It all started with fugitive colours, spying and greed and the like of such covetousness did not fade throughout this wonderfully dramatic and fantastic historical fiction. So many criss-crossing layers zipping this way and that surely kept me on my toes. There were Hugenot refugees who came from France to Spitalfields, England where the setting of the story unfolds, many of whom were tradesmen in the silk weaving business; there's the spies egged on by Louis XV post the Seven Years War between France and England, infiltrating London and region; there's the chemists and painters trying to dig out information from the main character, Geneviere's husband Thomas, secrets which he is forbidden by law to reveal; and the aspiring and determined painters who'd do much to have the information.

Geneviere herself is an artist - a painter on silk with two proteges Caroline and Jean, there's the housekeeper Daphne along with George and Sophie, also household staff and little Pierre, Geneviere and Thomas' son. Each have their role to play.

Things really begin to boil when Geneviere accepts an invitation to Joshua Reynold's home and she gets more than she bargained for. This chap was a true to life successful painter back in 1764 when this story takes place. The flight of activity seems hinged on and around Geneviere and Thomas, and even Caroline, each with pasts they are loathed to reveal. Somehow or another the info leaked out to unscrupulous people creating much suspense, mystery and thriller scenarios with the spies added to the mix for good measure. Overlapping this are the silk weavers' employees airing disgruntlements and demonstrations. The murder and the whodunnit will bate your curiosity and keep the pages turning.

I really enjoy getting peeks into history wrapped in fiction form such as this author Nancy Bilyeau has penned. This second book in the Genevieve Planche series is fast-paced and entertaining, as well as educational. I believe most mature readers will love this book, especially painters and those who are interested in silk.

~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~

February 2022

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

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An evocative and detailed glimpse into the world of the Spitalfields silk weavers showing the difficulties of being a woman attempting to run a business.
The story was very engaging with plentiful details which set the scene very clearly.
Geneviève is a well rounded character and highly likable. I appreciated the mix of fictional characters and real people
My only regret is that I have not read the first book which would have helped in understanding the situation Geneviève and her husband Thomas find themselves in.

This book is well written and evocative but for me it lacks the emotional impact of the first book - it’s just felt a bit lack lustre for me. Good but not great.

The fugitive was nothing like I expected, yet everything I NEEDED. It kept me page turning late into the night with the inability to put it down and go to sleep.
Was beautiful writing, story telling, and captivating details. I will be recommending this one for a long time.

Thank you NetGalley and Lume Books for allowing me to review this!

After being pulled into the world of the 1750's London in the Spitalfields, I couldn't help but fall in love with The Blue and the world of porcelain making. Because of this, I had high expectations for The Fugitive Colours. And boy, I was not disappointed.
We're reintroduced to Genevieve Planche, now one Mrs. Strurbridge, roughly six years after her adventures in Derby. After having inherited her family house, Genevieve now runs a semi-successful silk decour business. Though, there's nothing more she wants than to leave the past both her and Thomas share behind. Afterall, it would be best for everyone involved.
Though, Genevieve doesn't quite get what she wishes for and is quickly thrusted back into the world of art, and of course, colours.
After finishing The Blue, I couldn't help but anticipate what was next for Mr. and Mrs. Sturbridge. The writing was brilliant, and I quite enjoyed the introduction of new characters and the reintroduction of old faces alike, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing that headstrong Genevieve could not quietly let her dream of being an artist go. I loved seeing Genevieve use skills acquired as a spy in the last book to figure out just what was going on. The book was beautifully written, and I can't help but think I'll find myself coming back to this series in the future.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this wonderful book to read and review.

What a difference! Too often sequels are disappointing; but not in this case. I enjoyed 'The Blue', the first book in this series, and liked the main character, Genevieve very much. This book expands on her character really well, and introduces some very interesting new characters too. It's full of intrigue, mystery and secrets. I'm a great fan of fictional characters mingling with real people in historical fiction, and Genevieve's relationship with Joshua Reynolds and the art scene of Georgian London brings a wonderful dimension to the story. Nancy Bilyeau's research is immaculate, making her one of my new favourite authors of historical fiction. Much better than the first book, this is a definite must-read, and can be done without having read 'The Blue'. My thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy to read.

An exciting addition to the series. It was as interesting as the first book. The secrecy and intrigue will have you guessing on who the bad people are. The true people of the time are an interesting addition to the book. Received an ARC from Netgalley and leaving a voluntary review.

A new Nancy Bilyeau book is always something to look forward to. I’ve loved everything I’ve read by her so far: her Joanna Stafford trilogy, about a nun displaced in Tudor England after the dissolution of the monasteries; Dreamland, set in a Coney Island amusement park; and The Blue, a wonderful historical thriller involving spies, art and the race to create a beautiful new shade of blue. The Fugitive Colours is a sequel to The Blue and another great read; the two books stand alone, so it’s not necessary to have read the first novel before beginning this one, although I would recommend doing so if you can.

