Threads of Silk

By: Linda Lee Chaikin

Narrated by: Christine Rendel

Royal French Court intrigue surrounds a beautiful young couturiere and her dashing nobleman-husband as Queen Mother Catherine de Medici unfolds her devious scheme to preserve her reign. Rachelle Macquinet, couturiére from one of France’s most celebrated silk-making families, is under palace arrest at Fontainebleau. While creating a royal gown, she is ensnared, along with her husband, Marquis Fabien de Vendome, in the Queen Mother’s secret murderous scheme. Fabien has returned from a venture against Spain to claim Rachelle as his bride, but not without a price: the Queen Mother plans to implicate him in an assassination! Fabien and Rachelle are caught in history’s deadly swirl and love’s uncertainties as they seek to escape to the safety of England. Faith in Christ must uphold them in a time of great persecution that demands greater courage. Rachelle Dushane-Macquinet, couturiere from a celebrated silk-making family, has come back to the Louvre Palais to create the royal wedding gown. Recruited into the evil Queen Mother’s ring of women spies, she must use her wits to preserve her honor—and the lives of her fellow Huguenots. Marquis Fabien de Vendome has also returned from a buccaneering venture against Spain. The Queen Mother plans to implicate him in an assassination. But Fabien has designs of his own. A man and a woman caught up in history’s deadly swirl and love’s uncertainties seek to escape the venom of Madame le Serpent. Faith in Christ must uphold them, and all who stand alone, in a city gone diabolically mad.

Love Linda Chaikin. My favorite author.

One of the things I like about reading books from Linda Chaikin is the depth of theology and history.

Threads of Silk: Silk House, Book 3

I strongly disagree with Linda Lou. I enjoyed listening to this audio book and hope book 4 wll lbe comming out soon. I would like to hear more of what happened after their escape. Did Queen Jean escape, etc.

Loved it!

This is a fantastic series and this book was a great close to the trilogy! The story is full of a heroine that I long to be and her love a noble (good looking) man. I could easily imagine myself right inside this story. Sword fights, intrigue, honor, and a world in turmoil will draw you in and make you hope for the best.

Not very good or interesting

If you've read Vanora Bennett"s "Figures In Silk" and think this book is a sequel/prequel or companion work done by a different writer, you will be very disappointed. Although I was not overwhelmed by Bennett's lusty men and low self-esteem female characters, at least they were richly drawn. And we got rare insight into silk-making from worm to fabric and we learned about the lifestyles of the people of that age. In Chaikiin's book, I couldn't figure out what or who it was about! Her Catherine of Medici was pale compared to any other account that I've ever read. The story had no local color - it could have taken place in France, England, Tahiti or downtown Baltimore. The only reference to "silk" was the occasional commission by a royal for a dress. The two main characters are supposed to be "so much in love" but all we read about is chaste kisses and sex between them is referred to as "the next morning" - no heaving bosoms, taut britches, tangled bedsheets, or afterglow. Rachelle and Fabian, the heroine and hero, suddenly expect a child but we sure don't know how it happened! Since Chaikiin spends more time trying to push religion down the reader's throats with no real justification, maybe the pregnancy was another "immaculate conception". She skirts around heretics and reformists and Calvinists and Martin Lutherists but never gives us any substantive information on the religious issues and fears of the time. In fact, we don't even get a good idea WHEN this story takes place except for references to Catherine de Medici, Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, Jeanne of Navarre, etc., but no solid character development on anyone. If you must, read this first THEN go to Bennett's book. NOTE: Chaikiin's "Threads of Silk" and "Daughter of Silk" are the same story, one is just a few dollars less. Pass on both and save your money!