Russia 1916 Nina Ivanovna's world is in turmoil Her only hope is to travel to St Petersburg to escape the past & find a future Stefan Kolodin is a medical student
- young & idealistic he wants change for Russia & its people Amidst the chaos of a city in revolt their lives collide & a stormy relationship develops full of passion & politics But soon Nina is drawn in to the glamorous lavish lives of the Russian royal family
- where she begins to fall under the spell of their mysterious monk Grigory Rasputin The ruby-studded dagger he carries
- beautiful & deadly
- could save her & Stefan from a cursed life or condemn them to it An outstanding writer
- simply superb' Independent