Nazi art thefts, murder, and a psychopath willing to do anything to get the painting she wants—what's not to like? Lisa Barr's Woman on Fire traces a mesmerizing painting from its Jewish owners to the art dealer who was forced to sell it to the Nazis to the modern day race to find it, at any cost. This story is so full of twists that I read it in one sitting.

While this book is completely different than author’s last book, The Unbreakables, it still had the same feel to the writing. There is just something about Lisa’s writing that feels sophisticated, smart and mature.

Her writing is beautiful without being flowery, the words hook you and the plot moves at a perfect pace, while also featuring well developed characters that you feel like you truly get to know and love. I read the last two chapters with tears in my eyes, I could have easily spent more time with these characters.

This is such a unique genre of a book. A thriller that also largely features historical fiction, delving into the world of Nazi stolen art - Something that I really didn’t know much about and found myself researching more about it as I read.

Scandalous, sexy, dark and fascinating!
Woman on Fire is out TOMORROW - I strongly recommend getting yourself a copy!

From the moment that Jules Roth forced her way into the office of the Chronicle’s managing editor in hope of landing a job, Dan Mansfield knew that she had the makings of a great reporter. Approached by his friend to take on a search for a missing painting, he asks Jules to assist him. Ellis Baum is a noted show designer and the head of Anika Baum shoes. In 1930s Berlin his mother Anika’s portrait was the last painting created by Ernst Engel. The painting was confiscated by the Nazis and with a diagnosis of terminal cancer Ellis’ one wish is to be reunited with his mother’s portrait, Woman on Fire. Ellis is not the only one hunting for the painting however. Margeaux de Laurent, a gallerist who inherited her knowledge of art from her grandfather, claims ownership of the painting and she is used to getting what she wants. It is a race against time to fulfill Ellis’ wish before his death.

Dan and Jules are joined by Adam Baum, Ellis’ grandson. Adam is a well known artist and a recovering drug addict who knows Margeaux. She was not only his representative, but also his lover and drug supplier. After being sober for several years, he knows how she manipulates people. She will exploit any weakness and remove any opponent in order to win. When tragedy strikes, Jules finds herself on her own. Margeaux has monitored her phone and hacked her computer but Jules is determined to defeat her and uses all of her resources and instincts as a reporter to follow the path that the painting has taken since WWII.

Lisa Barr’s story takes you on a journey from Nazi Germany to the present as the painting travels through galleries, is hidden from view and finally finds a proper home. Her characters embody hope and determination as well as pure evil. Woman on Fire will catch you from the opening scenes and hold you to the final confrontation. I would like to thank NetGalley and Harper Perennial for providing this book for my review.

Woman on Fire is a painting that was stolen by the Nazi in WWII. Since then people have wanted the original back.

The cover is amazing! It captures your attention and gives you insight into the book and there art world. What I liked best about the book was the characters. You never know who to trust as the mystery unravels. The first scene is a flash forward in the book strikes you and you want to keep reading to see how the story got to that event.

FANTASTIC! As a first time reader of this author I wasn't sure what to expect. This is a fast paced story with twists and turns at every corner. Margaux is a wonderfully complex and entertaining psychopath while Jules is the embodiment of justice and courage. Barr crafted relationships that added depth and context to each character. Great book!

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.

Woman on Fire is an can't put down thriller around an international art scandal! It combines scandal, history, suspense, the art world, secret pasts and dying wishes.

I loved this book so much! It starts off with a bang and then you get brought up to speed with what lead to the opening scene and I was hooked!

Woman on Fire is a gripping tale of a young, ambitious journalist embroiled in an international art art scandal centered around a Nazi-looted masterpiece--forcing the ultimate showdown between passion and possession, lovers and liars, history and truth.

If you're looking for a fantastic thriller I can't recommend this enough! I loved the ending and Lisa Barr's writing style and descriptions of this painting! I had such a great visual of this painting in my head. I find the stolen artwork side of this book fascinating too!

Woman On Fire was an excellent read. Modern day story with historical fiction within the story.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's rare for me to find a book that I enjoy so much that words completely escape me as the pure joy and amazement take over. Nazi stolen art, heists, villains, villainesses, lifelong secrets, lovers, old friends, beautiful cities, hideaways and so much more are encapsulated in this fascinating novel that had me from start to finish. I want to reread it immediately and enjoy the emotional suspense all over again. It's just that good.

The high-stakes nature at the center of this novel makes Woman on Fire a compelling read. Then add-in family secrets, sex, the art world and a lush cast of characters, you've just painted a rich suspenseful novel.

