A book about women the strength they have and the importance of women's friendships, by banding together it creates a stronger approach. This is both an historical novel and also a murder mystery told through two timelines. It begins in the French Riviera in 1940 an extravagant party thrown by Nazi sympathizers (even the Windsor's are in attendance!). Margot Bisset is a young maid who is told by Tilly Munro, the hostess, that she is going to have a (fake)murder game at the party and Margot is given a gun to shoot in the air at a particular time. But the victim, an American woman is really killed and Margot is arrested. In prison she meets Josephine Murant who has been arrested for being part of the resistance. They are moved to a camp in Germany where they are forced to work at the Phrix Rayon factory. These scenes are horrific. I have read several World War II novels and when you think you have seen the worst of humanity and conditions another story comes and shatters that thought. In the modern timeline Josephine Murant has become a successful crime writer, no children of her own , she leaves everything to her nephew Raph, who has an Australian wife Evie and teenage son Hugo. When Raph also die, Evie is the one to sort through Josephine's papers looking for a manuscript of her first novel that was rejected. It seems complicated and early there were some timeline jumps that seemed weird but I found it well written and everything was done for a reason to make the story impossible to put down. Some of the key characters aren’t fleshed out at all (eg Gabriel) and I would’ve liked to know more about him. Some of the modern timeline characters, eg Evie’s girlfriends are just annoying and not really necessary to me. Compelling, page-turner and engaging are just a few words that come to mind when I think about this wonderful book. Friendships, secrets, love, loss and heartbreak all make for an unputdownable read. Highly recommended.

A maid, Margot Bissett, who has worked at a luxury hotel on the Riviera and a French resistant writer, Josephine Murant, find themselves together in prison, during WWII. They are then transferred to a German work Camp and it is there that a friendship begins. They share secrets that they never share with anyone else and become linked. Present day Evie Black lives in Paris with her son. She has just lost her husband and she is barely hanging on. One day she gets a letter regarding her husband’s aunt, Josephine Murant, Evie and her son, Hugo have a chance to go to the Riviera.. While there Evie
Starts to unravel the secrets of Josephine and Margot. She learns about the secrets, their work during WWII and the truth about a murder, that has been unsolved for years. This was a great story about the different roles people played during the war. Everyday hero’s, who step up to.the challenges and won’t give up. This was a 4 star read for me. I want to thank Netgalley & Kristy Manning for my copy of The French Gift. I love a good WWII story and this didn’t disappoint.

It begins with a murder. The lovely Margot Bisset, a young maid in a privileged household, is accused of the crime. But Margot has been framed, yet no one believes her, and she is convicted and sentenced to death. A half century later, Evie Black - niece-in-law of the writer and French resistance member Josephine Murant - arrives in Cote d'Azur to help curate an exhibit of the late Josephine's life and experience. Margot and Josephine's paths converge in a German work camp, where their friendship blossoms and their courage deepens. The French Gift travels from provincial France to glitzy Paris to the desolation of a German work camp, and though it contains mystery and intrigue in an historical setting, at its core it is a story about women: about the losses they face and share; their connections with each other through time, space, and death; their resilience during the most trying of times; and their love and care for each other and their families. 4/5 stars.

Many thanks to William Morrow and Custom House for the advanced reader copy, in exchange for this honest review.

A dual time line taking place in Fresne Prison, 1940 and Paris, modern time
Josephine Murant, a journalist and Resistance fighter is in prison while there she meets and befriends Margot Bisset a French maid framed by the rich family she worked for for murder.
With such different backgrounds we wouldn't expect a friendship to spring up but it does. Being sent to a work camp in Germany they endure terrible conditions.
In present day Evie Black lives in Paris with her teenage son, Hugo, above her botanical bookshop, La Maison Rustique. Mourning the loss of her husband she is surprised to get a letter regarding the legacy of her husband’s great-aunt, Joséphine Murant. Spending time with her son thy go through her aunt's things and uncover secrets hidden for decades. The book shows such strong character development in the women. The book brings together past and present through courage and strength.

Publish date 09 Nov 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I couldn't put this book down! I enjoyed both Margot and Josephine's stories, and I loved watching Evie try to untangle the truth from present day. Thanks as always to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!

