The Master Craftsman by Kelli Stuart - Book Review

ABOUT THE BOOK

In 1917, Alma Pihl, a master craftsman in The House of Fabergé, was charged to protect one of the greatest secrets in Russian history--an unknown Fabergé Egg that Peter Karl Fabergé secretly created to honor his divided allegiance to both the people of Russia and the Imperial Czar's family. When Alma and her husband escaped Russia for their native Finland in 1921, she took the secret with her, guarding her past connection to the Romanov family.

Three generations later, world-renowned treasure hunter Nick Laine is sick and fears the secret of the missing egg will die with him. With time running out, he entrusts the mission of retrieving the egg to his estranged daughter, Ava, who has little idea of the dangers she is about to face. As the stakes are raised, Ava is forced to declare her own allegiance--and the consequences are greater than she could have imagined.

This modern-day treasure hunt from award-winning author Kelli Stuart transports you into the opulent and treacherous world of the Russian Revolution to unearth mysteries long buried.

MY BOOK REVIEW

As you already know I am a huge history fan, so historical non-fiction stories are my favorite.  I was really excited to get a chance to read Kelli Stuart's new book  The Master Craftsman. This is my first time reading a book by this author.  The book takes place mainly in Russia. The story alternates between the late 1910's to early 1920's and modern times. I was worried I wasn't going to be able to follow the story very well, but Stuart did a great job of making that not happen. We are taken on the journey of a secret egg that was taken out of Russia just after the Revolution. I can tell Kelli Stuart did her research on St. Petersburg and the time period. I felt for each character. Nick, her father who is dying gives Ava, his daughter, the task of hunting for a Faberge egg, but it may not even exist. I had a hard time putting the book down. I kept wanting more. It is a beautiful story with a real surprise near the end. 

A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Revell. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I love to write! From the time I was a little girl I’ve loved weaving word pictures. I love the way that story connects the past and the present. Our entire history is based upon story with the events of the past molding and shaping the present.

I long to breath life into characters so that their stories can impact readers in ways that make them look differently at the world around them. I am passionate about crafting strong, character-driven novels, and my prayer is that my books leave readers of all backgrounds and journeys of life feeling encouraged and moved.

My first novel, Like A River From Its Course, focused on the real-life stories of over 100 veterans from the former Soviet Union whom I met and interviewed personally. I spent a decade researching and talking with those men and women, and their stories forever changed my perspective on life, love, and the way our past histories impact our present circumstances. When River released, I had no idea what to expect, but I felt like I had something special. What a gift it has been to see the stories impact readers worldwide!

Like A River From Its Course takes my readers on a captivating journey into the little-known history of Ukraine’s tragedies through the eyes of four compelling characters who experience the same story from different perspectives. Based on true stories gathered from fifteen years of research and interviews with Ukrainian World War II survivors, I tell a story of love, war, heartache, forgiveness, and redemption.

Check out her website at Click Here