It’s 1764 and Genevieve Planché, heroine of The Blue, is now a married woman running her own silk design business in Spitalfields, London. With the help of her two young assistant artists, Caroline and Jean, Genevieve is beginning to find buyers for her silk designs and is determined to make the business a success. However, she has not given up on her dream of becoming a serious artist and when she is invited to a gathering at the home of the portrait painter Joshua Reynolds, it seems she could still have a chance of achieving her ambition.

This in itself would have been the basis for an interesting novel – a woman trying to build a career for herself in what was still very much a male-dominated field – but there’s a lot more to the story than that. Due to the parts played by Genevieve and her husband in the recent search for the blue, their names have come to the attention of some very powerful people who are hoping to enlist them in further conspiracies. Yet again Genevieve is forced to wonder who she can and cannot trust, but this time one wrong decision could mean the end of her dreams, the loss of her business and even the destruction of her marriage.

The Fugitive Colours is perhaps not quite as exciting and fast-paced as The Blue, but I found it equally gripping. Set entirely in London, it’s a very immersive book taking us from the Spitalfields workshops of the Huguenot silk-weaving community to the grand homes of the rich and famous and the nightlife of Covent Garden. While Genevieve and most of the other main characters are fictional, we do meet some real historical figures too – not just Joshua Reynolds but also Giacomo Casanova, the Earl of Sandwich and the fascinating Chevalier d’Eon. I particularly enjoyed the portrayal of the 18th century art world, the snippets of information I picked up (not coming from an art background myself, I didn’t know what ‘fugitive colours’ were, but now I do), and the insights into how difficult it was for women like Genevieve and the real-life Frances Reynolds, Joshua’s sister, to gain recognition for their work.

I hope there will be another book in the Genevieve Planché series as I think there’s certainly a lot more that could be written about her. If not, I’ll look forward to seeing what Nancy Bilyeau decides to write next.

The story held me tight from start to finish. I enjoyed the characters and the insight into life in Hanoverian England. I came away from this wanting to read the first book in the series, and keen to look for more work by this author.

A compelling read that I whizzed through, I couldn't put it down. Well written with engaging and believable characters and a gripping storyline. I loved it.

Hello! I really loved and enjoyed the Fugitive Colours by Nancy Bilyeau. Wow! My favorite period of time is that of the eighteenth century, and I am always on the hunt for the next new novel that allows me to travel back to and provides immersion into that century. I am thrilled to be able to read the continuing story that is Genevieve's. I am normally not a fan of first-person narrative, but Nancy Bilyeau is such an expert with her writing, description, and characterizations, that, as I read, I almost forgot in which voice the book is. I was transported into character and scene. The author brilliantly combined art, espionage, philosophy, and silk weaving! She has absolutely done a lot of research to be able to have incorporated so many details into the story. And how wonderful to have a book that mentions Sir Joshua Reynolds (a prominent character in the book!), Sir George Romney, and Mozart, to name a few! I highly recommend this book and really appreciate having had an ARC from NetGalley. Thank you! :)

The highly anticipated follow-up to the sweeping historical thriller The Blue.

As Genevieve Sturbridge struggles to keep her silk design business afloat, she must face the fact that London in 1764 is very much a man’s world. Men control the arts and sciences, men control politics and law. And men definitely control women.

A Huguenot living in Spitalfields, Genevieve one day receives a surprise invitation from an important artist. Grasping at the promise of a better life, she dares to hope her luck is about to change and readies herself for an entry into the world of serious art.

She soon learns that for the portrait painters ruling over the wealthy in London society, fame and fortune are there for the taking. But such high stakes spur rivalries that darken to sabotage and blackmail—and even murder. And watching from the shadows are ruthless spies who wish harm to all of England.

Genevieve begins to suspect that her own secret past, when she was caught up in conspiracy and betrayal, has more to do with her entrée into London society than her talent. One wrong move could cost her not just her artistic dreams but the love of those she holds dear … and even her life.

A sequel to Nancy Bilyeau’s The Blue, The Fugitive Colours again reveals a dazzling world of glamour and treachery in Georgian England, when beauty held more value than human life. She immerses readers in a fictionalized account of real lives and events whilst staying faithful to the historical and social context.

The follow-up to the wonderful book "The Blue" - (before I go any further, go to your nearest book store and pick up that wonderful tale, you won't be sorry) - this sequel starts out with a Genevieve struggling to keep her silk business alive. Having learned that men control everything about silk, she struggles to overcome this imbalance and to fight for her dreams. This book has something in it for everyone: history, politics, espionage, romance. A added interest is the Huguenot aspect. Many people do not know or understand the hatred for the Huguenots during this time period. The author does an excellent job at describing the "war" between the Huguenots and Catholics in France that spilled over to other countries in Europe and England. Very well done and educational about the silk business, religion, and everyday life of the 1700's, especially for women.

