• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Historical Writers Association

The official website of the HWA

  • Home
  • About us
  • Awards
  • Members
  • Events
  • Resources
  • Historia
  • Contact

The Winter Palace

The Winter Palace

The Winter Palace

14th April 2015 by Eva Stachniak

The epic, sensuous story of Catherine the Great’s ruthless rise to power, through the eyes of a young girl groomed as the Empress’s spy in 18th Century Russia.
 When Varvara, a young orphaned Polish girl, is brought to serve at Empress Elizabeth’s glittering, dangerous court in St Petersburg, she is schooled by the Chancellor himself in skills from lock-picking to love-making, learning above all else to stay silent – and listen. Soon, she is Elizabeth’s ‘tongue’ – her secret eyes and ears.
 Then Sophie, a vulnerable young princess, arrives from Prussia as a prospective bride for Elizabeth’s heir. Set to spy on her by the Empress, Varvara soon becomes her friend and confidante, and helps her navigate the illicit seductions and the treacherous shifting allegiances of the court.But Sophie’s destiny is to become the notorious Catherine the Great. Are her ambitions more lofty and far-reaching than anyone suspected, and will she stop at nothing to achieve absolute power?

About the author

  • Eva Stachniak- writer profile

Buy this book

  • Amazon

Primary Sidebar

Press enquiries

We welcome enquiries from the media and are happy to put you in contact with our members.
Press Enquiries

Join the HWA

Find out more and apply to join
Join Us

Copyright © 2014–2022 Historical Writers Association Log in