Kristin Harmel can write historical fiction in a way that makes you sink into the book and just go along for the ride. This one is WW2, which seems to be her place. With every book I read from this author, I learn a little more about that horrible time in history. In this book, a mother passes down a skill to her daughter. That skill is stealing. She teaches her how to lift jewelry from the rich to give to the poor, (Yes, like Robin Hood) Collete's mother does not only teach her to steal but teachers her to only take from those who have loose morals or who seem to support the Nazis. Then, one night, the Germans come to their home, Collete leaves her four year old sister in her bedroom to help her parents, when she returns to the bedroom her sister is gone and she sees an officer taking her baby sister from the home. The book has a dual story line and we go back and forth in Collete's life during WW2 and her life in America, where where she moved after the war.

Then, a bracelet from her past shows up at a show in New York. Not your average bracelet, and one that was custom made for her neighbors who died in Auschwitz. This bracelet was taken with her sister when she disappeared but was not recovered when her sister was found, drowned in the river. The story that unfolds from this is poignant and breathtaking as each layer is pealed back until the end of the book. This is now my favorite Harmel novel. Make sure you read the author's notes at the end for some notes that make this book even more heartwarming. This is my first 5Star read of the year. I would give it six if I could.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Gallery books for my ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I love historical fiction stories, especially set during WWII and this one did not disappoint. We have a dual timeline, one set in France just occupied by the Nazis back in 1940 and then another in more present day 2028. Collette was trained since she was little to be a thief with a purpose, a thief by her Mom. They are more like Robin Hood thieves, helping the poor and disadvantaged with their stealing of fine jewels. However, the horrors of the war get in the war and tragedy strikes. We then meet Collette as an old woman and she is still trying to figure out what happened to those she loved during the war, and avenge their loss. This book was touching and definitely kept me on the edge of my seat at times. It had a sweet, wrapped up nicely ending that was almost too perfect but I loved it anyway!

A DELIGHTFUL AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING NOVEL

SUMMARY
Colette and her mother, Annabel, try to make a difference in their little corner of the world. Their focus is on volunteering and redistributing wealth by stealing beautiful and valuable jewelry. They live by a heroic code of honor, much like the lore of Robin Hood; these women take only from the corrupt and the evil and give to the poor. They never keep the jewelry for themselves.

When Colette was just ten, her mother taught her how to steal jewelry from the hands, wrists, and necks of the undeserving to fund the French Resistance. But one night in 1942, everything went wrong. Colette’s mother was arrested, and Liliane, Colette’s four-year-old sister, was kidnapped along with an exquisite diamond bracelet that had been sewn into the hem of her night gown. Colette spent the rest of her life trying to find out who took her sister and what happened to the missing bracelet.

REVIEW
THE STOLEN LIFE OF COLETTE MARCEAU is a delightful, thought-provoking novel that will leave you questioning right and wrong and finding shades of grey. The story alternates between the 1930s and 1940s in Paris and 2018 in Boston.

Author Kirsten Harmel is well-known for her WWII fiction and her ability to find hope in people during desperate times. Colette's unique character serves as the pillar of the story. She is careful and determined, and although she is a jewelry thief, her intentions are honorable. Readers can’t help but wish the absolute best for her.

My favorite part is the fascinating connection between Colette and Robin Hood, the legendary, heroic outlaw. Was Robin Hood merely a character in literature, or can an argument be made that he was an actual living person to whom Colette’s family was related? You must read the author's notes.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance reading copy of this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Publisher Gallery Books
Published June 17, 2025
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

Kristen Harmel is an auto buy author for me & she does not disappoint!! The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau was phenomenal & one of my favorites by this author. This is one of those books I think about & could definitely read again!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publisher for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

Colette Marceau has been stealing jewels for decades. Growing up, her mother taught her their family code—steal from the cruel and unkind to give to those in need. The story follows Colette both in the present and as a child as she seeks to unravel the story of her missing younger sister.

I read this WWII/present day family mystery in just a few days because the story really pulled me in. I thought at the end, some parts fell a little flat; overall, I’d still recommend it to any historical fiction lover!

I have not yet read any works by Kristin Harmel - this was my first one. It was a good introduction, in my opinion, and I greatly enjoyed reading it and entering Colette's world. Colette is a jewel thief, trained by her mother in the 1940s. It is a family tradition but they only steal from people who are unkind, greedy or morally bankrupt. Colette's mother is a member of the French Resistance and her arrest and death impact Colette forever. So, too, does the loss of her younger sister. Colette ends up in America after the war and makes a new life for herself, eventually founding a Holocaust center with the profits of her trade. Secrets and history come to light and Colette's world broadens as they are revealed.