Two women, each clamoring for the painting, jet set across the globe to find the Women on Fire. Stolen during WWII, the significance of the portrait is more than its worth, it's one man final opportunity to see his mother. The final stroke of this page-turner made for a climatic, satisfying ending.

"Art is not what you see, but what you feel."

Thank you Harper Perennial and Paperbacks, Harper Paperbacks for the advance reader copy.
General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Women's Fiction

This was such a good book that I wasn’t expecting. I wasn’t sure how interested in an art scandal that was centered around Natzi stolen art I’d be. However, I was so engaged both emotionally with many of the characters and also on the edge of my seat to see who would ultimately own the piece in question, Woman on Fire.
In the first quarter of the book Barr takes her time to introduce the reader to all the key players. scandal. It’s satisfying to see how they all fit together. I really grew to love Jules’ ambition and gutsiness, Ellis’s undying love for his mother and even the villain, Margaux, had her tender side showing Barr’s ability to create multidimensional characters.

Synopsis:

The players

Jules- an ambitious journalist that will do anything for a story. She just talked her way into a job with the leading investigative reporter in Chicago.

Dan Mansfield- runs an investigative team and is completely committed to his career sacrificing his family. He hires Jules to locate a painting stolen by the Nazis more than 75 years earlier: legendary Expressionist artist Ernst Engel’s most famous work, Woman on Fire. World-renowned shoe designer

Ellis Baum wants this portrait of a beautiful, mysterious woman for deeply personal reasons, and has enlisted Dan’s help to find it. But Jules doesn’t have much time; the famous designer is dying.

Margaux de Laurent - powerful and seductive also searches for the painting. Heir to her art collector family’s millions, Margaux is a cunning gallerist who gets everything she wants. The only thing standing in her way is Jules. who is passionate and determined Jules has unexpected resources of her own, including
Adam Baum, Ellis’s grandson. A recovering addict and brilliant artist in his own right, Adam was once in Margaux’s clutches. He knows how ruthless she is, and he’ll do anything to help Jules locate the painting before Margaux gets to it first.

A thrilling tale of secrets, love, and sacrifice that illuminates the destructive cruelty of war and greed and the triumphant power of beauty and love, Woman on Fire tells the story of a remarkable woman and an exquisite work of art that burns bright, moving through hands, hearts, and history

I highly recommend this book if you like historical fiction, mysteres or thrillers! You won’t be disappointed. I can definitely see this book being translated to the big screen!

Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr explores the high stakes world of art theft, the risks involved and the players that investigate it. This is Barr’s third novel and it’s fantastic to see her range of writing in various genres. This book offers a bit of everything: a contemporary storyline, some historical information, a dollop of romance and a whole lot of suspense. It’s a winning combination and will appeal to readers of all types.

Art is the common denominator in all of Barr’s books, and the subject never gets old. You’ll find a great cast of characters, young and old, bad and good, flawed and relatable. I loved getting to know Jules and her mother. Jules was fearless and knew exactly how to get what she wanted. Ellis Baum, whose art was stolen, was a wonderful man trying to put closure on what he’d seen during the Holocaust. His career as a shoe designer was also fun to read about.

The book’s plot falls into a good vs. evil trope as Julies and Adam are pitted against the manipulative Margaux. I was flipping the pages so quickly to see how they’d all end up. You’ll have to read it to learn the powerufl conclusion. I think this is Barr’s best book to date and left me googling for more information about high-end art theft, how it’s recovered and how it’s sold.

Book clubs will have a lot to chew on in their discussions especially because Nazi stolen art has been a hot topic lately.

Jules Roth is a young, smart, ambitious journalist. Through sheer determination, she gets assigned to work on an investigative piece for a leading Chicago newspaper that involves a valuable work of art that had been confiscated by the Nazis and had not been seen for more than seventy-five years. There is finally hope of finding Woman on Fire, the famous work by legendary Expressionist artist Ernst Engel, when the son of Hitler’s notorious art thief, is found murdered. It is believed that many long-lost masterpieces, including Woman on Fire, were being hidden in his home. It was expected that the long-hidden artwork would soon re-surface on illegal channels to be sold to unscrupulous buyers.

In addition to Ellis Baum, the famous shoe designer, whose dying wish is to recover the painting of his mother, art gallery owner Margaux de Laurent is also seeking it as well, believing she is its rightful owner. Author Lisa Barr has created a captivating adventure which is a suspenseful mystery thriller, historical fiction, romance, art history and more. This fast-paced book takes place across the globe and the tension level remains high throughout. Reserve yourself a few reading days as you will not want to put this book down. You’ll enjoy rooting for Jules, who tends to be a renegade, and you’ll equally enjoy hating Margaux, one of the most despicable characters to come along. All the stars for this wonderful book!