Richly detailed and evocative. Excellent sequel to The Blue, and equally (if not more!) engaging. I love Genevieve's character with her struggles to be so many things to different people balanced against her own hidden desire to be a painter.

I really loved the first novel in this series. Did that instantly make my expectations for this book higher than average? Maybe so. I found it to be entertaining, but not at the level of the first book, The Blue.

Genevieve and Thomas Sturbridge return in this story, now married and living in London with their son, Pierre. Through strange machinations, Genevieve is approached by London’s leading portrait artist and pressured to help him solve a private problem he is facing. Other madness goes on simultaneously with her employees, old friends, and new acquaintances, until it all comes together in the end.

There were SO many individual elements in this story, and I think Nancy Bilyeau tied them all together exceptionally well at the conclusion. I did not find the mysteries of this narrative as engaging as those of The Blue, but this book is shorter and I breezed through it easily. I had no idea what “fugitive colours” were before I read this story! Very interesting, as usual. I find this author’s historical fiction to be very well written — I feel submersed in the time period without being overburdened by detail or historical fact. I realize that this is a highly objective matter, but it’s perfect for my preferences!

Thank you to Lume Books, Nancy Bilyeau, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

Hi and welcome to my review of The Fugitive Colours!

Published four years after The Blue, The Fugitive Colours continues the story of Genevieve Planché, now Mrs Sturbridge. I had a great time reading The Blue via The Pigeonhole back in 2018, even though I wasn’t much of a hist fic reader at the time. The Blue was definitely one of the books that broadened my horizons, opening my eyes and my heart to historical fiction and when I spotted The Fugitive Colours on NetGalley I couldn’t click on that request button fast enough.

Note that The Fugitive Colours can be read without having read The Blue, to be perfectly honest I don’t recall all the details either but I had no trouble following the story.

While Genevieve was a feisty and outspoken single woman in The Blue, in The Fugitive Colours she is married with a young son. She is still feisty and she still hasn’t completely given up on the dream to become an artist but by necessity, her plans have morphed into a business deemed slightly more suitable for a woman: she has her own silk design business with two artists in her employ.

Like its predecessor, The Fugitive Colours addresses the fact that in mid-18th century London, women are still very much secondary to men. It also taught me about the continuing struggles and rivalry between England and France and their respective kings, and the plights of English Huguenots and professions like silkweavers. In this respect, it reminded me of Blackberry & Wild Rose by Sonia Velton.

While all the main characters are fictional, the author did manage to sneak in a rather impressive number of real persons. Most notably to me was the portraitist Joshua Reynolds, whose faulty technique in mixing paints led to the title of this novel.

The Fugitive Colours is a bit of a slowburner until all the storylines come to a head and everything is happening all at once. It’s a story of intrigue laced with espionage in a world where people fight tooth and nail for what they believe in.

The Fugitive Colours didn’t quite enchant me as much as The Blue or this author’s Dreamland, I’m not sure why, but I think that it lacked a certain trigger to truly spark my fascination, The Blue has the search for creating the perfect colour blue, which – to my great surprise – fascinated me to no end, and Dreamland is set on Coney Island, a place I’ve always found fascinating. So I guess I kinda missed that fascination this time around, but obviously that’s just me. I did have a good time with The Fugitive Colours and I’d recommend it to hist fic readers, especially those who enjoy stories set in the Georgian era.

Thanks to Lume Books and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

The Fugitive Colours will be out on 12 May.

Courtesy of Netgalley I received the ARC of Fugitive Colours by Nancy Bilyeau. This historical novel extends the story of Genevieve Planché Sturbridge, heroine of Blue. This story combines elements of espionage and intrigue in 1700's London. With insight into the art world, silk weaving, chemistry and spies, I was totally absorbed in this sequel.

This book started out a bit slow for me but once the pace increased I could not stop reading. The characters were familiar to me from reading The Blue and I would definitely recommend reading The Blue before reading The Fugitive Colours. Focusing on the silk industry and the art world in London during the 1700's, the characters come alive. The descriptions of place made me feel like I was breathing in the the smoke-laden air. I definitely recommend this book. Hopefully there will be a third book in the series with more adventures with Genevieve and Thomas.

I received a copy from NetGalley.

Good sequel to The Blue. I was quite intrigued, love me a good historic mystery. Loved all the talk about art and painting as well

I adored the Blue and lived this one even more! Genevieve is a smart strong willed woman trying to make it in the art world when women were nor represented nor respected. A highly entertaining historical novel..