I genuinely thought I’d invented the Romanov Code, the actual book written by Russian royalty that enshrined and evolved their credos and codes of conduct. But after writing this novel, I’ve spoken to a couple of historians who told me they’ve vaguely heard about it, but it should be considered a myth, or, at best, a legend that stretches back many decades. I’ve found no mention of it online or in any texts, but the book’s possibility is seductive, isn’t it? It’s enticing to think that maybe, just maybe, the tome survived and is waiting to be found. The romantic in me hopes it’ll come to light. The realist doubts it ever existed.
And speaking of the real and the unreal, Leonid Pavlovich Kiselyov and his friends and family are fictions, but the other characters we meet in the Russia of July 1918 are genuine historical figures. The terrible Peter Ermakov, the haunted Yakov Yurovsky and the young soldiers such as Kabanov were real-life participants in the tragedy at Ipatiev House.
Although the main thrust of what happened there is undisputed, various witnesses and historians have inevitably given slightly differing accounts of the massacre and the events that immediately followed. So although we’ll never know the entirety of what unfolded and why (and on whose orders), I tried to embed my characters in an authentic version of that hellish moment in history. Details ranging from the state of the former Tzar’s shoes, to the casual killing of Tatiana Romanova’s French Bulldog and the language employed by Ermakov’s men are largely uncontested. For the slaughter and its immediate aftermath, I predominantly stuck to facts that most eyewitness accounts agree upon.
Incidentally, the Red Diamond, as it appears in this story, is a fiction. But the extraordinary amount of jewels found in the clothes of the corpses and the fact these gems served as a kind of bullet-proofing for the victims is again taken from recorded historical reality.
The sections of The Romanov Code that deal with masterpieces and priceless treasures going missing are also based on fact. Fascinating to think that the Romanovs’ elusive riches are out there somewhere. By the way, if you happen to stumble across one of the lost Fabergé eggs, do let me know. Lady Eleanor has become a good friend of mine and I think I’ll be able to secure you an excellent price for it. My cut is a very reasonable 15 per cent and, believe me, my terms are much more agreeable than those generally offered by Colonel Maksim Bulatov. Za lyubov!
Gavin Collinson, May 2023
For more information on The Romanov Code and Marc Novak, visit gavincollinson.com