From the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Keycomes the story of a mysterious work of art and the woman inspired to uncover its history in the City of Light.

After surviving the accident that took her mother’s life, Claire Broussard worked hard to escape her small Louisiana hometown. But these days she feels something lacking. Abruptly leaving her lucrative job in Chicago, Claire returns home to care for her ailing grandmother. There, she unearths a beautiful sculpture that her great-grandfather sent home from Paris after World War II.

At her grandmother’s urging, Claire travels to Paris to track down the centuries old mask-making atelier where the sculpture, known only as “L’inconnue”—or the Unknown Woman—was created. With the help of a passionate sculptor, Claire discovers a cache of letters that offer insight into the life of the Belle Epoque woman immortalized in the work of art.

As Claire uncovers the unknown woman’s tragic fate, she begins to discover secrets—and a new love—of her own.

Review:

Intelligent, mysterious, and heartwarming!

This story is set in the City of Lights and takes us on a journey into the lives of three main characters. Claire, a young woman who decides to travel to Paris after her grandmother’s death to uncover the history and identity of an unexplainable piece of art; Armand, a brooding Frenchman who is trying to survive his own tragedies while also continuing the family legacy of mould making; and Sabine, a young woman who lived over one hundred years ago, who finds herself entangled in a complicated relationship as an artist’s model.

The writing is well done. The characters are interesting, sympathetic, and strong. And the plot, although a touch slow in the early part of the novel, quickly evolves into a fascinating story that not only manages to intertwine all the subplots nicely, but also ends with a sweet surprise.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. It truly is an intriguing mix of mystery interspersed with a romantic guidebook of the most iconic and memorable must-sees of Paris, including historical landmarks, art, lifestyle, and of course food.

This book is due to be published on September 6, 2016.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following Amazon links.

Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada