REVIEW: Woman On Fire by Lisa Barr

This is a gripping art history thriller about the quest for a priceless Nazi-stolen masterpiece missing since World War II.

Rookie reporter Jules Roth is canny, ambitious and determined to be hired by the acclaimed Dan Mansfield as an investigative journalist at the Chicago paper he edits.

When she talks her way into a role, Dan sets her on the secret trail of the missing final portrait painted by celebrated German artist Ernest Engel, killed by the Nazis in 1939.

Jules, however, is not the only one investigating its fate. Renowned yet psychopathic international art dealer Margaux de Laurent will stop at nothing to find the masterpiece, whose last known owner was her father, a celebrated, wealthy gallerist himself in the War years.

Then there is the elderly and mega-rich Ellis Baum, the world’s most celebrated designer of shoes that the average woman could only dream of owning. Almost no one knows of his true background and personal connection to “Woman on Fire”.

With the help of his recovering addict grandson Adam – a talented artist himself – Ellis is equally hell-bent on finding the portrait before his life ends.

A journalist in real-life herself, Barr’s well-researched tale was inspired by the true story of Cornelius Gurlitt (the son of one of Hitler’s ruthless art thieves Hildbrand Gurlitt) who, in 2010, was found to have approximately 1500 stolen masterpieces from the likes of Picasso and Chagall in his Munich home.

Brilliantly multi-layered, the action moves between Chicago, New York, France and Germany and in time between World War II, the 1950s and the present day. There is never a dull moment in this combination thriller/mystery/historical fiction..with a touch of romance too.

Masterful story-telling which explores family love, obsession, justice, retribution, determination and heroism. Readers will, no doubt, enthusiastically await the screen adaption in development by Sharon Stone.

Woman on Fire

by Lisa Barr

A young journalist embroiled in an international art scandal centred around a Nazi-looted masterpiece, forcing the ultimate showdown between passion and possession, lovers and liars, history and truth.

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Scott Whitmont