Title: The Pearl Thief
Author: Fiona McIntosh
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction
Year of Release: 2019
Release Date: 15th April 2019
Rating 
TW PTSD, Sexual assault, Gun Violence, Death
Synopsis
Severine Kassel is asked by the Louvre in 1963 to aid the British Museum with curating its antique jewellery, her specialty. Her London colleagues find her distant and mysterious, her cool beauty the topic of conversations around its quiet halls. No one could imagine that she is a desperately damaged woman, hiding her trauma behind her chic, French image.
It is only when some dramatic Byzantine pearls are loaned to the Museum that Severine’s poise is dashed and the tightly controlled life she’s built around herself is shattered. Her shocking revelation of their provenance sets off a frenzied hunt for Nazi Ruda Mayek.
Mossad’s interest is triggered and one of its most skilled agents comes out of retirement to join the hunt, while the one person who can help Severine – the solicitor handling the pearls – is bound by client confidentiality. As she follows Mayek’s trail, there is still one lifelong secret for her to reveal – and one for her to discover.
From the snowy woodlands outside Prague to the Tuileries of Paris and the heather-covered moors of Yorkshire comes a confronting and heart-stopping novel that explores whether love and hope can ever overpower atrocity in a time of war and hate.
Review
Paris 1963 respected antique jewellery historian Severine Kassel is hired by the Louvre, the prestigious museum has sought her out to care for their collection of antique Jewellery. The more time she spends at the museum the more curious her colleagues become, drawn in not only by this woman’s elegance but Severine becomes the main topic of hushed conversation amongst the staff.
However, behind Severine Kassel’s mysterious, graceful mask is a woman who is hiding a trauma suffered 20 years ago. Byzantine pearls get loaned to the museum this sends Severine and the life she’s created and the walls she’s worked so hard to erect around herself to come crashing down. Discovering the birthplace of the pearls can only mean one thing a manhunt for Nazi Ruda Mayek is about to get underway and Severine Kassel is in grave danger.
Learning that the Nazi hunter has potentially resurfaced means for those who once believed the hunt was over, can now resume the chase and bring this man to justice once and for all, will the Nazi finally be held accountable for his crimes from all those years ago? or will the solicitor handling the pearls who is bound by confidentiality see that his clients whereabouts and information are kept private allowing Ruda Mayek to remain in the shadows?
The minute you open the book you feel as if you start running making it very easy for the reader to not want to put the book down, the prey becomes the predator? The stories pace does slow a little towards the closing chapters, but this allows the reader time to piece the story together, I believe this was needed as there was a lot of detail to expose.
Fiona Mcintosh has always been able to create stories that transport a reader to far off places and back in time, being one of those authors who can perform this task effortlessly her sculpted characters that appear in the reader’s mind crystal clear never once uncertain of the characters thoughts or feelings have always been some of the most treasured in my opinion. The Pearl Thief is no acceptation heroine Severine Kassel makes for one of my favourite characters of the year, at times she comes across as bitter and unfeeling; however, she’s not completely without touches of warmth, humour and light, for this reader the sharp side to Severin made The Pearl Thief stand out in the Historical Fiction genre.
Another reason The Pearl Thief is so memorable and a book I highly recommend to others is that this reader felt as if they had to build a repour with her as the book progressed to discover all her motives and secrets; I can say as a reader I haven’t had to pull a character out of a shell to completely comprehend the story and all its parts for some time. I believe this element is what gave The Pearl Thief it’s 5-star rating for me.
Being an avid reader of the Historical Fiction genre and a fan of this author for many years, I knew this book would be a winner and I was not disappointed. I will say the romance elements weren’t my favorite they didn’t tarnish the book in any way, much preferring the cat and mouse game.
Much like the other parts of the story the ending was strong and promising having finished this book a little while ago now I find myself still thinking of Severine Kassel.
I recommend The Pearl Thief to a mature audience if you’re a fan of Author Fiona Mcintosh’s previous works then The Pearl Thief is the perfect addition to any bookshelf.