that will consume her completely?
Years ago, protecting this secret nearly cost Genevieve her life.
Now someone could be willing to kill for it once more.
* * * * *
"Nancy Bilyeau's 'Versailles Formula' is the continuing compelling adventure of whip-smart and determined heroine Genevieve Planché. It’s replete with spies, political intrigue, gorgeous gothic manor houses, romance, impeccably researched history—and the shocking history of the color blue. "
—Susan Elia MacNeal, New York Times bestselling author of the Maggie Hope series
Genevieve Sturbridge was never meant for a quiet life in the English countryside. Once an artist in the heart of London, now she spends her days in restless solitude, longing for the passion and purpose she once knew. 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?
Torn between exhilaration and fear, Genevieve must decide—was this the life she was always meant for, or has she risked everything for a mission that will consume her completely?
Years ago, protecting this secret nearly cost Genevieve her life.
Now someone could be willing to kill for it once more.
* * * * *
"Nancy Bilyeau's 'Versailles Formula' is the continuing compelling adventure of whip-smart and determined heroine Genevieve Planché. It’s replete with spies, political intrigue, gorgeous gothic manor houses, romance, impeccably researched history—and the shocking history of the color blue. "
—Susan Elia MacNeal, New York Times bestselling author of the Maggie Hope series
345 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 17, 2025
100 people are currently reading
254 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Bilyeau
18 books921 followersNancy Bilyeau loves crafting immersive historical stories, whether it's Jazz Age New York City in "The Orchid Hour," the 18th-century Gothic manors, salons, and porcelain workshops in "The Versailles Formula," or Henry VIII's tumultuous England in "The Crown."
Her new novel is "The Heiress of Northanger Abbey," a sequel to the Jane Austen classic.
A magazine editor who has worked on the staffs of "Rolling Stone," "Good Housekeeping," and "Entertainment Weekly," Nancy draws on her journalism experience to research her books.
For her Genevieve Planche novels--"The Blue", "The Fugitive Colours", and "The Versailles Formula"--she also draws on her heritage to create a Huguenot heroine. Nancy is a descendant of Pierre Billiou, a French Huguenot who immigrated to what was then New Amsterdam (later New York City) in 1661. Pierre's stone house still stands and is the third oldest house in New York State.
Nancy lives with her family in upstate New York and enjoys reading, gardening, cooking, and touring historic houses in the Hudson Valley.
Visit Nancy's website at www.nancybilyeau.com
Her new novel is "The Heiress of Northanger Abbey," a sequel to the Jane Austen classic.
A magazine editor who has worked on the staffs of "Rolling Stone," "Good Housekeeping," and "Entertainment Weekly," Nancy draws on her journalism experience to research her books.
For her Genevieve Planche novels--"The Blue", "The Fugitive Colours", and "The Versailles Formula"--she also draws on her heritage to create a Huguenot heroine. Nancy is a descendant of Pierre Billiou, a French Huguenot who immigrated to what was then New Amsterdam (later New York City) in 1661. Pierre's stone house still stands and is the third oldest house in New York State.
Nancy lives with her family in upstate New York and enjoys reading, gardening, cooking, and touring historic houses in the Hudson Valley.
Visit Nancy's website at www.nancybilyeau.com
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March 21, 2025When I wrote The Blue, I did not plan it to be the first of a series. Like many novelists, once I had created a main character--in this case, the Huguenot artist Genevieve Planche--it was hard to turn away from her. But even more than that, I've often wondered at the end of a thriller novel, when a life is rescued or a world is saved, now what? How will life unfold for these characters following such a feat? I had that in mind when I wrote The Fugitive Colours. I wanted to dig into the consequences of a spy mission such as Genevieve's and a marriage made after falling in love in the heat of the mission. After writing that novel, I still had ideas rolling around in my head. Genevieve in some ways was at her best when she was challenged and put to the test, even though that challenge turned out to be espionage wrapped around the creation of a colour shade so dazzling it made people want to kill each other for its possession.
For this novel, The Versailles Formula, I wanted to once again hurl Genevieve into danger, but this time for a cause that, while still connected to colours, is not as tainted with criminal treason. My other driving goal was to write atmospheric scenes--or sequences, as they say in screenwriting--that would make readers feel as if they were in Sir Horace Walpole's Gothic mansion, or a chateau outside of Paris filled with masked dancers. And finally, I wanted to pace this book more rapidly as it embraces a cat-and-mouse game that was quite fun to write (and devilishly difficult too!) However, this is not a pure plot-driven thriller. I tried to weave in some subtle yet provocative thoughts about religion, women's freedoms, and art. Anyone who reads my books knows that I keep circling those three concepts, one way or another. :)
For this novel, The Versailles Formula, I wanted to once again hurl Genevieve into danger, but this time for a cause that, while still connected to colours, is not as tainted with criminal treason. My other driving goal was to write atmospheric scenes--or sequences, as they say in screenwriting--that would make readers feel as if they were in Sir Horace Walpole's Gothic mansion, or a chateau outside of Paris filled with masked dancers. And finally, I wanted to pace this book more rapidly as it embraces a cat-and-mouse game that was quite fun to write (and devilishly difficult too!) However, this is not a pure plot-driven thriller. I tried to weave in some subtle yet provocative thoughts about religion, women's freedoms, and art. Anyone who reads my books knows that I keep circling those three concepts, one way or another. :)
April 14, 2025
Having loved Nancy Bilyeau’s The Blue and The Fugitive Colours, I was excited to read the new book in the Genevieve Planché series, The Versailles Formula. I'm pleased to say that I found it as good as the first two. If you’re new to the series, I would recommend reading the books in order if you can, but there’s enough background information in this one to allow you to start here if you wanted to.
The Versailles Formula is set in 1766 and, like the other books, is narrated by Genevieve Planché, a Huguenot woman who grew up in London after her family left France due to religious persecution. She’s also an aspiring artist who is finding it frustratingly difficult to be taken seriously in a field still dominated by men. As the novel opens, Genevieve is teaching watercolours to a group of young ladies while her husband, the chemist Thomas Sturbridge, is away from home working on a new research project with a scientist friend. Several years earlier Thomas had created a formula for a beautiful new shade of blue – an invention that powerful people in both France and Britain would stop at nothing to obtain. The race for the blue led to murder and treason before an agreement was finally reached that both sides would stop attempting to develop the colour.
Genevieve’s painting lesson is interrupted by the arrival of Under-Secretary of State Sir Humphrey Willoughby, husband of her friend, Evelyn. Sir Humphrey’s appearance sets in motion a chain of events that lead Genevieve to Strawberry Hill, home of the author Horace Walpole. Here she and Sir Humphrey make the shocking discovery that someone has begun producing the blue once more. Have the French broken the treaty they agreed to or is this someone acting alone? How did the blue find its way into Walpole’s home? Accompanied by an army officer, Captain Howard, Genevieve travels to Paris in search of answers.
This book definitely lived up to my expectations and was worth the three year wait since the last one! It was good to catch up with Genevieve again and although I would have liked to have seen more of other recurring characters such as Thomas Sturbridge, there’s a wonderful new character to get to know in the form of Captain Howard. Genevieve is wary of Howard at first, disliking him on sight and unsure as to why Sir Humphrey is entrusting him with such an important mission, but her opinion gradually begins to change and I loved watching their relationship develop as they travel across France.
Although many of the characters in the novel are fictional, there are also some who are real historical figures, most notably Horace Walpole, author of The Castle of Otranto. I particularly enjoyed the section of the book where Genevieve visits Strawberry Hill, his Gothic-style mansion in Twickenham and experiences its ‘gloomth’ – a term coined by Walpole himself to describe his home’s atmosphere of gloom and warmth.
The book is well paced, with tension building as Genevieve begins to wonder exactly who can and can’t be trusted – and whether anyone will see through the false identity she has adopted for her return to France. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but I did feel that some things were left unresolved at the end, so I hope that means there could be a fourth Genevieve Planché book to look forward to. If so, I’ll certainly be reading it.
The Versailles Formula is set in 1766 and, like the other books, is narrated by Genevieve Planché, a Huguenot woman who grew up in London after her family left France due to religious persecution. She’s also an aspiring artist who is finding it frustratingly difficult to be taken seriously in a field still dominated by men. As the novel opens, Genevieve is teaching watercolours to a group of young ladies while her husband, the chemist Thomas Sturbridge, is away from home working on a new research project with a scientist friend. Several years earlier Thomas had created a formula for a beautiful new shade of blue – an invention that powerful people in both France and Britain would stop at nothing to obtain. The race for the blue led to murder and treason before an agreement was finally reached that both sides would stop attempting to develop the colour.
