The Paris Apartment

By: Jamie Steinberg

Estelle Allard’s death unlocks secrets that have been kept since World War II. It’s up to her granddaughter Lia Leclaire to piece together the puzzle and bring to light the world Estelle fought so hard to keep hidden. A tale of espionage, revenge and the lengths you’d go to for love, The Paris Apartment breaks your heart and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

When Estelle Allard passes away, she leaves her granddaughter Lia the key to her apartment in Paris. Having not seen the light of day since 1943, once she opens the door Lia finds long lost famous works of art and Nazi propaganda. Initially concerned her grandmother was a Nazi sympathizer during WWII, she enlists the help of an art restorer, Gabriel Seymour, to help bring the paintings back to their rightful owners. Little does Lia know that her grandmother was actually known as “La Chanteuse” back in the day, as she used her singing ability to disarm soldiers and her apartment to hide infirm airman in need of safe passage back to their countries.

Lia soon locates at least one piece of art and some hidden documents belonging to the great-aunt of Gabriel. It seems Sophie, long suspected to have perished early in the war, actually revamped her life and somehow found her way into the company of Estelle – further intertwining Lia and Gabriel’s lives.

Told mostly through the eyes of two brave women recounting their tale of heartbreak and heroism, author Kelly Bowen weaves a beautiful tale that captivates. Following Lia’s journey into the past, with no idea what lies awaiting in her grandmother’s apartment, she opens the door to a time long ago forgotten and a world of art that opens her eyes and her heart. Whether you’re an art aficionado or a lover of WWII tales, The Paris Apartment well worth the read.