An incredibly immersive emotional book. The author does a great job describing both Prague during WWII and Paris/London during the 1960s. The main character is complex, although not personally relatable - after all, few to none of us have gone through what her family did at the hands of the Nazis. I did admire her and her courage however. There is much suspense and mystery that held my attention throughout.

This is a reissue of an earlier published book. While reading it, I thought the plot would make a great movie, and after finishing it found out that is exactly why the book was reissued. I'd be interested in the movie, but might find many scenes hard to watch - reading insulates you better from the harshness and terror.

I highly recommend this book to readers of WWII historical fiction especially interested in the lives of Holocaust survivors.

The Pearl Thief is a well researched historical fiction/romance told over two time lines, 1940''s Prague and 1963 Britain and Paris.

It is a story of love, loss, revenge and new beginnings and will appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction set in World War Two.

4 stars ****

An intensely personal telling by Katerina (also known as Severine) of her family history and most especially trauma caused at the hands of the WW2 Nazi regime in their home country of Czechoslovakia. Letting the "poison out", she tells her story to Daniel in Paris 1963. And it turns out Daniel has good reason to want to know more. 
Severine is the Louvre’s most respected jewellery curator and while on a job in London, her past catches up with her, when a rare Byzantine set of pearls are revealed for authentication. She is panicked to say the least; as unimaginable past memories flood back.
A family friend, turned Nazi officer Ruda Mayek is the root of all this rotten. Now is the time for revenge.
The first part of "The Pearl Thief" by Fiona McIntosh is about the past. Shocking and sickening.
The second part it about Katerina's (and Daniel's and many thousands of unknowns) redemption. And there is also an even more shocking revelation in the dramatic comeuppance of Ruda....a real personal twist of the knife in his downfall. 
Such a clever and immersive story that will make an amazing movie; from the wintery forests outside Prague to the stylish galleries of Paris and the windswept moors of Yorkshire. Does love and hope conquer lies and betrayal, to close the two decade long chapter of Katerina's life? 
For lovers of historical fiction, action, mystery and love.
Thanks to NetGallery, Storm Publishing and Fiona McIntosh, who is becoming a firm favourite of mine.

The Pearl Thief is a clever tale of a family heirloom that is stolen during World War Two only to turn up at the British Museum where Katerina, a jewellery curator, is on secondment from the Louvre in Paris. But recognising the precious jewel in front of her means that the Nazi who killed her family in Czechoslovakia all those years ago is still alive and her own life is in danger again.. The story is told in two time frames: what happened to a Czech Jewish family and how Katerina was rescued from the same fate as her parents and sisters, and then in the early 1960s, when she has rebuilt her life in Paris and assumed a new name, Severine Kassel. It is an extremely poignant read and is perfect for fans of both historical fiction,
and romance. Highly recommended. Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure about this book at first but curiosity got the better of me so I kept going, I’m so glad I did, it turned out to be quite the read, if a bit drawn out in places.
Severine Kassel works as a jewellery curator in the Louvre and the British Museum, it is here that she comes face to face with an item that could prove her undoing. As her life is slowly uncovered and dark secrets come to light, will she survive?

It took me some time to get into this book, but worth it. It was knowing who to trust . My favourite character was Edward who sounded like a good all rounder, least favourite was Ruda who was polar opposite.

Oh my goodness this book really tugs at the heartstrings. From the very beginning when the baby is given away through to the end it never stops giving. I loved this fabulous story and now I can't wait to see the film. My thanks to netgalley and the publisher's for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

The Pearl Thief is an incredible tale of one woman's resilience and her need to take back her life from the monster that stole everything from her.

Katerina Kassowicz aka Severine Kassel has lived a life of horror and dread. While she comes off as aloof, cool and distant she is a woman who will do almost anything to avenge those taken from her by a war criminal. A man who was treated as part of her family.

She has been invited to the British Museum to aid with curating some Byzantine pearld that sets of a chain of events that will put Katerina in the direct path of the monster who stole her family, life as it was and her innocence.