Genevieve’s painting lesson is interrupted by the arrival of Under-Secretary of State Sir Humphrey Willoughby, husband of her friend, Evelyn. Sir Humphrey’s appearance sets in motion a chain of events that lead Genevieve to Strawberry Hill, home of the author Horace Walpole. Here she and Sir Humphrey make the shocking discovery that someone has begun producing the blue once more. Have the French broken the treaty they agreed to or is this someone acting alone? How did the blue find its way into Walpole’s home? Accompanied by an army officer, Captain Howard, Genevieve travels to Paris in search of answers.
This book definitely lived up to my expectations and was worth the three year wait since the last one! It was good to catch up with Genevieve again and although I would have liked to have seen more of other recurring characters such as Thomas Sturbridge, there’s a wonderful new character to get to know in the form of Captain Howard. Genevieve is wary of Howard at first, disliking him on sight and unsure as to why Sir Humphrey is entrusting him with such an important mission, but her opinion gradually begins to change and I loved watching their relationship develop as they travel across France.
Although many of the characters in the novel are fictional, there are also some who are real historical figures, most notably Horace Walpole, author of The Castle of Otranto. I particularly enjoyed the section of the book where Genevieve visits Strawberry Hill, his Gothic-style mansion in Twickenham and experiences its ‘gloomth’ – a term coined by Walpole himself to describe his home’s atmosphere of gloom and warmth.
The book is well paced, with tension building as Genevieve begins to wonder exactly who can and can’t be trusted – and whether anyone will see through the false identity she has adopted for her return to France. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but I did feel that some things were left unresolved at the end, so I hope that means there could be a fourth Genevieve Planché book to look forward to. If so, I’ll certainly be reading it.
April 18, 2025
I didn't mind this. Historical is a genre I am very slowly enjoying. The premise of this was good. The historical setting was quaint.
The book was well written and flowed nicely. It was descriptive with lots of visuals. There were no plot holes or unanswered questions. It tied off nicely.
The characters were good and very well written. I liked Genevieve. She was smart and super talented. The characters worked for their time period. They all worked well together. It was very enjoyable.
The book was written in third person from Genevieve's POV. This worked really well.
If you enjoy historical fiction, then I recommend this.
The book was well written and flowed nicely. It was descriptive with lots of visuals. There were no plot holes or unanswered questions. It tied off nicely.
The characters were good and very well written. I liked Genevieve. She was smart and super talented. The characters worked for their time period. They all worked well together. It was very enjoyable.
The book was written in third person from Genevieve's POV. This worked really well.
If you enjoy historical fiction, then I recommend this.
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April 21, 2025The Versailles Formula
𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄: The Versailles Formula
𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑: Nancy Bilyeau
𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒:
𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐑: Joffe Books
𝐏𝐔𝐁 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: 4.17.2025
𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: Historical Fiction
🌸
{𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒}
The Versailles Formula is Bilyeau is the third installment in the addictive Genevieve Planché series. Having to have waited for this delightful book, I have to say it completely lived up to it’s predecessors
Set in the 18th century 1766, readers follow an aspiring artist and Huguenot, Genevieve Planché Sturbridge. Genevieve along with her notable chemist husband Thomas Sturbridge, and their young son live in rural England.
Genevieve is now living in the country trying to adapt to its lifestyle while teaching ladies watercolours. Her husband is mostly away, working on a secretive new project.
From the previous books reader will remember Thomas’s highly sought after blue color that sparked a treaty between England and France over its production.
🌸
While Genevieve is giving a painting lesson her friend Evelyn’s husband Sir Humphrey Willoughby, asks Genevieve and her son to accompany him back to his estate.
To comfort his wife from the loss of one of their children, the story takes off. Accompanying Sir Humphrey Willoughby, is a moody army officer, Captain Howard
In a series of events that lead her to the author’s Horace Walpole’s decadent home, Strawberry Hill. From there Genevieve and Captain Howard find themselves thrown together on a spy mission to France.
🌸
A fast paced tension building plot line, with rich characters that could easily jump off the page, easily made for enthralling read. Seamless narration along with old friends and new additions help propel this spectacular book series forward. I am excited for the next book in this exquisite series.
🌸
{𝐇𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐒}
#theversaillesformula #nancybilyeau #joffebooks
𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄: The Versailles Formula
𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑: Nancy Bilyeau
𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒:
𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐑: Joffe Books
𝐏𝐔𝐁 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: 4.17.2025
𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: Historical Fiction
🌸
{𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒}
The Versailles Formula is Bilyeau is the third installment in the addictive Genevieve Planché series. Having to have waited for this delightful book, I have to say it completely lived up to it’s predecessors
Set in the 18th century 1766, readers follow an aspiring artist and Huguenot, Genevieve Planché Sturbridge. Genevieve along with her notable chemist husband Thomas Sturbridge, and their young son live in rural England.
Genevieve is now living in the country trying to adapt to its lifestyle while teaching ladies watercolours. Her husband is mostly away, working on a secretive new project.
From the previous books reader will remember Thomas’s highly sought after blue color that sparked a treaty between England and France over its production.
🌸
While Genevieve is giving a painting lesson her friend Evelyn’s husband Sir Humphrey Willoughby, asks Genevieve and her son to accompany him back to his estate.
To comfort his wife from the loss of one of their children, the story takes off. Accompanying Sir Humphrey Willoughby, is a moody army officer, Captain Howard
In a series of events that lead her to the author’s Horace Walpole’s decadent home, Strawberry Hill. From there Genevieve and Captain Howard find themselves thrown together on a spy mission to France.
🌸
A fast paced tension building plot line, with rich characters that could easily jump off the page, easily made for enthralling read. Seamless narration along with old friends and new additions help propel this spectacular book series forward. I am excited for the next book in this exquisite series.
🌸
{𝐇𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐒}
#theversaillesformula #nancybilyeau #joffebooks
April 17, 2025
I hadn't realised when I grabbed this book, that it was actually the third book in the Genevieve Planche Mystery series.
There were definitely a few occurrences where I wondered what I'd missed - but in essence this did read ok as a standalone read.
We follow Genevieve as she investigates a potential haunting where it's thought that a painting holds a ghost who appears at night - but on inspection, the painting seems to hold a whole different mystery.
This case is therefore whole and complete, but the discover that a pigment is being re-made, suggested that we've seen this before in previous books in the series.
I also took a little while getting to grips with the characters who were clearly already very well established.
The writing style did draw me in and had me intrigued and eager to find clues to solve the case - I really enjoyed the story on the whole - but I'm definitely left thinking about what I might have sorted had I read the series as a while and in order.
I liked the setting and era and felt that this was well written and felt very authentic - especially with the historical references and characters woven in.
I think I'll be adding books 1&2 to my wishlist so that I can catch up, ready for the next release....
There were definitely a few occurrences where I wondered what I'd missed - but in essence this did read ok as a standalone read.
We follow Genevieve as she investigates a potential haunting where it's thought that a painting holds a ghost who appears at night - but on inspection, the painting seems to hold a whole different mystery.
This case is therefore whole and complete, but the discover that a pigment is being re-made, suggested that we've seen this before in previous books in the series.
I also took a little while getting to grips with the characters who were clearly already very well established.
The writing style did draw me in and had me intrigued and eager to find clues to solve the case - I really enjoyed the story on the whole - but I'm definitely left thinking about what I might have sorted had I read the series as a while and in order.
I liked the setting and era and felt that this was well written and felt very authentic - especially with the historical references and characters woven in.
I think I'll be adding books 1&2 to my wishlist so that I can catch up, ready for the next release....
April 26, 2025
I want to thank Zoe at ZooLoo Book Tours for having me on this book tour.
I normally avoid historical fiction like the plague as I find it quite confusing and hard to understand. However, I am pleased that I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I actually found it to be extremely interesting, especially with a focus on art. I don't normally engage very well with this topic but the way in which Bilyeau described it captivated me. It felt spooky, informative and slightly tense all wrapped up in one, which just added to the fab atmosphere Nancy was trying to create.
It felt like 18th Century France was brought to life and, honestly, it felt so vivid despite the eerie atmosphere created throughout. I really, really liked the premise of the mystery of this novel, something I think best to read without much understanding, and I did really find myself captivated by the mystery, the characterisation and how refreshing this novel is.
