The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau - after a missing bracelet resurfaces, a woman nearing ninety has a chance to learn about the loss of her sister during World War II.

In 2018, we meet Colette Marceau, a nearly ninety-year-old woman on the verge of stealing a valuable canary diamond ring. Colette is a thief, but much like her mother and ancestor Robin Hood, she doesn't personally benefit from her daring exploits. She only targets those who are cruel, particularly those who support Nazi ideology. She has donated millions to various organizations and helped establish the Boston and New York Centers for Holocaust Education. Colette lost her mother, Anabel, and her sister Liliane in 1942, and cherishes a multi-diamond bracelet, one half of an interlocking pair, entrusted to her for safekeeping in Paris. The other bracelet had been sewn into her sister's nightgown, which disappeared after the four-year-old's body was found. When the missing bracelet resurfaces in a jewelry exhibit, Colette, long tormented by her wartime losses, hopes this discovery will help her uncover who murdered her sister. Shifting to Paris from 1938 to 1945, the past is recalled as present-day events bring Colette closer to learning the truth.

In The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau, author Kristin Harmel once again demonstrates why she is one of my favorite historical fiction writers. The portions set in Paris leading up to and during World War II are very emotional and captivating, as we get to know Colette and her mother, along with the history of the bracelets made for Anabel's friend Helene Rosman. It was enjoyable to read about the vibrant Colette in the present day, as she confronts her lifelong trauma. Although the book addresses heavy subjects, it is a truly heartwarming story. 

Many thanks to Gallery Books for providing an advance.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Historical Fiction.

Publication Date: June 17, 2025.

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