Genre Fiction
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Woman on Fire: A Novel
"An exuberant and propulsive thriller laced with sex, art, and history. Lisa Barr has created an unforgettable story that forces readers to question where the line should be drawn between the pursuit of justice and the hunt for revenge."-Alyson Richman, bestselling author of The Secret of Clouds
From the author of the award-winning Fugitive Colors and The Unbreakables, a gripping tale of a young, ambitious journalist embroiled in an international art scandal centered around a Nazi-looted masterpiece-forcing the ultimate showdown between passion and possession, lovers and liars, history and truth.
After talking her way into a job with Dan Mansfield, the leading investigative reporter in Chicago, rising young journalist Jules Roth is given an unusual-and very secret-assignment. Dan needs her to locate a painting stolen by the Nazis more than 75 years earlier: legendary Expressionist artist Ernst Engel's most famous work, Woman on Fire. World-renowned shoe designer Ellis Baum wants this portrait of a beautiful, mysterious woman for deeply personal reasons, and has enlisted Dan's help to find it. But Jules doesn't have much time; the famous designer is dying.
Meanwhile, in Europe, provocative and powerful Margaux de Laurent also searches for the painting. Heir to her art collector family's millions, Margaux is a cunning gallerist who gets everything she wants. The only thing standing in her way is Jules. Yet the passionate and determined Jules has unexpected resources of her own, including Adam Baum, Ellis's grandson. A recovering addict and brilliant artist in his own right, Adam was once in Margaux's clutches. He knows how ruthless she is, and he'll do anything to help Jules locate the painting before Margaux gets to it first.
A thrilling tale of secrets, love, and sacrifice that illuminates the destructive cruelty of war and greed and the triumphant power of beauty and love, Woman on Fire tells the story of a remarkable woman and an exquisite work of art that burns bright, moving through hands, hearts, and history.
From the author of the award-winning Fugitive Colors and The Unbreakables, a gripping tale of a young, ambitious journalist embroiled in an international art scandal centered around a Nazi-looted masterpiece-forcing the ultimate showdown between passion and possession, lovers and liars, history and truth.
After talking her way into a job with Dan Mansfield, the leading investigative reporter in Chicago, rising young journalist Jules Roth is given an unusual-and very secret-assignment. Dan needs her to locate a painting stolen by the Nazis more than 75 years earlier: legendary Expressionist artist Ernst Engel's most famous work, Woman on Fire. World-renowned shoe designer Ellis Baum wants this portrait of a beautiful, mysterious woman for deeply personal reasons, and has enlisted Dan's help to find it. But Jules doesn't have much time; the famous designer is dying.
Meanwhile, in Europe, provocative and powerful Margaux de Laurent also searches for the painting. Heir to her art collector family's millions, Margaux is a cunning gallerist who gets everything she wants. The only thing standing in her way is Jules. Yet the passionate and determined Jules has unexpected resources of her own, including Adam Baum, Ellis's grandson. A recovering addict and brilliant artist in his own right, Adam was once in Margaux's clutches. He knows how ruthless she is, and he'll do anything to help Jules locate the painting before Margaux gets to it first.
A thrilling tale of secrets, love, and sacrifice that illuminates the destructive cruelty of war and greed and the triumphant power of beauty and love, Woman on Fire tells the story of a remarkable woman and an exquisite work of art that burns bright, moving through hands, hearts, and history.
Editorial Reviews
"Barr's vigorous prose complements her fully realized characters. Readers will be gripped from start to finish." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Woman on Fire is a sharp, propulsive page-turner that will keep readers in suspense." -- Booklist
"An exuberant and propulsive thriller laced with sex, art, and history. Lisa Barr has created an unforgettable story that forces readers to question where the line should be drawn between the pursuit of justice and the hunt for revenge." -- Alyson Richman, bestselling author of The Secret of Clouds
"Woman on Fire is an exquisite, fascinating read that hooks you with its intensity and captures your heart with emotional depth. A brilliant, seamless tale of art, atrocity, love, family, and courage, this stunning novel, both with the words and the paintings described on the pages, comes alive so vividly it's as if you are right there, seeing every remarkable moment with your own eyes. A truly astonishing novel that builds tension sentence by gorgeous sentence then crescendos to a scorching, utterly satisfying ending." -- Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 national bestselling author of Woman on the Edge
"Incredibly fast-paced and savvy, Lisa Barr takes readers into the high stakes world of art theft through the eyes of a young, gutsy journalist. Thick with history, scandal, romance and deceit, Woman on Fire is a truly compulsive read." -- Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of Local Woman Missing
"Barr's riveting dive into the dark side of the international art world, led by an intrepid young journalist, had me on the edge of my seat. A deliciously addictive page turner filled with twists and an unforgettable villain." -- Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue
"Addictively propulsive and laced with rapid-fire twists and turns, this sizzling tale of deception, lust, Nazi-looted art, and murder...
