This was my first book by Pam Jenoff and I enjoyed her storytelling. This story features strong female characters and one necklace lead to a mystery. In 1953, Louise finds a necklace that reminds her of a time from when she was a Red-Cross worker during the war. She is compelled to find out more, and this leads her to return to Paris. Jenoff tells the less known story of Levitan, a German prison set in a Paris department store where prisoners were forced to sort Jewish art, jewelry and other heirlooms to be sold.
A fascinating tale.

While it was incredibly emotional, this story was everything I love wrapped up into one with a neat little bow. In one book I experienced WWII historical fiction, murder mystery, and thrilling edge-of-your-seat chapters that made the book impossible to put down.

What I love about Pam Jenoff’s books, as she described in the author's note, is that she finds lesser known pieces of WWII history and brings them to life with a work of fiction based loosely on real events. In this instance, it was the camp at Levitan, a furniture store (department store in the book), where Nazis shopped the stolen goods of Jewish people whose homes were pillaged after they were arrested and taken to the camps. Jews were forced to work in this shop, organizing and cleaning goods and being on the sales for when Nazi “elites” came in to shop. Almost 800 Jews were taken from the Drancy camp (the last stop before being sent to extermination camps) between 1940-1944 to be “employed” at the Levitan camp. Their dormitory with deplorable conditions was above the showrooms.

While reading, I fell in love with Helaine and Gabriel as well as Louise because of the deep devotion she had to finding out the truth about what happened to her friend.

This story follows dual timelines, however unlike most WWII books I have read, BOTH timelines contained people who survived the war. Helaine and Gabriels POV takes place during the war. Louise has two POV’s, one in her “present day” almost a decade after liberation and one as her time as a red cross volunteer delivering aid to people in the camps.

As with all WWII novels, this one was beautifully, sensitively, written and heartbreaking but also showed the devotion of each character to their loved ones.

Thank you to @netgalley @parkrowbooks and @pamjenoff for providing me a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Pam Jenoff is my go-to author for gripping, well-written, and deeply researched books about World War II and Paris as seen through the eyes of fascinating individuals. LAST TWILIGHT IN PARIS her latest wonderful story casting a light on a little-known facet of the Nazi war machine: selling the goods of Jews sent to the concentration camps in a former department store. When a woman spots a necklace in 1953 she remembers seeing before, she follows her suspicions to uncover a terrible conspiracy to silence that past, joined by a former lover and driven by what they discover to find the answer to her friend's mysterious death during the war. Throughout this excellent story, I cheered, winced, and anguished--definitely one of those books that kept me up too late reading one more chapter! I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

4.5 Stars

Pam Jenoff’s Last Twilight in Paris is a beautifully-written historical novel from one of the genre’s finest writers.

London, 1953 and Louise is trying to adjust to her new role as a housewife in post-war England. When she discovers a box in a second-hand shop containing a necklace with the name of a department store in Paris, she is positive that she has seen this piece of jewelry before when she worked in Europe as a Red Cross nurse in Nazi-occupied Europe. Louise is convinced that the necklace holds the key to untangling the mystery of her friend Franny’s death during the War, so following the trail of clues to Paris, she asks her former boss, Ian for help.

The necklace leads them to Lévitan, a department store that had served as a Nazi prison and a woman called Helaine, a former prisoner who had been separated from her husband when the Nazis invaded France. As Louise and Ian battle with an old attraction to one another, they try to piece together the pieces of this puzzle. What is the connection between the necklace, Franny and Lévitan? Can they finally uncover the truth or will dark forces do whatever it takes to keep the secrets of the past dead and buried?

Master storyteller Pam Jenoff has written a book readers will savor and struggle to put down. Last Twilight in Paris is a gripping tale of secrets, courage and love spiced with mystery, intrigue, tension and romance. With a vividly recreated historical setting that will make readers feel as if they’ve traveled back in time, characters to root for and a dramatic and poignant story that will keep those page turning, Last Twilight in Paris is another outstanding historical novel from best-selling author Pam Jenoff.

Another ww2 mystery by Pam Jenoff

I have read all of Ms Jenoffs books and thoroughly enjoyed them. Last Twilight in Paris was an excellent novel, a WW2 mystery with excellent research, great twisty plot and interesting characters. The story is set in multiple time periods, before, during and after WW2, a bit distracting but helping to explain the characters' actions and motives. Well-researched historical fiction is my favorite way of learning bits of history and this novel contains details about the role of the International Red Cross during the war and the sorting and sales of Nazi seized property in a closed department store. Very highly recommended.

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time-constrained e-arc via Netgalley with no obligation. This review is optional and my own opinion.

Another wonderful HF from Jenoff. This one centers around a cellist, a necklace, and a department store that turns into a prison during WWII. Like many of her other books, Jenoff brings to light facets of history that are less commonly known. I always welcome the opportunity to learn more when I pick up her books, and this one did just that.

