EMPRESS OF THE NIGHT A Novel of Catherine the Great

Beata Pozniak re-creates the world of Catherine the Great through the eyes of Polish servant girl Varvara. Pozniak’s soft eastern European accent is just right for Varvara, at first a spy for those involved in court intrigue and then a trusted friend to Sophie, the 14-year-old princess who becomes Catherine, the empress of all the Russias. Pozniak’s voice trembles with delight as she describes the magnificence of all she sees—from sumptuous feasts to elegant fabrics to gilt palace decor. Sophie, who is destined to marry the disinterested Crown Prince Peter, realizes the dangers of life at court without the right powerful friends. Pozniak effectively delivers all the court’s diabolical machinations, secrets, and scandals in this well-researched history. Book 2 is on the way. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2014]