A book titled "An Evening with Lafayette" featuring a portrait of Nikos Vlachos on a wooden table in a well-lit room, with a vase of white flowers, a pen, and a stack of old books nearby.

250 Years.

Two Worlds.
One Legendary Evening.

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Where History Meets Fiction

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Where the Past Meets the Present

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#1 Hot New Release in 18th Century History

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Where History Meets Fiction ✦ Where the Past Meets the Present ✦ #1 Hot New Release in 18th Century History ✦

The Book at a Glance

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Historical Fiction
A work of historical fiction rooted in the life, letters, and legacy of Lafayette.

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LaGrange, Georgia
A modern-day gathering in LaGrange becomes the setting for an extraordinary encounter.

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Illustration of a group of four people, depicted as stylized icons with circular heads and semi-circular bodies, arranged with two in the front and two behind, on a dark background.

A Mysterious Guest
A stranger arrives at a faculty gathering, claiming to be the Marquis de Lafayette.

A tall, thin wooden stick or skewer placed vertically against a plain black background.
A silver five-pointed star with detailed line work, set against a black background and a brown horizontal stripe.

Past Meets Present
A chance encounter sparks a fascinating conversation between Lafayette’s world and our own.

A man with curly brown hair dressed in historical attire, wearing a brown coat, white cravat, and a decorative badge.

The Story

What if Lafayette walked into a room today?

When a LaGrange College professor invites a flawlessly authentic Lafayette reenactor to an end-of-year faculty gathering, he tells his colleagues to play along with the act.

But as the historians begin questioning their mysterious guest about everything from Marie Antoinette to Napoleon and the fate of his 23,000 acres of Florida land, his extraordinary knowledge becomes increasingly difficult to explain.

An Evening with Lafayette puts you in the room with the Founding Fathers’ greatest ally, blurring the lines between time, history, and reality.

Reviews

  • What if Lafayette Returned for Our 250th? A Fantastic Read

    "Coming from Alabama and having a longtime interest in Lafayette and the Founding Fathers, I picked this up with high expectations—and it did not disappoint. The story is simply great fun. Vlachos makes you genuinely believe what it would look and feel like if the real General Lafayette returned to walk among us just in time for our nation’s 250th celebration. It strikes the perfect balance between smart historical insight and sheer entertainment. Highly recommended for anyone who loves early American history and a clever, imaginative premise."

    —John Petelos

  • Smart historical fiction grounded in real history

    Living out here in Utah is no excuse for not knowing much about one of our most important Founding Fathers, but An Evening with Lafayette solved that in just a few hundred pages. Now, I can hold my own in a room full of Lafayette buffs.

    The premise is brilliant: Lafayette returns in the 21st century, is mistaken for an actor dressed for the nation’s 250th, and ends up at an intimate dinner party with academic historians who assume they know far more than he does. It doesn't take long for them to suspect he is an uncanny savant who has crammed every obscure detail of the General's life—short of actually being Lafayette himself.

    As an editor, what impressed me most is that the book is meticulously referenced. Nothing is fabricated just for flashy entertainment effect like you find in Hamilton. It drives home two indisputable historical truths: we never would have won the Revolutionary War without France as an ally, and France would never have entered the war had it not been for Lafayette. A sharp, delightfully engaging, and essential read.

    — Indie Girl

  • Lafayette returns for America’s 250th! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    "An Evening with Lafayette is easily one of the most inventive historical fiction novels I’ve read in a long time. Instead of the usual time-travel back to the 1800s, Lafayette arrives in the modern era to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary—mirroring his historic farewell tour for our 50th in 1824. Mistaken for a historical reenactor, he finds himself swept into an interactive dinner-mystery-style party, where he shares vivid, firsthand accounts of the Revolution. Hearing him describe his first meeting with Washington, dodging British warships, fighting alongside Hamilton, and the dark years of his family’s Austrian imprisonment gives the history an incredible emotional pulse. A clever, captivating, and beautifully produced read!"

    —Toni Miller

  • Direct and Impactful

    "New historical novel, An Evening with LaFayette by Nick Vlachos. It is an entertaining, factually grounded look at the man without whom we would have lost the Revolutionary War. Our Community leaders whether Commercially based or Non-profit experience these same kinds of challenges Lafayette experienced at a very young age, and it is this innate leadership like LaFayette, that shapes our History. Enjoy and when you are confronted with a "LaFayette Challenge," I trust you will meet with a steadfast commitment to God, Country and the American way...with gratitude"

    —Pamela B. Shepherd

  • Enjoyable history!

    Even though I live here in Colorado, my LaGrange roots made me jump at this book, and it did not disappoint. Having Lafayette return to modern-day LaGrange, stand right by his statue on the square, and chat with an unsuspecting local is such a fun, clever setup. At just nine chapters, it moves quickly and makes history genuinely fun, wrapped up with beautiful color photos of period paintings and Lafayette’s gravesite. Highly recommended for any history buff!

    — Charlie

  • I stayed very interested

    A must-read for history lovers ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    What a wonderful book! It’s a fast, easy read, but packed with real substance. Lafayette was far ahead of his time—his early opposition to slavery and his pivotal role in bringing the French to our aid changed American history forever. The fact that his stories are completely factual (with references included!) makes it all the more captivating. Loved every page!