This novel follows two women in Europe who were impacted by WWII. This novel is heartbreaking but also mysterious as the reader tries to uncover the truth behind the locket found a decade after the war ended.

Helaine is a Jewish woman living in Paris during the onset of WWII, she is ripped from the life and family she knows as Paris becomes occupied by the Nazis and she is eventually imprisoned in a department store within the city limits.

Louise is a housewife in London in 1953 who is settling into her post-war life when she finds a locket she recognizes from her time during the war. As she begins to ask questions and look for answers, the reader begins to learn more about her involvement in war efforts.

Told across dual POV and timeline, this novel highlights a part of WWII history I had not explored before (Red Cross involvement in the war effort & Nazi's occupation of Paris). I did find this novel to lag at times, which is what resulted in the 3⭐️ rating. I enjoyed the organization, the writing and the plot but I found it unnecessarily long and could have been cut by 50-75 pages.

As an avid historical fiction novel reader, I continue to be amazed at stories like, Last Twilight in Paris, can remain hidden from mainstream knowledge. Until I read this book, I had no idea that Jewish captives were held in a Parisian furniture store where they were forced to sort through confiscated belongings of Jewish homes that were liquidated when the Nazis deported them to concentration camps. Of course, this information sent me down an online rabbit hole or two! In this novel, the dual timeline of just before World War 2 and then shortly after, bridges the story of a missing locket, a Red Cross worker, and a Jewish captive navigating their way through a tumultuous journey. This research into this book is extraordinary bringing light to the faces and heroes that must never be forgotten. The stories of Helaine and Louise will stay with me!

Pam Jenoff is always on my auto-read list. I have loved all of her books that I've read, and plan to continue reading more, however this one fell a little short for me. I loved the story of Levitan and love Jenoff's use of the "Gasp" method and definitely think that applied here. I read a lot of WWII HF and have never heard about Levitan. I also loved the two FMCs. I love that they struggled with their own issues, but were able to grow from them, and that they both got the answers to their mysteries. Overall the book was very slow and a bit lengthy. I think the writing could have been more concise and still an amazing book, but a little shorter. With that said, I would definitely still recommend this book for Jenoff/WWII lovers!

I am definitely the outlier here. There are so many 4 & 5 star ratings and it just didn't hit me in the same way. It was a perfectly ok story but lacked emotion in both the characters and the storytelling. I was excited to learn more about Levitan, but I feel a little cheated by how little history we got. It took forever to get there and then I feel like the history was sort of glossed over. Helaine doesn’t even make it to Levitan until more than halfway through the book.

My biggest beef with the story is the lack of emotion. I did not shed one tear and that says a lot from someone who cries at literally everything. These characters had experienced very traumatic events in their life, and we hear about those, but we don’t feel it. The character development was there, but the emotional depth was not. The character that I felt the most connected to was Franny and we got so little of her.

The plot was solid, and it had the potential to be a really emotional read but the pace for most of the book was so slow that it was hard to stay interested. The last third of the book finally got to a pace that held my attention. There was a nice twist towards the end that took me by surprise. Although I didn’t hate the book, I am not sure that it is one I would pick up to read again.

It’s only February and I’ve already read several excellent historical fiction novels, including this one.

Inspired by true events, this is a story set in two timelines (1940s and the 1950s) about two women, Helaine and Louisa, during WWII and told from their respective POVs. The author shines a light on an unknown (to me) part of the Nazi occupation in France, namely that the Nazis used a department store in the heart of Paris as a prisoner centre for ‘high status” Jewish prisoners. There, the prisoners were forced to sort through the stolen belongings of Jewish families, display the items, and sell them to high-ranking Nazi officials. The threat of being transported to the concentration camps was ever-present.

The interweaving of the timelines was so well done and the pacing was consistent throughout. The storytelling, clearly informed by research, was captivating and compelling and the writing was vividly descriptive. A story of loss, sorrow, but also of resilience and hope.

Highly recommended for historical fiction lovers.

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

This dual-timeline novel starts in 1943, in Paris. Helaine has just been arrested. Her husband Gabriel, a cellist, is missing in Germany and she realizes that coming from a wealthy, influential Jewish family has not protected her. The story shifts to 1953, England where Louise, a married mother of two, remains haunted by the time she volunteered for the Red Cross during WWII. In a secondhand store, she finds a heart necklace, which she recognizes as a piece of jewelry one of the prisoners in a German camp they visited had tried to have smuggled out by her friend Franny. After Fanny took the necklace, she was killed, allegedly in a car accident. Louise had suspected that her friend's death was connected to the necklace. Now, with the necklace in her possession, she is determined to uncover the truth about her friend's death. Her search takes her to the former building of Lévitan, a former luxury department store that was converted to a place where the Germans stored and sold looted possessions of Parisian Jews. It also served as a prison camp for those arrested and forced to work there. This was where Helaine was taken when she was arrested.

