Karleen Koen Knihy

Originally published: [New York?]: Crown Pub., 2011.

A bride at fifteen, widowed at the tender age of twenty, Barbara, Countess Devane, embarks for colonial Virginia financially ruined by the death of her husband in scandalous circumstances. Dressed in mourning as is proper for a woman, she is patronizingly described as a "fragile black butterfly," but the fragility is deceiving. She makes a place for herself in the new world, takes lovers and friends across political divides, and questions the established traditions of slavery. Facing enemies she never suspected, she must return to England and deal face to face with the problems created by her husband, who haunts her even in death. Back in London, she quickly finds herself pulled into Jacobite plotting, and the treachery of powerful men suddenly threatens her family, her friends--and a new love

Karleen Koen's sweeping saga contains unforgettable characters consumed with passion: the extraordinarily beautiful fifteen-year-old noblewoman, Barbara Alderley; the man she adores, the wickedly handsome Roger MontGeoffry; her grandmother, the duchess, who rules the family with cunning and wit; and her mother, the ineffably cruel, self-centered and licentious Diana. Like no other work, Through a Glass Darkly is infused with intrigue, sweetened by romance and awash in the black ink of betrayal.

Set in the vibrant backdrop of seventeenth-century England, this prequel delves into a world filled with passion, extravagance, and intrigue. Readers can expect a rich tapestry of danger and scandal that captures the essence of the era, expanding on the beloved characters and themes from the original novel. The narrative promises to engage with the complexities of the time, offering a compelling exploration of relationships and societal norms.