Judith D Collins
4 days ago5 min
By: Kimberly Belle
Narrators: Marni Penning, Patrick Zeller Harlequin Audio
ISBN: 9780778307976
Publisher: Park Row
Publication Date: 06/11/2024
Format: Paperback
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
JUN Featured #AuthorElevatorSeries #CoverReveal
A dream vacation turns deadly when secrets from the past catch up to a married couple in Paris in this new edge-of-your-seat thriller from USA Today bestselling author, Kimberly Belle.
When Stella met Adam, she thought she had finally found a nice, normal guy—a welcome change from her previous boyfriend and her precarious jetsetter lifestyle with him. But her secure world comes crashing down when Adam goes missing after an explosion in the city square. Unable to reach him, she panics.
As the French police investigate, it’s revealed that Adam was on their radar as a dealer of rare and stolen antiquities with a long roster of criminal clients. Reeling from this news, Stella is determined not to leave Paris until she has the full story. Was Adam a random victim or the target of the explosion? And why is someone following her through the streets of Paris?
An irresistible, fast-paced read set in some of Europe’s most inviting locales, The Paris Widow explores how sinister secrets of the past stay with us—no matter how far we travel.
Photo Credit: Sarah Hannah Photography
Kimberly Belle is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of nine novels, including The Personal Assistant, The Marriage Lie, a Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist for Best Mystery & Thriller, and the co-authored #1 Audible Original, Young Rich Widows. Kimberly’s novels have been selected as Amazon Best Books of the Month and have been LibraryReads selections. Her books have sold over a million copies worldwide and been optioned for film and television. Belle divides her time between Atlanta and Amsterdam. WEBSITE
INTRIGUING QUESTIONS. INQUIRING READERS WANT TO KNOW.
"Behind the Book & The Author"
“The Paris Widow takes you on a twist-filled journey from the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower to the seedy alleyways of the 19th arrondissement and into the secrets lurking behind a seemingly idyllic marriage. You’ll hold your breath as Stella Knox faces the dangers of the dark world of blood antiquities in her search for the truth about what really happened to her husband and whether her marriage and life were all a facade. Kimberly Belle has crafted the perfect thriller. Magnifique!”
—Alex Finlay, author of The Night Shift and What Have We Done
“The Paris Widow is irresistible from the very first page. Simultaneously glamorous and harrowing, full of danger and excitement, with a passionate love story at its heart, this is the definition of a page-turner. I devoured it and so will you.”
—Michele Campbell, internationally bestselling author of The Intern
"I was glued to the pages of The Paris Widow! I couldn't stop reading and was blown away by the twists and turns. One of my favorite reads this year!"
—Freida McFadden, New York Times bestselling author of The Housemaid
"[S]tella is an appealing protagonist, and Belle peppers the action with vibrant descriptions of her European setting. This continues the author’s winning streak."
—Publishers Weekly
"Fabuleuse!"
The queen of domestic suspense, internationally bestselling Author (a favorite), returns following The Personal Assistant with her latest dazzling suspense crime thriller, THE PARIS WIDOW
—A husband and wife are jet-setting through Europe (mixing business with pleasure) when an explosion at a Paris café sets in motion a tangled web of dangerous lies, secrets, espionage, criminals, greed, deceit, and betrayal that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page is turned. What a book!
A complex, high-powered suspense thriller that will keep readers guessing. With vibrant descriptions of European settings, THE PARIS WIDOW is highly entertaining, action-packed, twisty, fast-paced, and adrenaline-fueled. (think David Baldacci)—a true page-turner!
Stella Knox and her husband, Adam, have been together for four years and reside in Atlanta's Peachtree Hills (I formerly lived there). Stella is a former flight attendant, and now a caterer and her husband owns Architectural Antiques in Atlanta. They are on vacation, having traveled crisscrossing through Europe for three glorious weeks, just the two of them, and it has been heavenly.
On their last day at a quaint Parisian Cafe, they are finished and headed to the hotel to grab their bags and return to the airport for home. Adam forgets his sunglasses and goes back to the cafe. Then, there is an explosion, and Adam is nowhere to be found.
Stella is frantic. Where is her husband? Was this an accident or a bombing, and who was the target? She knows she cannot leave Paris until she finds Adam. Wanting to get his face out there and help find him, Stella agrees to be interviewed by a news reporter with a global reach. She then became known as "The Paris Widow" around the world.
There is an investigation, and the French police think Adam is one of the victims, but where is his body? Is he dead or alive? If alive, where is he? His phone is going to voice mail.
However, the cops think Adam is involved in an illicit trade of blood, antiquities, and archaeological artifacts on the black market. How can this be? Her husband is a kind man, but it is not in his personality. By trading the antiquities, is he financing terrorism, they say? The man she knows is not a criminal.
She does not know whom to trust. Stella has some past secrets, including a former relationship with a powerful man, Sully, who has many wealthy clients and enemies. She was caught in the middle and imprisoned for a short time. Adams knows none of this.
This cannot be happening. She wonders if the two events or men are connected. Do they know the same people? She has never spoken to Sully after what happened years ago, but he may be the only one to help her find her husband. Was it a coincidence that she met Adam, serendipity, or planned? Has her marriage been a sham?
Along the way, we meet some dangerous criminals and the heroic Kat, who risks her life to go undercover and reclaim centuries-old treasures, unmask forgeries, solve museum thefts, and trace stolen art to world-famous museums. She is determined to protect the world's cultural property and return it to its rightful owners. Was she working with Adam or out to get him?
But nothing is as it appears. Stella will stop at nothing until she finds her husband and solves this mystery. No matter the danger, she can be ruthless when backed into a corner.
STELLAR! Belle steps her game with THE PARIS WIDOW! A cat-and-mouse adrenaline thriller. Who is the cat, and who is the mouse?
The Author shines with her research of blood antiquities trade and her globetrotting. Be sure to check out the Author's note, which dives more into the inspiration behind the novel and this illicit trade from every country on the planet.
Belle is a pro at crafting the secrets of marriage and relationships. In her signature style, she creates strong, brilliant, and resilient women—Stella is a protagonist and force to be reckoned with. A novel packed full of danger, excitement, intrigue, and a little romance. A perfect ending!
INTENSE! Prime for the big screen, THE PARIS WIDOW is fantastic, and the Author is at the top of her game! A long-time fan, I have read every book, and each is unique. Highly recommend.
Stay tuned for my upcoming #AuthorElevatorSeries Chat with Kimberly where we go behind the book and this mega-talented, long-time favorite author! (June 11, 2024).
Thanks to the author for an advanced reading copy for interview purposes.
@JudithDCollins |#JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: June 11, 2024
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