This was such a powerful and emotional read it takes you on a journey that you will never forgot!
Jules whose a young journalist, makes her way into the Dan Mansfield’s office he’s a famous investigative reporter and demands he hires her and she won’t leave until he says yes. Impressed with her spunk he agrees and she soon finds herself on a top secret assignment. He wants her to help locate a painting that was stolen by the Nazis the famous Expressionist Ernst Engel's final, Ellis Baum has enlisted Dan's help to locate and Ellis happens to be a world renowned shoe designer and he’s dying.
Margaux de Laurent a gallerist whose manipulative and powerful and she has her greedy eyes on the same painting. Margaux may have just met her match in Jules, she has no idea that Jules also has an someone behind her in Ellis Baum's grandson Adam, he was once famous in the art world, but now is recovering from his addiction, but he knows Margaux better than anyone else and now it’s a race against wills to find this painting! Wow I truly loved this book, I was hooked and read this over one weekend! Five star!!

This was my first Lisa Barr book and I really enjoyed it. Woman On Fire is a painting that was stolen by the Nazis during WWII. The main storyline of the book is the search to find the painting. We are introduced to Jules, Dan, Ellis, Adam, and Margaux who are all connected to the painting in different ways. The story is compelling and well-written and the characters are complex and very interesting. This is more like 4-1/2 stars for me, it would have been 5 but it becomes a little confusing going back and forth in time keeping track of so many different characters. I definitely recommend reading it. It was hard to put down. Thanks to #netgalley #harpercollins and #lisabarr for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Where to start with this book besides that I absolutely loved it.

"Art never leaves, even when people do."

This novel pits these two fiercely dedicated women against each other in the quest to find the painting. Who will win: a dedicated investigative journalist, or the blood-thirsty gallerist.

Jules Roth has wanted to work for Dan Mansfield, the top investigative journalist in Chicago since she was a young girl. After college, she storms into Dan's office and convinces him to give her a job. She's passionate about the chase of the story and exposing the truth. Dan concedes and gives her a top-secret assignment that involved a good friend of Dan's, famous shoe designer Ellis Baum.

The story Jules has to investigate is a painting that was stolen by the Nazis more than 75 years earlier, which Ellis has a deeply vested interest in. In order to get into the underground art world, they enlist Elli's artist grandson, Adam Baum. Adam has a connection to the most powerful gallerist in the world - Margaux de Laurent.

Margaux de Laurent, as mentioned, is a power gallerist who comes from a line of gallery owners. Margaux uses ruthless tactics to find the same painting as Jules, claiming her family owned it during the war. This painting was Margaux's grandfather's pride and joy and she wants it back.

Woman on Fire is a book that hooked me just by the cover - I absolutely love the view of wartime Europe with the vague pose of the painting - you can imagine the painting however you want to throughout the novel. I also enjoyed reading about Ellis Baum's connection with the painting and his life story - true rags to riches and beating all odds to become a success.

One thing I did not enjoy about Woman on Fire was the super neurotic characterization of Margaux de Laurent. I understand that she has severe trauma and is considered a psychopath, but I just didn't feel it for her. Her behavior, to me, was odd. She is an amazing character, but certain parts of how she was portrayed were odd.

Overall I truly loved this book and can't wait to get a physical copy when it is published March 1, 2022.

I am completely blown away by how exquisite and thrilling "Woman on Fire" is; its intensity captured my attention from the very first page, unable to tear my eyes away until finished. Full of suspense, Lisa Barr paints a compelling tale with well written layered characters, an engaging plot and thoroughly researched history.

Jules Roth, fresh out of school, talks her way into a dream job, working at the Chicago Chronicle under Dan Mansfield, a famous award-winning investigative journalist. She's quickly swept into the international art world, secretly tasked with helping to find German Expressionist Ernest Engel's, Women on Fire, a painting stolen by the Nazis more than 75 years earlier for Ellis Baum, who would like to be reunited with his mother before passing. But, Margaux de Laurent, a cunning gallerist, is also searching for the same piece, believing it rightfully belongs to her family. "Woman on Fire" focuses on the scandal around a Nazi-looted masterpiece, exposing human cruelty, ruthless desire and the criminal underworld through the beauty of art.

Fans of the television series "White Collar" and biographical film "Woman in Gold" will devour every word like oxygen. This extremely powerful story comes alive with its unexpected twists, vivid descriptions, passionate protagonists and deep emotional background. I enjoyed watching all of the separate stories intertwine into one.

I will be screaming from the rooftops that everyone needs to read "Woman on Fire."

