Through A Glass Darkly

By Karleen Koen

In a French court awash with intrigue, treachery and debauchery, Barbara must learn to navigate the dark currents of deception, scandal and betrayal.

Barbara Alderly has loved her husband, the wealthy, charming Earl of Devane, Roger Montgeoffry, since childhood. Her romantic fairytale seems to be coming true, but young noblewoman Barbara still has a lot to learn about the machinations of the royal courts, financial chaos – and surviving with her reputation intact. 

Rich with vivid characters, from aristocrats to scoundrels, here is the story of a great family ruled by a dowager of extraordinary power; a young woman coming of age, seeking love in the midst of a storm; her mother, the cruel and self-centred Diana; and of a man haunted by a secret that could turn all of their dreams to ashes …

Karleen Koen’s sweeping saga introduces unforgettable characters consumed with passion: the extraordinarily beautiful fifteen-year-old noblewoman, Barbara Alderley; the man she adores, the wickedly handsome Roger Montgeoffry; her grandmother, the duchess, who rules the family with cunning and wit; and her mother, the ineffably cruel and licentious Diana.

Through a Glass Darkly is a magnificent tapestry of a grand and glorious era, as opulent and passionate as the eighteenth century it celebrates.