By Amy Pollick
apollick@decaturdaily.com· 340-2443

King Charles II of England kept a lively court, often called “The Merry Court.” Merry, however, was not always happy, and court was an inherently dangerous place for those who called it home. In her Restoration-era novel “Dark Angels,” author Karleen Koen has mingled history with mystery and romance to craft a fascinating novel.

Alice Verney appears first as maid of honor to Princess Henriette, King Charles’ sister. Henriette had married Prince Phillipe of France, brother to none other than the Sun King, Louis XIV.

After the princess’ suspicious death, Alice decides to come back to England, to return to her original position at court as maid of honor to Queen Catherine, Charles’ wife.

Vivid life, descriptions

With that main point confirmed, Koen proceeds to weave a dizzying tapestry of intrigue, court politics and etiquette, bringing this era to vivid life.

The reader easily “sees” the people and places, from the King’s court at Whitehall, to the squalor of Drury Lane. She even takes the reader to Paris in its golden age, when the decadent and lavish court of Louis XIV flourished and where court etiquette was a career all its own.

Alice is a finely-drawn character, with more faults than good points at the novel’s beginning.

She is a fully human character, unlike some historical novels’ heroines. Sometimes she is not likable, but the mark of a good author is making her readers care about someone like Alice. Alice is stubborn and prideful, jealous, exacting and angry. She also loves fiercely and is completely loyal to her mistress, Queen Catherine, when many around her are not.

King’s attentions

Capt. Richard Saylor, the hero, is equally interesting as the soldier whose first love, a maid of honor from France, catches King Charles’ ever-roving eye.

So, does Richard do the “honorable” thing and allow Charles to make a mistress of his own fiancée? He agonizes over the decision, and becomes more likable for doing so.

Alice comes back to England, determined to marry, and sets her sights on the elderly but extremely wealthy Duke of Balmoral.

She does care for him, but the fact that his son left her at the altar for another woman also plays a role in her decision.

Her rogue of a father, Sir Thomas, is not at all trustworthy and too concerned about protecting his own skin at court to protect his daughter. Instead, he uses her as a tool to further his ambitions.

There are many secondary characters in this novel, but rather than being confusing, they add considerable life and realism to the novel. In fact, Koen’s characterizations and sharp dialogue make the book. I picked up this novel by chance from the bookstore table, and found myself unable to put it down. As a longtime anglophile, I tend to nitpick historical errors in such works, but Koen’s research is exhaustive and flawless, and I didn’t find a single inaccuracy.

“Dark Angels” is a prequel to “Through a Glass Darkly” and “Now Face to Face,” and I will look for them for more of Alice’s story. Karleen Koen takes the reader through a maze of plots and subplots, intrigue and evil, and it’s a thoroughly enjoyable trip.

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