I loved every part of this book! It was so well written and inviting to the reader. I loved how the past and present were brought to the story. If you are a fan of historical fiction you definitely want to pick up this book!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

A very different approach, I enjoyed this story, and the character development. The book was told in two timelines. On the Côte d’Azur, Edie and her son Hugo inherit the house that Hugo’s great aunt left to them. Evie is still mourning her husband, who died suddenly, when she receives a message from an archivist who is establishing an exhibition about the great aunt, Josephine.
The storyline of Josephine and Margot takes place in France during the war. Josephine is part of the Resistance, a flamboyant, brave and cultured Frenchwoman who meets Margot when they are both imprisoned in Fresnes. Margot’s story is important, as she is convicted of a murder she didn’t commit. After Fresnes, they are sent to be forced labor at the Phrix Rayon Factory, a place where many women were injured, scarred and died from the chemicals used to make rayon for Nazi uniforms.
There were some of the horrors of the Nazis detailed, but the book centered on the friendship of the two women, the mystery surrounding the murder, and their aim to make sure their stories were told. An absorbing and worthwhile book, thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A stunning historical fiction! A piece of history that I didn’t know much about was the standout here- Fresnes Prison, a Germany work camp. The female leads were depicted in a strong, authentic way. The dual timelines were woven together in a beautiful way. I loved it! 4.5 ⭐️

The French Gift is a historical fiction set in different timelines with a mystery added in for the present generation to solve. This novel is the story of Josephine, Margot and Evie and their struggles, friendship and courage.
Set in beautiful France and Germany this novel while though not a true story is inspired by a real person. Margot and Josephine's friendship is very beautiful to read about and the courage these women portray in the dangerous and brutal circumstances is inspiring. Every novel I read about historical fiction centered around World War II makes me aware of a new fact and this novel highlighted the rayon factory which I was not aware of before. The fear of innocent women working in these acid factories comes through very clearly and is scary as well heartbreaking. A story of transformation, humanity, survival and true friendship this book is a 4 star read.

This is a fascinating WWII historical fiction book. I had trouble getting into it at first, but I stuck with it and I’m so glad I did! Once I got past the character setup, the plot was really interesting. It’s told in two timelines, WWII era and present day.

Margot Bissett is a housekeeper for a wealthy family on the French Riviera in 1939. There’s a Bastille Day party that night, and Margot is given a gun and told to fire it into the air at midnight. Her boss told her that it was a murder mystery game. Unfortunately, after she fires a woman falls and dies.

Margot is convicted and goes to prison. Her cell mate is a famous author named Josephine Murant, who works for the French Resistance and was arrested for publishing a newsletter. She believes Margot’s story, and promises to help her when they’re released. In 1942, they’re sent to Germany to be forced labor in a dangerous rayon factory, where women died from the fumes.

In the present day, Josephine has died recently and left her houses and contents to her now-deceased great nephew and his wife Evie. There’s a retrospective of all her work being setup, and as Evie and the curator go through Josephine’s papers, they discover secrets that might have been lost forever.

I highly recommend this book, 4 stars. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is an intriguing historical tale (involving horrific experiences in German work camps) combined with a cold case mystery.

In 1940, maid Margot Bisset is set up by her employer to take the fall for murder. She ends up sharing a cell - and later sharing awful forced labor - with Josephine Murant (arrested by the Nazis).

After Murant's death at age 100, her grand-niece and a historian research both cases. The ending is stunning - and highly satisfying!

Part murder mystery and part historical fiction, The French Gift is a strong addition to the WWII sub genre. Told in three POVs, The French Gift delves into the mostly untold stories of woman who were enslaved by the Germans and forced to work in factories in Germany throughout the war.

I really enjoyed the interwoven story lines of Evie, Josphine and Margot! I am a sucker for multiple POVs so it was no surprise that I enjoyed this one so much. It does take a little to get into the story but overall it was a quick read that shows a different perspective of WWII. I would recommend this one to anyone who loves a good historical fiction book.

1940. After being falsely accused of murder, Margot finds herself in prison, with Josephine, a resistance fighter, as her cell mate. They are soon transferred to a German work camp, where they rely on each other to survive. In the present day, Evie, recently widowed, is tasked with organizing her family’s affairs, and begins to learn more about great-aunt Josephine.
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I loved the addition of a murder mystery within the historical storyline, and I think this may be one of my favorite historical fiction books that I’ve read this year. Manning does a fantastic job of weaving together these storylines, with past, present, and future converging into a fun, immersive story. The beginning was a little slow, and I felt overwhelmed at first with the introduction of so many characters, but I was hooked enough to keep going. Manning’s fantastic descriptions throughout the book, from opulent, over-the-top parties to the food and scenery, truly made for an enjoyable reading experience. This is also a story about honoring those that came before us, and preserving stories so that future generations can learn and benefit from them. Josephine kept a diary in the margins of a book while she was imprisoned, and Evie restores and sells rare books and manuscripts. In their own way, each woman ensured that the past would be remembered by future generations.

