In Conversation with Chrissie Bellbrae

A priceless Fabergé jewel. An empire on the brink of revolution. A love too dangerous to reveal. 

A celebrated artist’s painting holds clues to long-held family secrets and lives under threat, long after the fall of the Russian Empire.

1898: When the legitimacy of Grand Duchess Tatiana Romanov’s marriage to the Tsar’s brother comes into question, her son’s claim to the Imperial throne is challenged too. But the Romanov dynasty desperately needs an heir, and their fate lies in the hand of the tyrannical Russian ruler. As revolution strikes the streets of St Petersburg and members of the Imperial family disappear, Tatiana must find a way to protect her son from mortal danger.

1982: Fashion Buyer Jean Campain has never forgiven her artist mother Aurora for making her relinquish her child. When Jean inherits the Archibald prize-winner’s previously unknown self-portrait she is compelled to interpret its hidden symbolism— and face the events that tore her family apart. But a conflicting account of the circumstances reveals Aurora’s dark deception, spiralling Jean into a breakdown, and threatens an end to her dream of family unity. 

An enthralling story of maternal love and treacherous deceit transporting readers from the lavish palaces of St Petersburg to the lush vineyards of the Mornington Peninsula.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

From the opulence of Imperial Russia to the fashion scene of 1980s Melbourne, this sweeping family saga will entrance readers and keep them guessing until the very last page. 

Lisa Ireland, author of The Studio Girls

Attendee price: $11.78 bookings essential incl. light refreshment, gst & booking fee. Tickets can also be purchased at the Library. More information at https://ballaratmi.org.au/talks

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. The Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.