This is the third in a series but it is most definitely ok to read as a standalone - I really enjoyed it!
I normally avoid historical fiction like the plague as I find it quite confusing and hard to understand. However, I am pleased that I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I actually found it to be extremely interesting, especially with a focus on art. I don't normally engage very well with this topic but the way in which Bilyeau described it captivated me. It felt spooky, informative and slightly tense all wrapped up in one, which just added to the fab atmosphere Nancy was trying to create.
It felt like 18th Century France was brought to life and, honestly, it felt so vivid despite the eerie atmosphere created throughout. I really, really liked the premise of the mystery of this novel, something I think best to read without much understanding, and I did really find myself captivated by the mystery, the characterisation and how refreshing this novel is.
This is the third in a series but it is most definitely ok to read as a standalone - I really enjoyed it!
April 17, 2025
An historical gothic mystery set in the 18th century.
This is Book 3 in the series, I hadn’t read the other 2 when I started this but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment but having now read the first 2 you do have recurring characters and gain some back story, but I don’t think it’s crucial to have read them first.
The book is eerie in parts and the pace and suspense will grip you and keep you reading.
Genevieve is quite the spy and certainly throws herself into the chase, full of suspense and a highly enjoyable read.
Thank you @zooloosbooktours @joffebooks and @tudorscribe for having me on the tour and for a copy of the ebook
#zooloosbooktours #joffebooks #nancybilyeau #theversaillesformula #freebookreview #bookstagram #adpr
This is Book 3 in the series, I hadn’t read the other 2 when I started this but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment but having now read the first 2 you do have recurring characters and gain some back story, but I don’t think it’s crucial to have read them first.
The book is eerie in parts and the pace and suspense will grip you and keep you reading.
Genevieve is quite the spy and certainly throws herself into the chase, full of suspense and a highly enjoyable read.
Thank you @zooloosbooktours @joffebooks and @tudorscribe for having me on the tour and for a copy of the ebook
#zooloosbooktours #joffebooks #nancybilyeau #theversaillesformula #freebookreview #bookstagram #adpr
April 26, 2025
I've not read anything by this author but I found the blurb intriguing so wanted to check it out.
The story is a detailed one which I feel has been planned and developed very well by the author.
I liked the style of storytelling and will look to read more by this author in the future.
The story is a detailed one which I feel has been planned and developed very well by the author.
I liked the style of storytelling and will look to read more by this author in the future.
April 26, 2025
|:: The Versailles Formula
By Nancy Bilyeau
Page 198
Chapter Twenty-Three
5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
{ Absorbing all this information, I say, “Her salon is admirable, especially considering her disadvantages. I'm curious what Madame du Deffand lives on and how she pays for these entertainments.”
“According to Sir Horace Walpole, after losing her sight, she was granted a pension by the Queen of France at the suggestion of a relative of Madame du Daffond's who is favoured by Her Majesty. She receives six thousand livres until her death.”
I reflect on the unfair advantage held by the aristocracy. If an ordinary woman of seventy were widowed, childless and blind, her situation would be dire indeed. For those of noble birth, a relation or a friend can always be found to cushion life's blows. But i decide not to share that observation with Captain Howard just now, in the spirit of harmony. }
I didn't read the two books that came before this one, but if i hadn't noticed the books in order, I would never have known! This is a story following a very spirited young woman who is married to a genius of his age and who was known for inventing the colour blue, more profound and beautiful than anyone else has ever accomplished.
But we have moved on from such a discovery, one that was full of intrigue, danger, and adventure. Now Genevieve Sturbridge is a mother and wIfe settled into the quaint village, country life, bringing up her son and missing her husband who is working to find more answers from the universe by using science.
However, it does seem the dangerous life is not dead, or done with her, after all. After being accosted by Sir Horace Walpole, who insists on Genevieve going with him to visit his wife, he claims to be very ill, she soon is told.. her expertise is wanted for something else. But no one seems to know why!
Apart from an invitation, she has no clue why she has been whisked away under a cloak of lies.
I loved this story. Genevieve I found, was very relatable, she was strong and consistently outsmarting men around her without sounding cruel or irrational, she worked hard to compromise and insisted on being kept in the know from the first seconds she realised not all was as it seems, and even though she seemed to have made an enemy of Captain Howard it wouldn't take long, for him to come to admire, her as well.
Her country needs her again.. but with so much to lose, will she take the risk? And if she doesn't, can the plan go ahead without her, even though she is the only person who is qualified out of the group to recognise Thomas's blue?
What transpires is a daring race against time, past relations, old feelings, intense new marvels and sabotage, evil deeds, twisted turns, and surprising revelations. This was so much more than a book. And I loved it.
A huge thank you to Nancy Bilyeau, Joffe Books Publisher, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and relay my honest feedback. ::|
By Nancy Bilyeau
Page 198
Chapter Twenty-Three
5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
{ Absorbing all this information, I say, “Her salon is admirable, especially considering her disadvantages. I'm curious what Madame du Deffand lives on and how she pays for these entertainments.”
“According to Sir Horace Walpole, after losing her sight, she was granted a pension by the Queen of France at the suggestion of a relative of Madame du Daffond's who is favoured by Her Majesty. She receives six thousand livres until her death.”
I reflect on the unfair advantage held by the aristocracy. If an ordinary woman of seventy were widowed, childless and blind, her situation would be dire indeed. For those of noble birth, a relation or a friend can always be found to cushion life's blows. But i decide not to share that observation with Captain Howard just now, in the spirit of harmony. }
I didn't read the two books that came before this one, but if i hadn't noticed the books in order, I would never have known! This is a story following a very spirited young woman who is married to a genius of his age and who was known for inventing the colour blue, more profound and beautiful than anyone else has ever accomplished.
But we have moved on from such a discovery, one that was full of intrigue, danger, and adventure. Now Genevieve Sturbridge is a mother and wIfe settled into the quaint village, country life, bringing up her son and missing her husband who is working to find more answers from the universe by using science.
However, it does seem the dangerous life is not dead, or done with her, after all. After being accosted by Sir Horace Walpole, who insists on Genevieve going with him to visit his wife, he claims to be very ill, she soon is told.. her expertise is wanted for something else. But no one seems to know why!
Apart from an invitation, she has no clue why she has been whisked away under a cloak of lies.
I loved this story. Genevieve I found, was very relatable, she was strong and consistently outsmarting men around her without sounding cruel or irrational, she worked hard to compromise and insisted on being kept in the know from the first seconds she realised not all was as it seems, and even though she seemed to have made an enemy of Captain Howard it wouldn't take long, for him to come to admire, her as well.
Her country needs her again.. but with so much to lose, will she take the risk? And if she doesn't, can the plan go ahead without her, even though she is the only person who is qualified out of the group to recognise Thomas's blue?
What transpires is a daring race against time, past relations, old feelings, intense new marvels and sabotage, evil deeds, twisted turns, and surprising revelations. This was so much more than a book. And I loved it.
A huge thank you to Nancy Bilyeau, Joffe Books Publisher, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and relay my honest feedback. ::|
April 22, 2025
Here is my review for The Versailles Formula by Nancy Bilyeau
This was an intriguing read which slowly drew me into its intricate web. Genevieve Sturbridge is currently living with her son in Lichfield when her friend’s husband stops by and invites her to come with him to see Evelyn who is suffering after losing a child. She is need of her friend. Genevieve agrees to go and they set off once they have packed a trunk. Genevieve is surprised to learn that she is invited to dine at Sir Horace Walpole’s but then discovers he has some artwork that he wants her to comment on at his Gothic estate. It’s a very mysterious dinner party at which Genevieve tastes really good food. Unfortunately, she uncovers a shocking secret about a rare pigment of pure blue that is being produced again. The formula is priceless and lethal. What has she walked into? This brilliantly written mystery is great and really intriguing by including the arts and paints from the art world. One or two great artists are named so I believe some research was done in the writing of this story so it makes the story more authentic and well written. The characters appear well thought about and this is the third book where Genevieve appears so she is a lady of substance but isn’t and her opinion matters although she is missing her husband. She has her likes and dislikes but she has to put them aside sometimes to get by. I enjoyed reading this mystery story as there was more than just Genevieve’s life at stake and it was an interesting read. The plot was well thought out and written into the story. The storyline first drew me to read this story and I wasn’t disappointed. I would like to read more of this series in the future so see what happens to Genevieve on her journey.
