The White Russian - by Vanora Bennett (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

An enchanting, suspenseful novel of love, art, music, and family secrets set among the Russian émigré community of Paris in 1937

The White Russian by Vanora Bennett begins as Evie, a rebellious young American, leaves New York in search of art and adventure in Jazz Age Paris, home to her long-estranged bohemian grandmother. But just as Evie arrives, her grandmother becomes very ill. Before she dies, she compels Evie to carry out her final wish: find a man from her past known only as Zhenya.

The quest leads Evie deep into the heart of the Russian émigré community of Paris. With the world on the brink of war, she becomes embroiled in murder plots, conspiracies, and illicit love affairs as White Russian faces Red Russian, and nothing is as it seems.

When Evie meets Jean, a liberal Russian refugee connected to her grandmother's circle, she thinks she has finally found the passion and excitement she's yearned for all her life. But is she any nearer to discovering the identity of the mysterious Zhenya or to uncovering the heartbreak of her grandmother's past?

Review Quotes

"A sweeping novel of illicit passion and family secrets." --Red magazine (UK)

"A fast-paced novel of intrigue, family secrets, and love on the eve of World War II." --Toronto Star

"A dark and fascinating slice of little-known history." --Lancashire Evening Post (UK)

"Deeply romantic." --Good Housekeeping

"She tells a story . . . with unobtrusive skill and sympathy." --The Sunday Times (UK)

"Vanora Bennett captures the mood of the thirties to perfection, and her characters simply leap off the page." --Books Monthly

"This is a great, intriguing book that really grabs you. Perfect if you love historical novels." --Frost Magazine

"This well-researched piece is a thrilling page-turner." --The Lady (UK)

"A thoughtful read." --Historical Novels Review

"A gripping novel of forbidden passion and intrigue." --Woman & Home (UK)

About the Author

Vanora Bennett studied Russian at Oxford University and in the USSR. She began her career as a journalist at Reuters and went on to serve as the Moscow correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, winning a U.S. Overseas Press Club award for her writing on Russia. She now lives in Britain and has won the Orwell Prize for political writing for her work at The Times (UK). She is the author of several novels, including Portrait of an Unknown Woman and Midnight in St. Petersburg, as well as books of nonfiction.