"Woman on Fire is a sharp, propulsive page-turner that will keep readers in suspense." -- Booklist
"An exuberant and propulsive thriller laced with sex, art, and history. Lisa Barr has created an unforgettable story that forces readers to question where the line should be drawn between the pursuit of justice and the hunt for revenge." -- Alyson Richman, bestselling author of The Secret of Clouds
"Woman on Fire is an exquisite, fascinating read that hooks you with its intensity and captures your heart with emotional depth. A brilliant, seamless tale of art, atrocity, love, family, and courage, this stunning novel, both with the words and the paintings described on the pages, comes alive so vividly it's as if you are right there, seeing every remarkable moment with your own eyes. A truly astonishing novel that builds tension sentence by gorgeous sentence then crescendos to a scorching, utterly satisfying ending." -- Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 national bestselling author of Woman on the Edge
"Incredibly fast-paced and savvy, Lisa Barr takes readers into the high stakes world of art theft through the eyes of a young, gutsy journalist. Thick with history, scandal, romance and deceit, Woman on Fire is a truly compulsive read." -- Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of Local Woman Missing
"Barr's riveting dive into the dark side of the international art world, led by an intrepid young journalist, had me on the edge of my seat. A deliciously addictive page turner filled with twists and an unforgettable villain." -- Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue
"Addictively propulsive and laced with rapid-fire twists and turns, this sizzling tale of deception, lust, Nazi-looted art, and murder...
Readers Top Reviews
Deborah Solomon
Lisa tells an amazing story of heroism, truth seeking and what it is to do right and to do good for others. The book kept me sucked in - I had to get to the end. The efforts of Jules , her slyness yet her ability to not let fear stand in her way. Lillian. What an amazing character. Could picture her strength even with the small role. Loved loved this book
Mcg3314Deborah So
I actually ended up purchasing and reading this book before the publisher approved my NetGalley request so here is my review from the physical pub date release copy :) I finished Woman On Fire and absolutely LOVED it. It reminded me of Kate Quinn’s writing style and a little bit of The Magnolia Palace and Fiona Davis. Even if you don’t love historical fiction typically, I would still recommend this - there is mystery, murder, sex, romance, and really interesting and educational facts about how the Nazis went after artwork. I learned a ton…for example, I had no idea Hugo Boss was a Nazi and designed the uniforms for the Nazis. What the actual heck, right? The book does a really good job incorporating information like that without sounding like a textbook one bit. 4.5/5
Julie F. MaloneyM
Lisa Barr combines history and stolen art in a deliciously tight plot packed with suspense and intrigue. Her two main protagonists - Jules and Margaux - want the same thing: the recovery of the famed painting, "woman on fire." Both are willing to fight for it but it is Jules Roth, reporter gone rogue, who has the more noble reason. Secondary characters like Ellis Baum, a successful businessman and designer, and his grandson, Adam, a success in his own right as an artist, add color and clarity to the chase for the hidden painting. What Barr does through seamless writing as she crafts genres together makes this book a mesmerizing page-turner. A gem!
SUSAN PETERSONJul
The main thing I was thinking while reading this book, and now after I’ve finished, is WOW! I don’t feel like I merely read this book—I experienced it with every fiber of my being. I was often astounded by all the twists, all the layers, of this sinister and seductive story. Masterful storytelling, mesmerizing characters, and a plot filled with history, deception, corruption, and evil, kept me on the edge of my seat, heart in my throat. Woman on Fire is an unputdownable book that is an amalgamation of thriller, WWII historical fiction, and a story of great love and great loss.
Melissa L @mlbook
Woman on Fire Author, Lisa Barr Publisher: Harper Paperbacks Pub date: 3.1.22 Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours, @lisabarr18, and NetGalley for my e- arc and candle! Do you ever love an e- arc so much that you just have to buy it and add it to your shelves? Hope it's not just me... but I just pre- ordered my physical copy! So, I was lucky enough to welcome February with a 5 star read! Woman on Fire was powerful- secrets, greed, deception, beauty, history, and love. She has it all! Jules, a young journalist, manages to land a secret story- but it's not just a story, it's a wild chase to find a beautiful painting- the Woman on Fire, that was stolen by the Nazi's during World War II. But she's already running out of time... Ellis Baum, the world- renowned shoe designer wants this beautiful, valuable, and mysterious painting for deeply personal reasons- -but he's dying and Jules resources are running thin everyday... Woman on Fire was a fast- paced thriller filled with twists and turns, romance, scandal, and intrigue! The history was fascinating and the characters intense. I really do love novels with plots in the art world filled with dark history. An absolutely addictive page- turner!
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