Blurb :
Genevieve Sturbridge thought she’d left danger behind in London. Now she lives a quiet life in the countryside with her husband and son. But an invitation to dine at Sir Horace Walpole’s eerie Gothic estate pulls her back into a deadly world of deception, espionage and murder.
At the mysterious dinner party, Genevieve uncovers a shocking secret — a rare pigment of pure blue is being produced again. Coveted by royalty, chemists and spies, its formula is priceless . . . and lethal.
Some will kill to possess it. Others will kill to keep it buried.
Only Genevieve can recognise the formula and stop it falling into the wrong hands. But when a ghost from her past resurfaces, Genevieve must determine who she can trust. Years ago, this secret nearly cost her and her husband their lives. Now, someone is willing to kill for it once more.
Genevieve must discover the truth before time runs out, because this time the price of failure will cost more than just her own life.
This was an intriguing read which slowly drew me into its intricate web. Genevieve Sturbridge is currently living with her son in Lichfield when her friend’s husband stops by and invites her to come with him to see Evelyn who is suffering after losing a child. She is need of her friend. Genevieve agrees to go and they set off once they have packed a trunk. Genevieve is surprised to learn that she is invited to dine at Sir Horace Walpole’s but then discovers he has some artwork that he wants her to comment on at his Gothic estate. It’s a very mysterious dinner party at which Genevieve tastes really good food. Unfortunately, she uncovers a shocking secret about a rare pigment of pure blue that is being produced again. The formula is priceless and lethal. What has she walked into? This brilliantly written mystery is great and really intriguing by including the arts and paints from the art world. One or two great artists are named so I believe some research was done in the writing of this story so it makes the story more authentic and well written. The characters appear well thought about and this is the third book where Genevieve appears so she is a lady of substance but isn’t and her opinion matters although she is missing her husband. She has her likes and dislikes but she has to put them aside sometimes to get by. I enjoyed reading this mystery story as there was more than just Genevieve’s life at stake and it was an interesting read. The plot was well thought out and written into the story. The storyline first drew me to read this story and I wasn’t disappointed. I would like to read more of this series in the future so see what happens to Genevieve on her journey.
Blurb :
Genevieve Sturbridge thought she’d left danger behind in London. Now she lives a quiet life in the countryside with her husband and son. But an invitation to dine at Sir Horace Walpole’s eerie Gothic estate pulls her back into a deadly world of deception, espionage and murder.
At the mysterious dinner party, Genevieve uncovers a shocking secret — a rare pigment of pure blue is being produced again. Coveted by royalty, chemists and spies, its formula is priceless . . . and lethal.
Some will kill to possess it. Others will kill to keep it buried.
Only Genevieve can recognise the formula and stop it falling into the wrong hands. But when a ghost from her past resurfaces, Genevieve must determine who she can trust. Years ago, this secret nearly cost her and her husband their lives. Now, someone is willing to kill for it once more.
Genevieve must discover the truth before time runs out, because this time the price of failure will cost more than just her own life.
April 15, 2025
Wow, what a great historical mystery! Nancy Bilyeau brings Gothic flair to 18th century London with The Versailles Formula, the third installment in her bestselling Genevieve Planché series. It bears mentioning that while I have read some of Bilyeau's other books, this series is new to me, yet I had no trouble at all picking up this novel and getting to know the characters and their backstories. So have no fear--if you are new to the series like I am, you will still enjoy it, as long as you don't mind a few spoilers from the previous two novels along the way. I didn't mind them at all--it only made me want to catch up on the whole series that much more!
The Gothic atmosphere is strong in The Versailles Formula. When artist and former spy Genevieve Sturbridge (nee Planché) is invited to London for dinner at author and influential politician Horace Walpole's sprawling Gothic revival estate, Strawberry Hill, she leaves the quiet countryside behind for the city of her birth. Little does she know she's about to be pulled back into the same web of espionage and intrigue that threatened her life years before when she and her husband were tasked with guarding the secret formula for a precious, rare shade of blue coveted by artists and royalty alike.
At Strawberry Hill, Genevieve uncovers a shocking secret--the same shade of blue pigment is being produced again--this time, by some formidable enemies. As the plucky and courageous Genevieve and her compatriots race against time to prevent the blue from landing in the wrong hands, readers get the pleasure of meeting the eccentric Walpole and experiencing his Gothic "gloomth." Be prepared for some delightful scares along the way, when a haunting painting creates all sorts of paranormal havoc at Strawberry Hill.
I could not read this novel at night for two reasons: the first quarter of it genuinely scared me (hard to do) and it was so good I didn't want to put it down. The excitement and action ramp up steadily, and Bilyeau's exquisite pacing will have you wanting to binge the novel in one sitting. Part espionage novel, part intriguing look at the historical importance of art and the porcelain industry to 18th century diplomacy, The Versailles Formula is a riveting and deftly written tale that will keep you up much too late at night, for all the right reasons. Fantastic!
The Gothic atmosphere is strong in The Versailles Formula. When artist and former spy Genevieve Sturbridge (nee Planché) is invited to London for dinner at author and influential politician Horace Walpole's sprawling Gothic revival estate, Strawberry Hill, she leaves the quiet countryside behind for the city of her birth. Little does she know she's about to be pulled back into the same web of espionage and intrigue that threatened her life years before when she and her husband were tasked with guarding the secret formula for a precious, rare shade of blue coveted by artists and royalty alike.
At Strawberry Hill, Genevieve uncovers a shocking secret--the same shade of blue pigment is being produced again--this time, by some formidable enemies. As the plucky and courageous Genevieve and her compatriots race against time to prevent the blue from landing in the wrong hands, readers get the pleasure of meeting the eccentric Walpole and experiencing his Gothic "gloomth." Be prepared for some delightful scares along the way, when a haunting painting creates all sorts of paranormal havoc at Strawberry Hill.
I could not read this novel at night for two reasons: the first quarter of it genuinely scared me (hard to do) and it was so good I didn't want to put it down. The excitement and action ramp up steadily, and Bilyeau's exquisite pacing will have you wanting to binge the novel in one sitting. Part espionage novel, part intriguing look at the historical importance of art and the porcelain industry to 18th century diplomacy, The Versailles Formula is a riveting and deftly written tale that will keep you up much too late at night, for all the right reasons. Fantastic!
April 4, 2025
This is the third book in the Genevieve Planche series and the fun and excitement continues.
Genevieve and her husband Thomas left Paris and now live in England. Thomas is still a chemist and is engaged in the study of electricity. Genevieve is bored, she misses her artist studio in Spitalfields, and her secret life as a spy in France.
When Sir Humphrey Willoughby, master spy catcher of England, asks for her help she is delighted to feel useful again.
Sir Horace Wimpole has acquired a painting by Fragonard, a portrait of an Angel, but a ghost apparently visits it at night, running footsteps have been heard along the corridor, and the figure of a young man in a white robe and golden hair has been seen near the painting, but then vanishes.
Why that painting? Genevieve knows her art and believes the painting to be a forgery, Fragonard didn’t paint Angels. Is there a hidden message within?
Much to her delight and the consternation of Thomas , she is tasked with returning to France with Captain Peregrine Howard as escort. She will use the alias of Lady Jane Howard, and try to find out who sold the painting to Walpole and what, if any, message is hidden there. Could it be connected to The Blue colour that Thomas developed in France eight years ago? The colour that led to murders, kidnapping and treason? The Blue that nearly started a war between France and England? She must find the answers without giving away her identity as a spy and her forbidden religion as a Huguenot.
This is an exciting romp through Paris, and there is a hint of a romance between Genevieve and Captain Howard, how will that play out?
The story is full of historical characters, details, tension and a real fear of being exposed and suffering harm if discovered. A meeting with an old acquaintance, long feared dead, brings both a surprise and an obligation to Genevieve.
A wonderful read, worthy of my five star rating.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Joffe Books for my advanced copy, freely given in return for my honest review. I will leave copies to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication. I am recommending this to my local library and reading group for next years list.
Genevieve and her husband Thomas left Paris and now live in England. Thomas is still a chemist and is engaged in the study of electricity. Genevieve is bored, she misses her artist studio in Spitalfields, and her secret life as a spy in France.
When Sir Humphrey Willoughby, master spy catcher of England, asks for her help she is delighted to feel useful again.