Woman on Fire is a painting, "acquired" by Nazis during WWII from Charles De Laurent, an art dealer and globally recognized expert in modern art. It was the last work of Ernst Engel, who was killed by Nazis in 1938. As important works were destroyed by the Nazis, Barr imagines that De Laurent is responsible for saving many works. This story is a bit thriller, a bit intrigue, a bit mystery and a bit romance. Jules Roth, fresh out of journalism school, lives with her lawyer mother as she figures out how to start her career. She wants to be an investigative journalist. She was involved in an expose that made national news when she was in high school. Jules decides to go right to the top and try to talk her way into a job with a famous journalist.. The problem with reviewing this book is that each step of the story contains a spoiler. Ultimately Jules ends up playing a part in searching out information on Woman on Fire, the beautiful model for the painting, the model's lover and the painting's provenance. Meanwhile, they are also looking at a murder and art theft that might include this painting and might involve Charles De Laurent's granddaughter Margaux, a beautiful, brilliant, psychopath who inherited his galleries after her parents died. The only person Margaux has ever been truly loyal to is Charles. Everyone else is a game and each person she pays any attention to exists to serve her vile needs. Jules' team knows from the outset that Margaux might be involved in the theft. Why are they looking for this particular painting? spoiler. Who makes up the team? spoiler. What is the past of each other person on the team? Some were in rehab for addiction. Rest is a spoiler. Where do they go and who do they meet? spoiler. Does the painting turn up? Twists turns and spoilers. The characters, all fictional, are interesting, but I did not deeply connect with a number of them and I'm not sure why.. I ended up caring enough about the team as a whole and the challenges they face. Margaux is wickedly drawn to great effect. The story itself is well plotted and the writing is engaging, mostly taking place in the present day but jumping back to WWII when it serves the story. Definitely recommend to those who enjoy a good investigative reporter does dangerous things for a good purpose stories. .

Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr is a wild ride of a historical thriller.

The official description of the book states "Woman on Fire tells the story of a remarkable woman and an exquisite work of art that burns bright, moving through hands, hearts, and history." I thought the book was going to be about the history of the woman in the painting. It is not.

On a basic level, the book is about a rookie reporter named Jules who is trying to uncover the history of the painting "Woman on Fire" after a major art heist, and a woman named Margaux who is behind the heist. This is definitely a plot based novel. At times I thought the plot was so packed that it was not only hard to follow, but I felt no emotional connection to any of the characters.

There are a TON of characters in this book. Off the top of my head I can count 5 main characters, 14 additional supporting characters, and I'm not sure I got them all. They are intricately interweaved and it would benefit the reader to make an FBI looking map to be able to connect them all. Because of how many characters there were I didn't feel like the character development went very deep. I only found one character likable.

Overall, Woman on Fire was too busy for me. There were too many characters and the book was about 100 pages too long.

Woman On Fire by Lisa Barr is a scandalous story you don’t want to miss. This book has so much in it you will be totally fascinated by it. This story is about art work, one painting in particular, how it was stolen during WWII and the mesmerizing journey to get it back to its rightful owner. Barr did her homework with this one. It is a well written, fast paced, a definite page turner. It is filled with mystery, family secrets, history, stolen art, suspense and a lot of twist and turns. The characters are complicated and you will love and hate them but they are also unforgettable.! This is a pulse pounding gripping read from beginning to end. I advise you pick up a copy on March 1st, get comfortable while Lisa Barr takes you on a mysterious and dangerous adventure.

Thank you Lisa Barr, NetGalley and Mira for an advanced copy of this devious story in exchange for my honest review.
#netgalley #womanonfire #lisabarr #mira #arc

Under Hitler’s regime, Nazis seized more than 600,00 works of art. In Woman on Fire the focus is on a particular painting with a history so devastating, I was equally shocked and heartbroken.

As someone who has very little knowledge of art, I was pleasantly surprised that I was so engrossed by this story. Woman On Fire is a cross genre book that worked so well. Historical fiction, journalism, and art are all combined in this fast paced thriller.

There are multiple timelines and pieces of the puzzle, often showing the cruelty of men. However, this story ultimately comes down to a showdown of two badass women. Jules, an up and coming journalist hellbent on seeking the truth and Margaux, a femme fatale who will do anything to keep her beloved grandfather’s business afloat.

I read the majority of this book in a day- it is a quick, utterly engrossing read. But I am purposefully being vague describing the synopsis for two reasons: the obvious- I don’t want to give too much away. But more importantly: I truly think this story has something for everyone and it is best to go in blind. I will be thinking about this one for a long time.