I adored Manning's book The Lost Jewels and was thrilled to see a new publication. Despite the fact that the market is saturated with WWII subject matter, Manning was successful in delivering another magnificent novel. The vividness with which Manning describes the conditions at the Arnath Prison and the Phrix Rayon Factory is on par with the eye opening book by Heather Morris, The Tattooist of Auschwitz. The brilliance of this book lies with the characters: Margot and Josephine in the 1940s and Evie in the present day timeline. Margot is the scapegoat in a wonderfully quirky fictional murder mystery gone wrong. Josephine is largely based on the French Resistance member Agnes Humbert who wrote a diary of her experiences during the war in France. Evie is a widow who is looking to move forward from her husband's unexpected death, embrace the fact that her teenage son is about to go off on his own, and to finally finalize the estate of her husband's great-aunt. All three women find a hidden strength and determination, while also experiencing loss, renewal, friendship and love. The layers that Manning uses to create the story and unravel the secrets are enthralling. A MUST read title.

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.

Kirsty Manning has done it again. The author of The Jade Lily is back with The French Gift, the dual time-line story about two women, Josephine Murant and Margot Bisset in 1939 France who find themselves imprisoned and are forced into slave labor at a German rayon factory during the war, and Josephine’s nephew’s wife, Evie, who stumbles upon Josephine’s secret resistance past after the widowed Evie and her son inherit Josephine’s villa after her death. Secrets unfold as Josephine and Margot’s pasts are unraveled. A murder at a party before the war sent Margot to prison but she always claimed her innocence. After the war, Josephine, who had been a journalist before the war, turned her back on her profession and became a famous mystery novelist. What secrets did these two women keep from their years in prison, and what secret did Josephine take to her grave? Evie intends to find out.

The plot is well thought out and the author ties the story up nicely. I couldn’t put the book down. This is the second novel I’ve read by Ms. Manning and I can’t wait to read more. 4.5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

What a wonderful novel that blends mystery and history.. As always I learned more about the Women’s camp in Germany that I had no clue about. Just more atrocities from the Nazi’s against people who couldn’t defend themselves at the time.

The way Ms. Manning pulls the stories together is fantastic. Her fictional characters felt like they could have been real, which made them that more intriguing.

4 Stars.

This is the first book I have read by Kirsty Manning and I loved her writing style. I loved the mystery and intrigue woven throughout this story I love historical fiction especially the WW2 era so I knew the minute I saw this book that I had to read it. We get this book in two different timelines following a couple of different characters. Josephine and Margot were both so well written, the mystery of the missing unfinished manuscript kept me on the edge of my seat. Watching Josephine and Margot's relationship and friendship develop through the book made my heart happy.

Margot is thrown in prison because she is being used as a scapegoat for a murder that happened at a place that she was a maid for rich people. While in prison she meets Josephine and they developed a lasting friendship. The second storyline follows the widow of Josephine's great-nephew and what happens after his passing. All in all, this was a lovely story, full of emotions, beautifully written.

I am looking forward to reading more books by this author.

Thanks, Netgalley and William Morrow for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

During World War II, Margot Bisset is a young French maid accused of murder and sent to Fresnes Prison where she befriends Josephine Murant, a journalist and Resistance fighter. The women form an unlikely friendship and are transferred to a work camp in Germany to serve their sentences. They both endure untold horrors and only one of them makes it out.

In present day Paris, Evie Black, niece of Josephine Murant, is contacted by a museum curator who wishes to establish an exhibition on Josephine's life and her work in the French Resistance. There is a rumor of an unpublished manuscript and Evie and the museum curator try to find it. As they search, they uncover what Josephine and Margot's lives were like in the prison camp. They begin to understand how deep into the Resistance Josephine was and why she believed that Margot was innocent.

This was a well-told historical fiction that told the story of the Phrix Rayon factory. The Phrix Rayon factory was where the Germans created artificial rayon using viscose. The women were made to handle this acidic liquid and many ended up with scarred lungs, burns, and even blindness. Others drank the liquid in order to end their suffering. I was unaware that this factory even existed. With every historical fiction I read, I find myself researching places and events I did not know existed. Kirsty Manning is a wonderful author and I look forward to picking up more of her books and seeing what else she has to offer.

This was quite a story and took me by surprise! I really love WWII novels, especially those with dual timelines connecting the past and present and this one was pretty great. It is always interesting to me get perspective on the war in France during the occupation. I really enjoyed the story of all the women in the book and the different timelines. Every woman was strong and inspiring in her own unique way. Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for the ARC.

Manning packs several different story threads into this intriguing novel. She is successful with her weaving Of WWII French resistance, a murder mystery writer, a collectors’ career, set in sumptuous French landscapes. I read this novel fast because the words were written so well and I was fully Immersed in the story. There’s a little of something for every reader in The French Gift, no matter what genre ignores your interest.