Sir Horace Wimpole has acquired a painting by Fragonard, a portrait of an Angel, but a ghost apparently visits it at night, running footsteps have been heard along the corridor, and the figure of a young man in a white robe and golden hair has been seen near the painting, but then vanishes.
Why that painting? Genevieve knows her art and believes the painting to be a forgery, Fragonard didn’t paint Angels. Is there a hidden message within?
Much to her delight and the consternation of Thomas , she is tasked with returning to France with Captain Peregrine Howard as escort. She will use the alias of Lady Jane Howard, and try to find out who sold the painting to Walpole and what, if any, message is hidden there. Could it be connected to The Blue colour that Thomas developed in France eight years ago? The colour that led to murders, kidnapping and treason? The Blue that nearly started a war between France and England? She must find the answers without giving away her identity as a spy and her forbidden religion as a Huguenot.
This is an exciting romp through Paris, and there is a hint of a romance between Genevieve and Captain Howard, how will that play out?
The story is full of historical characters, details, tension and a real fear of being exposed and suffering harm if discovered. A meeting with an old acquaintance, long feared dead, brings both a surprise and an obligation to Genevieve.
A wonderful read, worthy of my five star rating.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Joffe Books for my advanced copy, freely given in return for my honest review. I will leave copies to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication. I am recommending this to my local library and reading group for next years list.
June 1, 2025
Another Winner
In the third of this series, I found this book to be perhaps the best so far. The plot moves along swiftly with twists and turns that are surprising, yet well-structured and organic.
The book has two parts: the first in England and the second in France. There is a good deal of information provided regarding the financial troubles that England and France both face because of long years of making war. Genevieve continues to provide commentary on the plight of the poor, and how disturbing and disgusting it is to see some people with so much wealth carelessly wasting it while other people must suffer to serve them.
The character development is quite good. I very much like the person Genevieve is; however, the depth that the author gives her character is what makes her leap from the page… She is staunchly loyal, she’s brave and intelligent; and while she struggles to do the right thing, her humanity is evident in the distress she faces in struggling to be the person she believes that she should be. It is, however, with that same courage that she presses forward not only as a loyal English subject, but also as a champion of ethics and personal morality.
I must say that the character of Thomas, as with the last book, seems to be very secondary. But I don’t feel the author has ever fully “fleshed“ him out for the reader; and perhaps she did this because this is Genevieve‘s story, and these are Genevieve’s challenges. In a world dominated by men, she still struggles to find a place to use her gifts, to be recognized not only as uniquely herself, but also as an intelligent and noble woman. At the same time, she never comes across as arrogant, always self-checking.
I don’t know if there is another book about the “blue.“ But I would certainly love to follow Genevieve‘s story even further. This one ends rather abruptly, and I cannot help but feel that there will be another book to address the questions that remain at the end of this installment.
This book is very readable; it is engaging and exciting. I greatly enjoyed it and recommend it without reservation.
In the third of this series, I found this book to be perhaps the best so far. The plot moves along swiftly with twists and turns that are surprising, yet well-structured and organic.
The book has two parts: the first in England and the second in France. There is a good deal of information provided regarding the financial troubles that England and France both face because of long years of making war. Genevieve continues to provide commentary on the plight of the poor, and how disturbing and disgusting it is to see some people with so much wealth carelessly wasting it while other people must suffer to serve them.
The character development is quite good. I very much like the person Genevieve is; however, the depth that the author gives her character is what makes her leap from the page… She is staunchly loyal, she’s brave and intelligent; and while she struggles to do the right thing, her humanity is evident in the distress she faces in struggling to be the person she believes that she should be. It is, however, with that same courage that she presses forward not only as a loyal English subject, but also as a champion of ethics and personal morality.
I must say that the character of Thomas, as with the last book, seems to be very secondary. But I don’t feel the author has ever fully “fleshed“ him out for the reader; and perhaps she did this because this is Genevieve‘s story, and these are Genevieve’s challenges. In a world dominated by men, she still struggles to find a place to use her gifts, to be recognized not only as uniquely herself, but also as an intelligent and noble woman. At the same time, she never comes across as arrogant, always self-checking.
I don’t know if there is another book about the “blue.“ But I would certainly love to follow Genevieve‘s story even further. This one ends rather abruptly, and I cannot help but feel that there will be another book to address the questions that remain at the end of this installment.
This book is very readable; it is engaging and exciting. I greatly enjoyed it and recommend it without reservation.
April 16, 2025
This is part three in the Genevieve Planché spy series and can easily be read as a stand-alone. A gripping tale of intrigue and political one-upmanship between the British and French governments. Mainly set in pre-revolution Paris, it depicts all the debauchery and foppishness in the French court at that time, while behind the scenes, the dark and dangerous world of espionage plays out.
Genevieve Planchě, now Mrs Sturbridge, is bored and living in a quiet backwater near Lichfield. Her husband Thomas is working away from home on an assignment as a chemist. Mrs Sturbridge is left at home with their son Pierre and trying to keep occupied giving art lessons to young ladies at the home of Erasmus Darwin
Out of the blue, a carriage arrives bearing the English spymaster Sir Humphrey Willoughby. He explains to Genevieve that he needs her help as an expert in art to solve a mysterious haunting at the house of Sir Horace Walpole, the son of the British prime minister. the haunting appears to eminate from a recently acquired painting of an angel by the renowned artist Fragonard. Genevieve quickly realises that the painting is probably a forgery and that the ghostly manifestation is a hoax.
Not only is the painting a fake, but it contains a hidden message that will destroy the flimsy peace that exists between France and Britain. The controversial new colour, a spectacular blue pigment discovered under duress by Genevieve's husband while they were held captive at the Sevres porcelain factory, has been used in the painting. Both countries have sworn a treaty to never use or reveal the formula for the chemical dye.
Willoughby sends Genevieve and the gallant Captain Howard to unravel the mystery and restore stability before the warmonger Pitt takes his place as PM of Britain.
Well worth reading the first two parts of this "Blue" saga.
Genevieve Planchě, now Mrs Sturbridge, is bored and living in a quiet backwater near Lichfield. Her husband Thomas is working away from home on an assignment as a chemist. Mrs Sturbridge is left at home with their son Pierre and trying to keep occupied giving art lessons to young ladies at the home of Erasmus Darwin
Out of the blue, a carriage arrives bearing the English spymaster Sir Humphrey Willoughby. He explains to Genevieve that he needs her help as an expert in art to solve a mysterious haunting at the house of Sir Horace Walpole, the son of the British prime minister. the haunting appears to eminate from a recently acquired painting of an angel by the renowned artist Fragonard. Genevieve quickly realises that the painting is probably a forgery and that the ghostly manifestation is a hoax.
Not only is the painting a fake, but it contains a hidden message that will destroy the flimsy peace that exists between France and Britain. The controversial new colour, a spectacular blue pigment discovered under duress by Genevieve's husband while they were held captive at the Sevres porcelain factory, has been used in the painting. Both countries have sworn a treaty to never use or reveal the formula for the chemical dye.
Willoughby sends Genevieve and the gallant Captain Howard to unravel the mystery and restore stability before the warmonger Pitt takes his place as PM of Britain.
Well worth reading the first two parts of this "Blue" saga.
April 10, 2025
I thank NetGalley and Lume Books for an advance reader copy of The Versailles Formula. All opinions and comments are my own.
Genevieve Planché and her husband Thomas Sturbridge are once again caught up in a diabolical tale concerning “that” supposedly destroyed method of developing a beautiful blue paint in The Versailles Formula. The whole story (it would help if you’ve read the previous books, but author Nancy Bilyeau has the knack of providing enough information in this one to give you the gist) is a clash of governmental proportions, and this one is a continuation, as spymaster Sir Humphrey sets Genevieve on a path of “King and Country.” So, when you have a wife that must lie to her husband, assume another woman’s identity, do a whole lot of spying in Paris, and to top it all off, do all this in company with another (very attractive) man not her husband, well, you may have a recipe for disaster.
Genevieve and Captain Howard, her comrade in arms, as it were, turn out to be very good at what they do, and get the information they’ve come for (“tensions will ease,” as we’re told), not without personal danger, of course; no good spy thriller is complete without it. But that’s not the end of it for Genevieve. What does happen in The Versailles Formula is an awakening in her that perhaps a quiet life in the country is not everything she wants and wishes for. Above all, she has to explain to Thomas how their life is changing -- in some very interesting ways -- but she’ll probably keep quiet about a LOT of other things. Will she return to her husband and son and be content? The author has given us a heroine with an intriguing story and much left to tell readers.
