3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Pam Jenoff’s Last Twilight in Paris blends historical mystery and wartime drama, following Louise, a British housewife in 1953, who stumbles upon a necklace in a secondhand shop. The charm stirs memories of her Red Cross days in Nazi-occupied Europe and the mysterious death of her friend Franny. Determined to uncover the truth, Louise’s search leads her to Paris and the dark history of Lévitan—a once-grand department store turned Nazi work camp. In a parallel timeline, Helaine, a young Jewish woman, struggles to survive in Lévitan after being separated from her husband during the German invasion. Their stories intertwine as secrets long buried surface.
Jenoff excels at weaving lesser-known history into fiction, and Lévitan’s haunting past adds depth to the narrative. However, while the dual timelines create intrigue, the pacing sometimes drags, and the characters feel distant, making it hard to fully connect with their struggles. Unfortunately, some parts of the plot felt predictable, and some moments lacked emotional weight. Still, for historical fiction fans, Last Twilight in Paris offers a fascinating glimpse into a forgotten wartime tragedy, even if it doesn’t pack the emotional punch of Jenoff’s strongest work.
** Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a comp of the eBook. The opinions are my own.