Title: Last Twilight in Paris
Author: Pam Jenoff
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
London, 1953. Louise is still adjusting to her postwar role as a housewife when she discovers a necklace in a box at a secondhand shop. The box is marked with the name of a department store in Paris, and she is certain she has seen the necklace before when she worked with the Red Cross in Nazi-occupied Europe —and that it holds the key to the mysterious death of her friend Franny during the war.
Following the trail of clues to Paris, Louise seeks help from her former boss Ian, with whom she shares a romantic history. The necklace leads them to discover the dark history of Lévitan—a once-glamorous department store that served as a Nazi prison, and Helaine, a woman who was imprisoned there, torn apart from her husband when the Germans invaded France.
Louise races to find the connection between the necklace, the department store and Franny’s death. But nothing is as it seems, and there are forces determined to keep the truth buried forever. Inspired by the true story of Lévitan, Last Twilight in Paris is both a gripping mystery and an unforgettable story about sacrifice, resistance and the power of love to transcend in even the darkest hours.
I love World War II historical fiction, and I’ve read several of Jenoff’s books and enjoyed them. Add this one to that list. I’d never heard of Lévitan and prisoners being kept there, but the idea was terrible—especially how the neighbors just willingly turned a blind eye like so many did during Hitler’s atrocities. I loved reading Helaine’s story: her sheltered life and the magical way she met and fell for her husband. Louise’s story was just as fascinating, both the past timeline and the current one, and all three stories turned into one fascinating read.
Pam Jenoff is a bestselling author. Last Twilight in Paris is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Park Row in exchange for an honest review.)
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