Genevieve Planché and her husband Thomas Sturbridge are once again caught up in a diabolical tale concerning “that” supposedly destroyed method of developing a beautiful blue paint in The Versailles Formula. The whole story (it would help if you’ve read the previous books, but author Nancy Bilyeau has the knack of providing enough information in this one to give you the gist) is a clash of governmental proportions, and this one is a continuation, as spymaster Sir Humphrey sets Genevieve on a path of “King and Country.” So, when you have a wife that must lie to her husband, assume another woman’s identity, do a whole lot of spying in Paris, and to top it all off, do all this in company with another (very attractive) man not her husband, well, you may have a recipe for disaster.
Genevieve and Captain Howard, her comrade in arms, as it were, turn out to be very good at what they do, and get the information they’ve come for (“tensions will ease,” as we’re told), not without personal danger, of course; no good spy thriller is complete without it. But that’s not the end of it for Genevieve. What does happen in The Versailles Formula is an awakening in her that perhaps a quiet life in the country is not everything she wants and wishes for. Above all, she has to explain to Thomas how their life is changing -- in some very interesting ways -- but she’ll probably keep quiet about a LOT of other things. Will she return to her husband and son and be content? The author has given us a heroine with an intriguing story and much left to tell readers.
March 14, 2025
The Versailles Formula starts with an eerie, haunting image: a ghost patters down a long, dark hallway night after night, past a suit of armor, trying in vain to seize its prize at the end, the portrait of an angel--but always vanishing before he wins his goal. Genevieve Sturbridge nee Planche is back. And solving this mystery will only lead to more mysteries, a trail of bodies, and desperate danger.
Genevieve, of course, is the Huguenot heroine with French heritage and British loyalties, with one foot in the art world and the other mired in espionage. In this third book in the series she's teamed with an army captain almost as stubborn and resourceful as she is. Sparks fly.
They're agents in the secret battle between England and France that threatens every day to break out into open warfare that could bring both countries down. The fates of two nations hinge once again on the machinations behind a mysterious shade of blue.
The atmosphere is delightful.The action takes place in England and France, castles and cemeteries and chateaux, grand ballrooms, sinister prisons, and cloistered convents. Historical figures flit through, from Horace Walpole, the father of the Gothic novel, to the Marquis de Sade, who lived one.
The Versailles Formula is Bilyeau at her best, a classic tale of mystery and intrigue that only lacks a cameo from a dueling D'Artagnan to make my life complete. If you've read the firsr two books in the series, this is one you've been eagerly awaiting. If you haven't, this is a hellacious introduction.
The Versailles Formula will be published April 17.
Genevieve, of course, is the Huguenot heroine with French heritage and British loyalties, with one foot in the art world and the other mired in espionage. In this third book in the series she's teamed with an army captain almost as stubborn and resourceful as she is. Sparks fly.
They're agents in the secret battle between England and France that threatens every day to break out into open warfare that could bring both countries down. The fates of two nations hinge once again on the machinations behind a mysterious shade of blue.
The atmosphere is delightful.The action takes place in England and France, castles and cemeteries and chateaux, grand ballrooms, sinister prisons, and cloistered convents. Historical figures flit through, from Horace Walpole, the father of the Gothic novel, to the Marquis de Sade, who lived one.
The Versailles Formula is Bilyeau at her best, a classic tale of mystery and intrigue that only lacks a cameo from a dueling D'Artagnan to make my life complete. If you've read the firsr two books in the series, this is one you've been eagerly awaiting. If you haven't, this is a hellacious introduction.
The Versailles Formula will be published April 17.
April 12, 2025
Immersive, Action-Packed, Well-Researched.
The Versailles Formula by Nancy Bilyeau is one of the most amazingly immersive books I have ever read. Once the first page is opened, the reader is not just enjoying the story but is vicariously living the life of our heroine Genevieve Sturbridge. Nancy’s style of writing absorbs you into experiencing Europe in 1766. You feel the fear of being discovered by people who would kill you, one experiences the elation when another important clue becomes uncovered, the awful discomfort of wearing full court dress of the period in high summer in France.
For the first 25% of the book we are not quite sure where we are meant to be going, but there is a lot of action in England and we meet many interesting and well-known historical characters. The book has been well researched and when we move to France we enjoy learning the social nuances in contemporary Paris, how even back then current fashions were so important, and how international relations were influenced by seemingly obscure happenings. We learn that the colour blue has always been the most difficult to reproduce. Paintings of The Madonna clothed her in blue because it was the most expensive paint but Jesus’s Mother would never have been able to actually wear a blue dress. Thus this story about espionage and murder to control production of a formula for a pure blue pigment that only Genevieve can recognize comes to life.
This is a meticulously crafted, action packed, very exciting book that I thoroughly recommend. Beware of becoming glued to the pages and unaware of current time passing.
The Versailles Formula by Nancy Bilyeau is one of the most amazingly immersive books I have ever read. Once the first page is opened, the reader is not just enjoying the story but is vicariously living the life of our heroine Genevieve Sturbridge. Nancy’s style of writing absorbs you into experiencing Europe in 1766. You feel the fear of being discovered by people who would kill you, one experiences the elation when another important clue becomes uncovered, the awful discomfort of wearing full court dress of the period in high summer in France.
For the first 25% of the book we are not quite sure where we are meant to be going, but there is a lot of action in England and we meet many interesting and well-known historical characters. The book has been well researched and when we move to France we enjoy learning the social nuances in contemporary Paris, how even back then current fashions were so important, and how international relations were influenced by seemingly obscure happenings. We learn that the colour blue has always been the most difficult to reproduce. Paintings of The Madonna clothed her in blue because it was the most expensive paint but Jesus’s Mother would never have been able to actually wear a blue dress. Thus this story about espionage and murder to control production of a formula for a pure blue pigment that only Genevieve can recognize comes to life.
This is a meticulously crafted, action packed, very exciting book that I thoroughly recommend. Beware of becoming glued to the pages and unaware of current time passing.
April 15, 2025
The Versailles Formula is a beautiful addition to Nancy Bilyeau’s Genieve Planchet Sturbridge series which demonstrates Bilyeau’s consistent skill as a longtime historical fiction author. As always, her writing is elegant in historical detail, this time, bringing the reader full board into 18th century England & France within a visual and sensatory kaleidoscope of color, texture & human emotion.
As the story opens in England, Bilyeau skillfully integrates just enough backstory to bring Genevieve loyalists and new fans up to speed from the intervening years between the releases of The Blue and its sequel, Fugitive Colors.
With Genevieve’s new story, we find her internally restless, conflicted between her need for independence, her love for her husband despite their growing emotional distance, and her longing to live not in the tedious countryside, but in the familiar chaos of London.
However, her restlessness begins to shift when Genevieve is once again drafted as a reluctant spy for England. Set against the turbulent tug of war between England and France, the story evolves into a complex of spy craft threads complicated by unexpected undercurrents between herself and her British co-conspirator spy, Captain Howard. When the two are transported to France in undercover roles, their lives are seriously threatened. No one is to be trusted, danger lurks from every corner, and emotional conflict amplifies within Genevieve, not only as a spy, but most importantly as a wife with choices to be made.
For old fans and new readers of Bilyeau's works, The Versailles Formula is not to be missed!
As the story opens in England, Bilyeau skillfully integrates just enough backstory to bring Genevieve loyalists and new fans up to speed from the intervening years between the releases of The Blue and its sequel, Fugitive Colors.
With Genevieve’s new story, we find her internally restless, conflicted between her need for independence, her love for her husband despite their growing emotional distance, and her longing to live not in the tedious countryside, but in the familiar chaos of London.
However, her restlessness begins to shift when Genevieve is once again drafted as a reluctant spy for England. Set against the turbulent tug of war between England and France, the story evolves into a complex of spy craft threads complicated by unexpected undercurrents between herself and her British co-conspirator spy, Captain Howard. When the two are transported to France in undercover roles, their lives are seriously threatened. No one is to be trusted, danger lurks from every corner, and emotional conflict amplifies within Genevieve, not only as a spy, but most importantly as a wife with choices to be made.
For old fans and new readers of Bilyeau's works, The Versailles Formula is not to be missed!