Pam Jenoff has written many riveting historical novels about WWII and its aftermath. Last Twilight in Paris is a powerful story that sheds light on a lesser-known aspect of the German occupation of Paris - the story of Lévitan. Jenoff has created two strong female characters and an intriguing mystery. If you are a fan of historical fiction, chances are you are familiar with this author. If not, this book is a perfect introduction to one of the top authors in the genre, who writes stories that need to be told.

Rated 4.5 stars.

ast Twilight in Paris is a dual timeline novel. Set during WWII and 1953, it intertwines the lives of Louise, a volunteer during the war but currently a mom and housewife, and Helaine, a Jewish woman imprisoned and separated from her husband during the war. Louise lost her friend Fanny while volunteering with the Red Cross in concentration camps, and the mystery of her death has never left her. When she discovers a necklace while working in a thrift shop, she’s certain it’s the same necklace she saw with Fanny before she died. Louise makes it her mission to uncover the secret of this necklace.

This story was heart wrenching and beautiful. Part mystery, part historical fiction, it’s a story of strength, survival, and love. I loved the ending, and I know this story will stay with me for a while! I love dual timeline historical fictions, and this was no exception. Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins, and Harlequin for an advance copy.

London 1953, Louise discovers a necklace in a shop inside a box from Paris. She’s sure that she’s seen it before when she was with the Red Cross during the war. A mystery and a story of sacrifice,, wonderful writing.

This dual timeline story about a little know event in WWII kept me turning the pages.

London, 1953: Louise was a red cross volunteer who helped take Red Cross care packages to prisoners in the camps during WWII. Now she is a wife and mother who loves her husband but is still struggling to adapt to her life as a housewife and mother. She helps in a thrift store sorting through boxes with items that can be placed for sale when she comes across a heart shaped necklace that is missing its other half. She is sure that she has seen this necklace before when she was with the Red Cross and she is determined to track down the other half and the history behind it.

Paris, 1943: Helaine is a young Jewish woman who is imprisoned in the Lévitan, an upscale furniture store that the Nazis are using as a temporary prison camp. The people are forced to work and put out items stolen from Jewish homes. High ranking Nazis can shop in the store to purchase items for their wives and mistresses. Helaine's husband is a gifted cellist in the symphony and he was forced to go to the camps to entertain Nazi officers. Before he left he gave her half of a heart shaped necklace and he kept the other half.

Paris, 1953: Louise returns to Paris and runs into her old boss, Ian, who worked with her at the Red Cross. Louise is hoping that she can find answers to what happened to her Friend, Franny, who died while they were visiting the prisoners. Louise saw one of the prisoners hand her a heart shaped necklace just like the one that Louise found in the thrift shop. When Frany's body was found, the necklace was missing. Her search in Paris leads her to a now closed but once upscale furniture store, the Lévitan. Louisse discovers that Parisian Jews were housed there as a temporary camp. She must find out what happened there and where the other half of the necklace is. She is hoping that with Ian's help they can unravel the mystery. However, things are more complicated than she thought they would be and secrets are standing in the way.

I really enjoyed Last Twilight in Paris and it lead me to try and learn more about the history of the Lévitan. Thanks to NetGalley and Park Row for the advanced reading copy.

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.

Louise is not going to give up easily. She is on the hunt for the truth. But, she soon discovers, not everything is as it seems.

I love a book which has me researching. And I went down a rabbit hole researching Lévitan. This author created such a unique tale about this tragic time period.

Even though this is not my favorite book by this author, it is still a great story! (My favorite is The Woman With The Blue Star.) This has a dual timeline and it is full of secrets, drama and great characters!

Thérèse Plummer is one of my favorite narrators. Add in Saskia Maarleveld and you have a great team!

I received this novel from, the publisher for a honest review.

Pam Jenoff has done it again with the story in this book. I always learn a part of history that is little known in her novels. My favorite parts were with Helaine and Gabriel; their love was so true and really did see them through dark times. Plus it was great to see Louise find her path and finally put her past to rest.

I have no picked up a book by Pam Jenoff that I have not loved & The Last Twilight in Paris was no exception. This story was filled with history that I was unaware of. Two story lines, barely ten years apart, we fall in love with both main characters Helaine & Louise. A story of love, betrayal, marriage and ww2. This is a must read.

Last Twilight in Paris is page-turning historical fiction with generous sides of mystery, intrigue. and thriller.

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?

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.

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.

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

Fans of suspenseful WWII histfic, a Paris setting, and Pam Jenoff will want to add Last Twilight in Paris to their TBRs.

Thanks #NetGalley @HTP_Books @ParkRowBooks for a complimentary eARC of #LastTwilightInParis upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff is a fast-paced, moving novel and one that I will recommend to others.
Pam Jenoff does an excellent job writing historical fiction stories.
Her stories are always so well researched and compelling.
This book was hard to put down. Wonderful characters to follow along in the story.