NetGalley: Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff



Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing
Published: 2/4/2025
Pages: 336
Genre: Historical Fiction
Review: ARC from NetGalley and Publisher


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 voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
I have literally found myself recently enjoying historical fiction books; I am not even sure why. It is like being able to see history through someone else's eyes, yet it isn't fully true, just some things are. With the Last Twiling in Paris, I had never heard of a department store being turned into a place that sold Jewish items that were plundered from their homes. So, to me, that was very interesting, and I had fun googling this information. 
A necklace is what causes the memories to resurface, and the mystery of what happened to the entertainer all brings Louise to get answers. 
It was interesting to see how the Red Cross was working behind enemy lines, as I never thought they were around back then, but they were. 
We go between the past and the present. Louise was sending packages to help those who were captured. She couldn't really do much, and you could tell she wanted to. While across enemy lines, her friends die in a mysterious accident, and it bothers Louise even after she has moved on and started a family. 
Heleine, another character, but has nothing to do with Louise, finds herself in trouble when the Germans come to Paris. She is taken to the department store to work and has no clue if her husband, who is a musician, is dead or alive.
The two lives of these characters come together, and it all has to do with a necklace and how their paths crossed without really crossing. 
Overall, a great historical fiction story, and I plan on looking into this author's work even further. 

  




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.

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