Belle-Rose

This issue of the Paris Series presents Belle-Rose, a historical romance by French author Amédée Achard, translated by William Hale. Set in 1663 near Saint-Omer, the novel concerns Jacques Grinedal, strong-willed son of a retired royal falconer-turned-gunsmith, and his youthful infatuation with the delicate Suzanne de Malzonvilliers, daughter of a wealthy former tax farmer. The narrative opens five years earlier in 1658, when the young Jacques encounters a mysterious hunchbacked stranger in a meadow. The tale unfolds across fifty-three chapters blending military intrigue, romance, convent drama, and adventure—featuring duels, espionage, diplomatic missions, and sieges spanning from provincial France to the Rhine during the 1670s. The book advertises a series of related titles by the author of Dr. Jack.