    — Donna Summaria

  • A delightful, clever trip through history! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    The idea of Lafayette returning to modern times and telling his own story is pure genius.

    It’s a fast, beautifully illustrated read that had me hooked from page one—I absolutely loved it!

    — Donna LeBeau

  • “An absolute must-read. Vlachos has delivered the most fascinating dinner guest of the century—one you won’t want to leave.”

    — Chuck Schwam, Executive Director American Friends of Lafayette

  • “Sharp, insightful, and remarkably fun. A fresh, brilliant feat of historical imagination that breathes new life into the Hero of Two Worlds.”

    — Alan R. Hoffman, author of Lafayette in America in 1824 and 1825

  • “Vlachos achieves something rare: he transports us to the past, then masterfully brings Lafayette forward to challenge our modern perspectives. The chapters where the General confronts our contemporary dilemmas are essential reading.”

    — Norman Desmarais, Professor Emeritus, Providence College; author; and former Editor-in-Chief, The Brigade Dispatch

The Historical Gallery

  • A portrait of a woman with curly brown hair, wearing a cream-colored dress and a red ribbon in her hair. The background is dark and textured.

    Portrait of Marie Adrienne Françoise de Noailles, Marquise de La Fayette

  • Statue of a historical figure on a pedestal, surrounded by a fountain with water spraying outward, greenery and trees in the background, under a partly cloudy sky.

    Lafayette Statue by Ernest-Eugène Hiolle, LaGrange, Georgia

  • Vintage invitation or certificate with a central portrait of a man surrounded by cherubic children and decorative elements, with text referencing La Fayette and dated September 10, 1824, from Castle Garden in New York.

    Ticket to The Lafayette Feast at Castle Garden in New York City

  • Gravestone and memorial plaques at a historic site, with a metal gate and stone wall, framed by trees and buildings in the background.

    Picpus Cemetery, Lafayette’s final resting place

  • Historical map of Lafayette's Farewell Tour of the United States from 1824 to 1825, showing travel routes across northeastern states to southern states, with marked cities and states in black ink.

    Lafayette’s 1824–1825 Farewell Tour Map

  • View of a building labeled 'COUTURE BY MAR' partially obscured by tree branches in front. There is a small blue structure that looks like a kiosk or booth with a sign on it, and decorative flowers and bushes at the base of the building.

    Downtown LaGrange

  • Miniature Portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette, watercolor on ivory by Charles Fraser, 1825

    Miniature Portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette, watercolor on ivory by Charles Fraser, 1825

  • Battle of Cowpens Painting by Don Troiani 1781 American Revolutionary War

    Battle of Cowpens Painting by Don Troiani 1781 American Revolutionary War

  • Marquis De Lafayette by Ary Scheffer, c. 1822, oil on canvas, from the National Portrait Gallery

    Marquis De Lafayette by Ary Scheffer, c. 1822, oil on canvas, from the National Portrait Gallery

  • The Brookes Slave Ship Stowage Diagram, originally designed by William Elford. 1788

    The Brookes Slave Ship Stowage Diagram, originally designed by William Elford, 1788

  • Portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette, oil on wood panel, painted by American artist Henry Cheever Pratt in 1825,

    Portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette, oil on wood panel, painted by American artist Henry Cheever Pratt in 1825,

  • Lithograph of Georges Washington de Lafayette (1779–1849) by Émile Desmaisons, 1848

    Lithograph of Georges Washington de Lafayette (1779–1849) by Émile Desmaisons, 1848

  • Portrait of Major General Johann de Kalb by Charles Willson Peale, 1782

    Portrait of Major General Johann de Kalb by Charles Willson Peale, 1782

  • John Trumbull’s Surrender of Lord Cornwallis captures the moment that brought an end to the American Revolutionary War

    John Trumbull’s Surrender of Lord Cornwallis captures the moment that brought an end to the American Revolutionary War

  • Colonel Banastre Tarleton, oil on canvas by Sir Joshua Reynolds 1782

    Colonel Banastre Tarleton, oil on canvas by Sir Joshua Reynolds 1782

  • Lafayette wounded at Battle of Brandywine Creek by engraver Charles Henry Jeens (British 1827-1879)

    Lafayette wounded at Battle of Brandywine Creek by engraver Charles Henry Jeens (British 1827-1879)

Meet the Author

Chicago native Níkos Vlachos is a retired physician, Greek-American author, and playwright. He currently lives in LaGrange, Georgia, with his Australian Shepherd, Kiki.

Author’s Note

An Evening with Lafayette is a work of historical fiction deeply rooted in the factual record. Drawing from original letters, historical research, and the documented life of Lafayette, Nikos Vlachos brings the Marquis into the modern world while remaining faithful to the man behind the legend.

Set in LaGrange, Georgia, a city named for Lafayette’s beloved estate, the novel was written as a way to introduce his remarkable story to a new generation while offering something meaningful to readers already familiar with his history. Though the setting is contemporary, Lafayette’s character and dialogue are grounded in his letters, political philosophy, relationships, and documented history.

Bringing him into our time is a deliberate way to look at the modern world through the eyes of one of its most remarkable historical figures.

The signature of Nick Vlachos' written in a dark, cursive neon-style font on a black background.

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