A Winter Serpent — Aileen Armitage

In the early 1890s, in a small village in Siberia, a young man grows up with the phenomenal ability to see unknown things - and also to seduce any woman he desires. He makes his way to St Petersburg, where word spreads of his ability to heal sick and injured people. Eventually, Gregory Rasputin is accepted into the royal household as a trusted friend and indispensable aide to the Tsar's young son, Alexis - where he is perfectly placed to make good use of his talents.