Last Twilight in Paris is page-turning historical fiction with generous sides of mystery, intrigue. and thriller.
Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff
Genre/Categories/Setting: Historical Fiction, WWII, Mystery, Romance, Paris
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My Summary:
Welcome to my stop on the Harlequin Trade Publishing’s Blog Tour for Last Twilight in Paris. Thanks #NetGalley @HTP_Books @ParkRowBooks for a complimentary eARC of #LastTwilightInParis upon my request. All opinions are my own.
In 1953, Louise works in a thrift shop and has two children with her husband, Joe. Although Joe seems like a good guy, he suffers from PTSD from the war. One day while sorting through a box of donations at work, Louise finds a necklace that she thinks she has seen during her time serving with the Red Cross during WWII. Feeling the necklace might be connected with her friend, Franny, who died during the war and needing some time away, she decides to go to Paris where she enlists the help of a former love interest, Ian.
In an alternate timeline, we are introduced to Helaine, a Jewish woman who is imprisoned at the once glamorous Parisan department store, Levitan. We also get Louise and Ian’s story of how they met and the work they did with the Red Cross.
Will Louise rekindle her romance with Ian? Will she solve the mystery of the necklace?
My Thoughts:
Mystery and Intrigue
Do you love historical fiction that has a strong mystery and generous sides of intrigue and thriller? In addition to learning about the Levitan department store transformed into a prison, we are treated to some page-turning action as the mystery of the necklace is resolved.
Plot Twists
A couple of plot twists (no spoilers) will add to your reading enjoyment. I think you’ll be pleased with the poignant and satisfactory ending.
Paris Setting
I had never heard of the Levitan Department Store or its history as a prison for Jewish individuals during WWII. The prisoners were largely responsible for sorting the piles of belongs that had been looted from the homes of Jewish families and preparing them for resale. Although prisoners at Levitan endured harsh conditions, they fared better than others at different locations.
Content Consideration: war, imprisonment, dire circumstances
Recommending Last Twilight in Paris:
Fans of suspenseful WWII histfic, a Paris setting, and Pam Jenoff will want to add Last Twilight in Paris to their TBRs.
My Rating:
Meet the Author of Last Twilight in Paris, Pam Jenoff
Pam Jenoff is the author of several novels, including LAST TWILIGHT IN PARIS (to be released Feb 2025), NYT bestsellers CODE NAME SAPPHIRE, THE WOMAN WITH THE BLUE STAR, THE LOST GIRLS OF PARIS, THE ORPHAN’S TALE and THE DIPLOMAT’S WIFE, as well as THE KOMMANDANT’S GIRL, which received widespread acclaim, earned her a nomination for the Quill Awards and became an international bestseller. She previously served as a Foreign Service Officer for the U.S. State Department in Europe, as the Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army at the Pentagon and as a practicing attorney at a large firm and in-house. She received her juris doctor from the University of Pennsylvania, her masters degree in history from Cambridge University and her bachelors degree in international affairs from The George Washington University. Pam Jenoff lives with her husband, three children and five pets near Philadelphia where, in addition to writing, she teaches law school at Rutgers.
QOTD:
Have you read other books by Pam Jenoff? Is her newest release on your TBR?
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I don’t know why, but the concept of a character in a thrift shop sounds fun. Maybe because I find thrift shops fun? You never know what you’ll find!
I’m sure there are numerous treasures to discover! 🙌
I didn’t know about the department store either, but I see it is true. I got a bit turned off by her Woman with the Blue Star that starts out with a woman seeing someone peeking out of the sewage drain grate in the Krakow ghetto. See, I knew a man who was actually IN that sewer during the war, and NO WAY would anyone be allowed near the grates during the day time. But I was a bit unsatisfied with a couple other of her books that had either too many convenient coincidences or had plot holes that could have been avoided. No matter. I’m glad you liked it.
Once we lose confidence in an author it’s difficult to return.
This sounds like a great read, Carol. Excellent review!💖📚
Thanks Sandy!
Hi Carol! I just finished this book tonight and I really enjoyed it. I found both main characters really interesting. I ended up giving it 5 stars, though to be honest, I’d prefer to give it 4.5 stars. I wish GoodReads had half-star ratings, but I’m not willing to go to another book tracking website in order to do that. I’d rather read more books!
I have a book recommendation for you – The Lies We Leave Behind by Noelle Salazar. Another WWII book, but different than any that I’ve ever read. I learned some fascinating things and couldn’t put the book down. It was a TRUE 5-star book for me!
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the story! Thanks for stopping by and commenting and for the rec. Always on the hunt for those elusive 5 star reads!
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