April 26, 2025
Genevieve Sturbridge, neé Planché, is restless being stuck in the countryside. Her husband is away working on scientific experiments while she is taking care of her home and visiting nearby friends with her young son. When she is called to go to the side of a dear friend who is living just outside of London, Genevieve packs up her son and makes the journey. Once there, however, Genevieve discovers that her friend’s husband, a high level intelligence official and not a fan of Genevieve, has ulterior motives for inviting her to his home.
In short order, Genevieve discovers that a ghost terrifying a nearby estate is not what it seems, nor is the artwork hanging on the wall of said estate. As her artist’s eye examines a new and valuable painting she discovers that someone is trying to bring Britain and France to the brink of war…again. She is pressed into service to uncover the culprit so travels to France undercover with Captain Peregrine Howard and a motley crew of agents. Danger lurks and soon Genevieve must draw on all of her resources to come out of this investigation alive.
“The Versailles Formula” is the third book in the Genevieve Planché series. I enjoyed the twists and turns in the story, but it would have made more sense, particularly around the competition to develop new pigments, if I had read the previous volumes.
This story is great for readers who enjoy historical mysteries and the social history of art.
I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and Joffe Books, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
In short order, Genevieve discovers that a ghost terrifying a nearby estate is not what it seems, nor is the artwork hanging on the wall of said estate. As her artist’s eye examines a new and valuable painting she discovers that someone is trying to bring Britain and France to the brink of war…again. She is pressed into service to uncover the culprit so travels to France undercover with Captain Peregrine Howard and a motley crew of agents. Danger lurks and soon Genevieve must draw on all of her resources to come out of this investigation alive.
“The Versailles Formula” is the third book in the Genevieve Planché series. I enjoyed the twists and turns in the story, but it would have made more sense, particularly around the competition to develop new pigments, if I had read the previous volumes.
This story is great for readers who enjoy historical mysteries and the social history of art.
I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and Joffe Books, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 15, 2025
The Blue was one of my favorite reads of 2018, so I was thrilled to hear that Genevieve Planche was making a return in The Versailles Formula. Now married and a mother, Genevieve finds herself torn. She loves her husband, creator of a highly valued and protected shade of blue, and her young son, but life teaching ladies watercolor painting is pallid compared to her old life as a spy. When a Fragonard painting reveals that the French may be producing her husband's blue, breaking a treaty agreement, Genevieve is deployed to France in order to prevent a trade war—or worse. She is accompanied on her mission by Captain Peregrine Howard, a dashing Catholic who poses a very different kind of danger.
Like her other novels, The Versailles Formula has a depth and intensity that set it apart. The history is always entertaining—but never window dressing. Bilyeau credibly makes one feel world peace is at stake over a tint for porcelain. The romantic tension between Genevieve and the captain is spicy without overwhelming the suspense. Bilyeau gives the reader a fabulous tour of 18th century Paris from its convents and opera houses to the louche masked balls of the aristocracy. Genevieve is a complicated, highly intelligent character who never falls into the dull predictability of the "spirited woman ahead of her time" tropes. The ending leaves the possibility open for another Genevieve Planche novel and I very much look forward!
Like her other novels, The Versailles Formula has a depth and intensity that set it apart. The history is always entertaining—but never window dressing. Bilyeau credibly makes one feel world peace is at stake over a tint for porcelain. The romantic tension between Genevieve and the captain is spicy without overwhelming the suspense. Bilyeau gives the reader a fabulous tour of 18th century Paris from its convents and opera houses to the louche masked balls of the aristocracy. Genevieve is a complicated, highly intelligent character who never falls into the dull predictability of the "spirited woman ahead of her time" tropes. The ending leaves the possibility open for another Genevieve Planche novel and I very much look forward!
April 13, 2025
This was my first read from Nancy Bilyeau and I was delighted! I like historical fiction, especially when there is a strong female protagonist and I was not disappointed in this read.
This was the third book in the series and I would advise reading the first two first as there are many things I didn't quite understand that were covered in this book. I have bought all 3 now and intend to read them in order.
This book (and I'm assuming the others are too) is immaculately researched and extremely clever. I love the way that characters and real life figures were intertwined around actual events and made up events alike. It was a cross between a fiction book and a history text although much more entertaining than any history text that I have ever read before.
I didn't understand some of the content, not being thoroughly well read in the time frame, but the author did a great job at explaining the cause and reasons behind things both from the point of view of the British and French sides.
Who could resist a story with espionage, fraud, forgery, kidnapping, impersonation and class snobbery to name but a few themes. A delightful romp of a read and of course all to do with my favourite colour... Blue!
My thanks to Joffe's ARC for an ARC of this book. You have added a new author to my collection!
This was the third book in the series and I would advise reading the first two first as there are many things I didn't quite understand that were covered in this book. I have bought all 3 now and intend to read them in order.
This book (and I'm assuming the others are too) is immaculately researched and extremely clever. I love the way that characters and real life figures were intertwined around actual events and made up events alike. It was a cross between a fiction book and a history text although much more entertaining than any history text that I have ever read before.
I didn't understand some of the content, not being thoroughly well read in the time frame, but the author did a great job at explaining the cause and reasons behind things both from the point of view of the British and French sides.
Who could resist a story with espionage, fraud, forgery, kidnapping, impersonation and class snobbery to name but a few themes. A delightful romp of a read and of course all to do with my favourite colour... Blue!
My thanks to Joffe's ARC for an ARC of this book. You have added a new author to my collection!
April 15, 2025
The Versailles Formula, Nancy Bilyeau's marvelous 3rd volume of her Genevieve Planché mysteries, does just what I crave when I read a historical novel: it transports me to a different time and place. How do the best novelists do this? Well, painstaking research, for one: Ms. Bilyeau has a solid knowledge of the tensions between England and France of the 1760s as well as its main political players. The Blue--which ultimately serves as a metaphor for these tensions--is a rare, discontinued pigment developed by her husband, and "agents" on both sides fight over it as if over nuclear armaments. This premise is refreshingly original, and the brilliantly twisty plot actually makes sense (!), although you may have to use your noggin a bit to follow it. But what impressed me the most is her gift for detailed description. When Genevieve lands in Paris to begin her dangerous mission, we can see the narrow streets with their buildings that "sagged towards each other, nearly touching." Inside the Comedie Française, we smell the "thick, intoxicating swirl of perfume, a hothouse of human flowers blooming all at once." And we can laugh at the absurdity of the nobility in their white silk socks, jeweled shoes, and heads covered in wigs that "resemble sparkling beehives." The Versaille Formula is a master class in the lost art of description, and I loved it for that. I'm sure others will, too.
April 24, 2025
This is the third book in the Genevieve Planché series, although the book does contain previous characters and plots, this can be read as a standalone.
Genevieve Planchě, now Mrs Sturbridge, is living in Lichfield with her husband Thomas and their son Pierre, she is desperately trying to keep herself occupied by teaching art classes to young ladies.
But when a carriage arrives bearing the English spymaster Sir Humphrey Willoughby, asking for her help to solve a mysterious haunting at the house of Sir Horace Walpole, the son of the British prime minister, she is excited at the prospect of solving the mystery.
However, Genevieve soon finds herself being drawn into something more sinister than a simple haunting and her investigations soon escalates into an international search for a scientific formula, with a terrifying web of deception, espionage and murder!
This is my first book by Bilyeau, it is well paced and full of historical characters, tensions, intrigue, suspense, plot twists, fear and mystery.
I was quickly drawn into the beautifully detailed 18th Century atmospheric gothic world of chateaux’s, grand estates, artists and former spies!
I hope there could be a fourth Genevieve Planché book in the series. If so, I’ll certainly be reading it.
Genevieve Planchě, now Mrs Sturbridge, is living in Lichfield with her husband Thomas and their son Pierre, she is desperately trying to keep herself occupied by teaching art classes to young ladies.
But when a carriage arrives bearing the English spymaster Sir Humphrey Willoughby, asking for her help to solve a mysterious haunting at the house of Sir Horace Walpole, the son of the British prime minister, she is excited at the prospect of solving the mystery.
However, Genevieve soon finds herself being drawn into something more sinister than a simple haunting and her investigations soon escalates into an international search for a scientific formula, with a terrifying web of deception, espionage and murder!
This is my first book by Bilyeau, it is well paced and full of historical characters, tensions, intrigue, suspense, plot twists, fear and mystery.
I was quickly drawn into the beautifully detailed 18th Century atmospheric gothic world of chateaux’s, grand estates, artists and former spies!