I enjoyed Colette's character and found her scrappy, bright and determined. Her relationships were well fleshed out and I wanted to know what happened and why. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. It is an excellent story told between 2 timelines. Colette is taught by her mother to steal jewelry from nefarious people to sell and give money to the more deserving people. Kind of a robin hood type of story. Colette's mom sews matching jewlery into Colette and her sister Liliane's dresses to be used if they need the money. One night her mother is arrested and later her sister is found dead. But years later Colette sees her sisters matching jewelry in a museum exhibit. She is lead down a path of memories to find out what really happened to her sister.

This book was such an amazing journey.
The past, the present, a family of jewel thieves, the Holocaust, family, secrets, past, and present, all colliding together to the most beautiful ending!

I could not put this book down. From the minute I opened it, I
was all in. I needed to hear all sides of the story from the survivors and the victims.
One of the best books I have ever read!!

The Stolen Life of Collette Marceau is a beautifully written novel that stands a head above so many recent books set during WW2.

Alternating between 2018 in Boston and the early 1940s in Paris, it tells the story of Collette Marceau as a teenager and as an octagenerian, her family's legacy as jewel thieves, and how two bracelets, Collete's family, a Jewish family sent to Auschwitz, a lost sister, a teenage crush, and other secrets are all connected across time.

The pacing is spot on, and while Harmel has written several books set in this period, this book and it's themes feel original and not overwrought or overdone.

If there’s one quibble in an otherwise absorbing story, it's that the resolution ties up too many loose ends with unlikely coincidences. While it doesn't undo the power of the story, the neatly wrapped ending was a little too unrealistic, with so many characters finding their happily ever after all tied together with a neat bow.

Still, The Stolen Life of Collette Marceau remains a well written and thought-provoking novel that will satisfy readers of historical fiction, even those like me who have sworn off reading yet another story set in WW2.

4.25 🌟s, more if you like every plot point tidily resolved by the end.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristen Harmel is a story of Collete Marceau, a French woman who now lives in the Boston area. The story goes back in forth in time between current times and the years of WWII. Colette’s mother’s family is descended from Robin Hood and they steal mostly jewelry from people that are corrupt, deceitful and in the case of WWII, the Nazis or people profiting from the German occupation of Paris. This is the story of Colette, her quest for the truth and a missing bracelet.
I couldn’t put this story down. It kept me interested from the beginning. The characters are so vividly described that one can picture them. A wonderful story!

I was hooked on this book from the beginning. It’s told from two points of view; one in 2018 and one during WWII. Thank you to net galley for the ARC

Absolutely riveting! One of the most unique premises I have encountered in historical fiction in a long, long time. The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau, by Kristin Harmel, is a fast-paced story about a jewel thief, the French Resistance, an unresolved murder and the Nazi invasion of 1942. Expertly crafted, Ms. Harmel takes her readers on an exciting journey through seventy years, ending with Colette Marceau getting answers to many questions that have haunted her through the years. Not only answers, but also a possible mending of a broken heart and solving the murder that has been the most integral part of her 70 year baggage. This is a book you won't want to miss. It has everything a historical fiction lover could dream of.

I had not read this author before. I was expecting a bit more of a mystery to the story. At times it seemed to be rather slow and repetitive during the 2018 year. and it was a bit more interesting but rather predictible during the wartime. I understood the reasoning behind the stealing during the wartime, but finding justifications to continue to do so into your 80s is a bit of a push. The drama of the stories during the wartime drew me in but I felt that the ending was too wrapped up and tied pretty with a bow. Everything worked out for everyone with such convenience.

The story follows Colette Marceau and her family, who have a long history of stealing jewelry to help the poor and support the French Resistance.

The narrative unfolds in a dual timeline, spanning from World War II to the present day. In the World War II timeline, Colette's mother is arrested, and her younger sister, just four years old at the time, goes missing. When her sister disappeared, she was wearing a nightgown with a diamond bracelet sewn into the hem. Although Colette's mother was killed and her sister's body was eventually found, the bracelet was never located. In the present day, nearly 90 years old, Colette discovers that half of her missing bracelet has been found in a museum in Boston, leading her to realize that there is more to her family’s story than she ever knew.

Oh, my heart! Kristin Hamel's books always make me cry. I devoured this novel in just a couple of days, and I absolutely loved it! I never expected to enjoy a story about a nearly 90-year-old jewelry thief on a quest for the truth. It was so easy to fall in love with all the characters. Hamel’s novels always offer a unique perspective on history and the world, which I really appreciate. The writing flows effortlessly as she weaves together clues from the dual timelines. I also enjoyed seeing Boston featured in the story! If you're looking for a historical fiction book, I highly recommend this one or any book by Kristin Hamel. You'll fall in love with the characters, and the storyline will take you through a whirlwind of emotions.


Thank you to NetGallery and to Gallery books for my copy.

Morally ambiguous characters captivate me like no others, and Colette Marceau stands as one of the most compelling I've encountered on the page. In "The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau," Kristin Harmel weaves a tale where thievery becomes a complex inheritance—Colette's family legacy of stealing from the powerful to help the vulnerable transforms into resistance when the Nazis occupy Paris.

The dual timeline structure brings us two versions of Colette—her younger self navigating occupied France, and her older self still carrying the weight of that era's choices. When her mother's desperate attempt to recover a Jewish friend's family heirloom ends in tragedy, young Colette is left alone with guilt that shapes decades of her life. This moment haunts every decision she makes, creating ripples that spread across time.

What surprised me most was how deeply I felt Colette's emotional journey. Her relationship with a young woman she takes in during her later years reveals the complexity of found family—especially poignant when she finally confesses her past. Their connection unfolds with beautiful authenticity, neither simple nor without conflict, but ultimately healing for both.

Harmel's prose carries a lyrical quality that makes even the darkest moments bearable. The occupied Paris sections breathe with sensory details—I could almost feel the tension in the air as Colette moved through streets where danger lurked behind every corner. The mystery that drives the narrative builds with perfect pacing, each revelation causing me to reassess everything I thought I understood.

The past timeline shattered my heart piece by piece, while the present carefully gathered those fragments, offering resolution that feels earned rather than contrived. This isn't just historical fiction—it's an exploration of the moral complexity and how we carry our histories.

Thank you, Gallery Books and NetGalley, for my e-ARC.

Kristen Harmel does it again! She has su ch a beautiful way of writing and telling stories that just sucks you in. She soon became a favorite author for me after I finished “The Book of Lost Names.” When I got this book, I knew it would be amazing… and I wasn’t wrong. I love Colette and her unique family history and the angle of being a jewel thief. I love how she also interweaves the last and the present together!

*****Publishing June 17, 2025****

Colette learned to steal jewelry from people from the age of 10. Her mother taught her as it was part of their family history/ tradition. Colette would steal in order to give donations to organizations, including the one she founded herself, the Boston Center for Holocaust Education. This story alternates from 1939, Colette’s experiences as a thief from childhood through WWII to 2018, when Colette is nearly ninety-years-old and still a jewelry thief. Will she eventually get caught as a thief, or will she quit while she is ahead?

At the same time, Colette is trying to figure out who is responsible for killing her sister at a young age and where her mother’s beloved jewels ended up. Will Colette be successful?

I love a dual-timeline historical fiction story! Kristin Harmel’s writing will capture your attention from the beginning with flawlessly going between time periods. It quickly becomes a page turner to find out Colette’s fate. I loved the mystery incorporated into this story, which made for an entertaining read! I highly recommend it if you enjoy Historical Fiction. Perfect for book clubs as it will lead to many interesting discussions!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What a fabulous story of an aging jewel thief that always based her philosophy on Robin Hood- steal from the rich and give to the poor! Colette didn’t exactly give to the poor but she certainly gave her money to fund the causes of the French Resistance movement. Colette’s mother was a jewel thief who lost her life when a German soldier was out for revenge after Annabel stole back the valuable twin bracelets that she had possession of & sewed in her girl’s nightgowns for safe keeping. When the Germans came for Annabel and Colette went back to save her she left Liliane alone and saw the policeman with her over his shoulder kidnapping her. Colette lived the rest of her life thinking that her irresponsible self was the reason her little sister was found floating in the river with the bottom of her nightgown slashed open and her half of the bracelet missing.
Thank you to NetGalley for ARC of this fabulous story.

5 stars

Every time I consider reading a Kristin Harmel book, I think, "I have to really be in the mood for this." The second I start, though, I cannot stop. That was absolutely the case with _The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau_, which first stole all of my attention and THEN stole my heart. Ugh!

Almost eight decades ago, Colette was a young girl in Paris who was born into quite a family tradition: jewel theft! Her mother, the bestower of this gift, starts teaching Colette the family trade at an early age, along with the clear messaging that these acts are meant to do good in the world. Think Robin Hood. Colette takes this to heart and - after incredible tragedy in her young life, some of which she can never forgive herself for and it shapes her whole existence as a result - she lives her life in a way that reveals her desire to punish herself permanently. In obvious ways, Colette's life is stolen from her not only by tragedy but also by her guilt and an attempt at penance.

What unfolds in this novel is gut wrenching and heart warming and utterly wild, and I could not stop reading it. Like all of Harmel's works, I found myself immediately invested in these characters and their outcomes and pondering big existential questions throughout the process. I am glad I went into this read with almost no information about what was to come. I recommend this strategy for all prospective readers, too.

I'll be thinking about this one for a long, long time.

Another page turner from Kristin Harmel is sure to delight readers. Told in dual timelines (1940's, 2018), we follow Colette Marceau as a young woman whose mother trained her to be a jewel thief, helping to fund the Resistance against the Nazis, through her late 80's where she continued those endeavors in the U.S., funding non-profits with the proceeds.

While this book has a different feel than her other stories, and doesn't rely so much on historical fact for the main plot (the most relevant historical research seems to be the legend of Robin Hood), it is still a compelling love and survival story. The ending is just a bit too pat, and loyal followers of Harmel will recognize her signature calling cards throughout the story. An enjoyable and uplifting read.