I hope there could be a fourth Genevieve Planché book in the series. If so, I’ll certainly be reading it.
April 26, 2025
Genevieve is now living a quiet life with her young son while her husband is working elsewhere. She was never meant for a humdrum, country living and feels stifled. An invitation to the castle of Sir Horace Walpole to also be a companion to Evelyn her friend and wife of Sir Humphrey Willoughby. Eventually, Genevieve finds out that the request was to be the facade for her to work her skills into finding out what and who is creating havoc at Sir Walpole’s castle, all in connection with a Fragonard painting.
Genevieve is no ordinary Huegenot refugee. She and her husband were responsible for the development of a cobalt blue pigment which was prized and pursued by both French and English, and which finally led to Thomas and Genevieve finding refuge in England. This was on top of the religious persecution at the time.Now Sir Willoughby wants to take Genevieve back to France to discover a spy network. Under a false name and history, Genevieve sets off on an adventure fraught with danger and one which she has kept secret from her husband.
There were many twists and turns in the story, it also seems unfinished. I hope there is a sequel. Mixed with fictional figures there is still plenty of actual history and figures to keep one deeply interested.
Genevieve is no ordinary Huegenot refugee. She and her husband were responsible for the development of a cobalt blue pigment which was prized and pursued by both French and English, and which finally led to Thomas and Genevieve finding refuge in England. This was on top of the religious persecution at the time.Now Sir Willoughby wants to take Genevieve back to France to discover a spy network. Under a false name and history, Genevieve sets off on an adventure fraught with danger and one which she has kept secret from her husband.
There were many twists and turns in the story, it also seems unfinished. I hope there is a sequel. Mixed with fictional figures there is still plenty of actual history and figures to keep one deeply interested.
April 12, 2025
Leading a quiet life in the country with her husband and son, Genevieve Planché is invited to solve the mystery of a ghost haunting a painting at a nearby gothic estate. Her feisty and curious mind discovers a devious plot and soon she is enlisted to return to Paris, a city where a previous life held heartache and betrayal.
As French and English traitors spy on one another, and society ladies spur her, she delves into the French aristocratic world attending theaters and a grand French ball as part of her mission to solve the mystery of the painting. Genevieve rises to the challenge, taking on a heady mix of the 18th century world of science, art and politics. In wonderfully drawn scenes at the Comédie-Française, English estates, the Château de Sceaux, and a dreaded prison, our intelligent and moral heroine rises to the challenge to right a terrible wrong.
With action-packed scenes to rival the classic The Scarlet Pimpernel, Nancy Bilyeau's excellent third book in the Genevieve Planché series, The Versailles Formula, solicits page turning suspense until the very end. Reader, be ready for the world outside of reading this book to disappear.
As French and English traitors spy on one another, and society ladies spur her, she delves into the French aristocratic world attending theaters and a grand French ball as part of her mission to solve the mystery of the painting. Genevieve rises to the challenge, taking on a heady mix of the 18th century world of science, art and politics. In wonderfully drawn scenes at the Comédie-Française, English estates, the Château de Sceaux, and a dreaded prison, our intelligent and moral heroine rises to the challenge to right a terrible wrong.
With action-packed scenes to rival the classic The Scarlet Pimpernel, Nancy Bilyeau's excellent third book in the Genevieve Planché series, The Versailles Formula, solicits page turning suspense until the very end. Reader, be ready for the world outside of reading this book to disappear.
April 14, 2025
The Versailles Formula is historical suspense at its best. Starting with the hunt for a ghost, the novel quickly escalates into an international search for a scientific formula.
Bilyeau’s rich, evocative language rapidly draws you into 18th century world of artist, former spy and woman of science, Genevieve Sturbridge as she races to discover how a unique shade of blue pigment seems to have been resurrected from the dead even though the formula for it was believed to be destroyed forever. This blue can be deadly in more ways than one. People are willing to die to possess the formula, to destroy it . . . it even threatens a fragile post-war peace between rivals England and France.
Thanks to the depth of Bilyeau’s craft, readers will share Genevieve’s tension and fear as she races though settings from rough, working-class Southwark to glittering Versailles. As Genevieve’s heart races, so will yours. If you like your mystery with twisty, dark, history The Versailles Formula is for you.
Bilyeau’s rich, evocative language rapidly draws you into 18th century world of artist, former spy and woman of science, Genevieve Sturbridge as she races to discover how a unique shade of blue pigment seems to have been resurrected from the dead even though the formula for it was believed to be destroyed forever. This blue can be deadly in more ways than one. People are willing to die to possess the formula, to destroy it . . . it even threatens a fragile post-war peace between rivals England and France.
Thanks to the depth of Bilyeau’s craft, readers will share Genevieve’s tension and fear as she races though settings from rough, working-class Southwark to glittering Versailles. As Genevieve’s heart races, so will yours. If you like your mystery with twisty, dark, history The Versailles Formula is for you.
April 21, 2025
If you're looking for a historical mystery that's fresh and different, look no further. Although it's the third in an excellent series, The Versailles Formula can be read as a standalone. The setting, in 1760s England and France, is well-developed, getting across a sense of time and place unobtrusively. Genevieve herself is a complicated character, honest in her mixed feelings about so much in her life.
One of the novel's biggest delights is Genevieve's visit to Sir Horace Walpole's Strawberry Hill, his marvelous and ridiculous pseudo-medieval mansion, where the mystery begins. It carries on to Paris, where our heroine has found herself caught up in a complicated spy game.
I'm seriously impressed by Bilyeau's ability to move between times and places, as she began with a series set in Tudor England, and has written a number of works set in early 20th century New York as well. She brings the reader along with her to each of these locales -- I can't wait to see where she takes us next!
One of the novel's biggest delights is Genevieve's visit to Sir Horace Walpole's Strawberry Hill, his marvelous and ridiculous pseudo-medieval mansion, where the mystery begins. It carries on to Paris, where our heroine has found herself caught up in a complicated spy game.
I'm seriously impressed by Bilyeau's ability to move between times and places, as she began with a series set in Tudor England, and has written a number of works set in early 20th century New York as well. She brings the reader along with her to each of these locales -- I can't wait to see where she takes us next!
Read
May 15, 2025Unfortunately, I DNFed this at 21%. I was drawn in by the premise—an espionage-filled historical thriller with an artistic twist sounded like something I’d love—but I struggled to connect with the characters and found myself unclear on what was actually happening in the plot. There’s definitely a sense of intrigue, but I felt adrift rather than engaged.
It’s entirely possible that starting with book three in the Genevieve Planché series worked against me. Readers already familiar with the characters may find more depth and context here than I did. I’ve seen many glowing reviews, so this may simply not have been the right book for me at the right time.
(I didn't realize it was the third book. I do want to go back and read the first book because I really like the premise, so maybe I will update this review later.)
Thank you to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
It’s entirely possible that starting with book three in the Genevieve Planché series worked against me. Readers already familiar with the characters may find more depth and context here than I did. I’ve seen many glowing reviews, so this may simply not have been the right book for me at the right time.
(I didn't realize it was the third book. I do want to go back and read the first book because I really like the premise, so maybe I will update this review later.)
Thank you to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 10, 2025
Genevieve Pierre is invited to care for her friend at her home. Whilst there she is invited to a dinner party. She is enlisted into helping solve a mystery. As the mystery deepens she has to depend on her skills as an artist, an investigator and on her training in espionage. It's a really interesting storyline. The character of Genevieve is multi layered which also added a lot to the story. She hates being kept in the dark and is determined to delve deep particularly into the other characters. Her mission is fraught with danger and suspense. But she is very tenacious and is determined to get to the bottom of everything. She is sworn to secrecy and having to deceive her husband how will she fair? A strong woman determined to prove her worth in a man's world. A book I would highly recommend.
April 10, 2025
As a fan of 18th century complex intrigues and regular visitor of baroque locations in France, I was on the edge about the Versailles formula. Would the plot make sense ? How about the possible faux pas about the period ? How the characters would be described ? Well, I'm over the moon. It is the first time reading a historical novel about this period that I'm carried away in such a fashion by the context, the story, the numerous characters, the atmosphere. The pace of the adventures of the characters is perfectly orchestrated, and I cannot wait to buy and read all the books from Nancy Bilyeau. I just cannot wait for the 4th book about Genevieve Planché. Also, the series is a perfect gift to anyone interested in European arts and crafts.
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