This is the tale of a powerful woman with nothing to lose and a nazi war criminal who has made a grave mistake that he can never come back from.

Incredible story that takes you on a journey into the past and how war had shaped to lives of some many people.

This is going to be incredible on the big screen.

**Received ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed. **

The Pearl Thief by Fiona McIntosh is an engaging and emotionally layered novel that pulled me in from the start. Set in post-WWII Europe, it follows Severine Kassel—a Holocaust survivor and museum curator—on a deeply personal journey to uncover the truth behind a haunting past and stolen pearls that carry more weight than their monetary value.

McIntosh does a wonderful job bringing the era and setting to life, from the streets of Vienna to the postwar atmosphere in London. Severine is a strong, complex lead, and I appreciated how her trauma was explored with nuance and sensitivity. Her drive for justice, and the suspense woven into her search, made for a compelling read.

There were a few moments where the plot felt a bit convenient or predictable, but that didn't take away too much from the overall impact. The story strikes a good balance between historical detail, emotional resonance, and mystery.

If you enjoy historical fiction with a strong female lead, a bit of intrigue, and a touch of romance, The Pearl Thief is definitely worth adding to your list.

I started reading this book, but then I realized I already read this book years ago. I love all Fiona McIntosh books which is why I requested to read it. I thought only new books were in NetGalley so I was confused. Whatever the case, this is a good book from a great author. Highly recommend!

The Pearl Thief
By: Fiona McIntosh

5 Stars

This book was written in such a lyrical and descriptive way. It captivates the heart and soul very early on, or for me, it did. It was the heartwrenching story of Severine, a French woman who has a past she leaves in the past. Pain, loss, and danger fill her history, but hope fills her future. When a ghost from the past pops up, Severine knows she is in danger, but she also knows she is stronger now.

Wow. This story was beautifully dark and sad while offering a bright light of hope throughout. It was a very emotional read. It will break you over and over again while also slowly building you up for a better, happier ending. I can't see anyone reading this story and not being moved to tears. It was filled with drama, pain, and loss. It was a story of resilience and strength and survival. I loved it. I read that it may become a film, and I think it would be an absolutely amazing movie. I have come to enjoy these amazing and moving stories by this author and can't wait to see more from her.





*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Reviews

I discovered Fiona McIntosh about 20 years ago with her fantasy books, these were my favorite series at the time.
What a joy to read what she writes now, another genre but still a gem. Fiona has a wonderful way to portray characters and their emotions. Heartbreak, loss empowerment, we love everything with them.

This is a dual time line story set in the dark days of world war 2 Czechoslovakia and the 1960s in London and Paris.
Séverine Kassel is a jewellery expert who had been asked to identify and authenticate some pearls sent to the British Museum. She is astounded when she sees them as they were stolen from her family during the Holocaust by a man she had hoped was dead.
As her story is gradually revealed it becomes clear that her family’s fate is nothing short of shocking. Séverine decides to try and hunt down the donor of the pearls to try and get closure and some sort of justice for her family.
This book has a bit of everything, romance, mystery and sadly the personification of extreme evil. It is a compelling read but not for the faint hearted as there are some very upsetting scenes.
I really liked the character of Séverine, an incredibly brave woman who had been treated so badly as a child that she is still suffering from the trauma 20 years later
However despite the evil described in the novel there are some kind and redemptive characters including the Doctor and Edward. These serve to balance the plot.
The story of the kinder transport was well researched and of course extremely heart breaking to read about. The parents must have been so brave to hand their children over to strangers knowing they might never see them again but also knowing that this might be their only chance of survival.
This was a long book but it certainly did not drag- it was fast paced and gripping from page one.
I highly recommend “The Pearl Thief” to readers who enjoyWW2 historical fiction. I certainly couldn’t put it down and will be looking out for this author’s other books.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for access to the ARC of The Pearl Thief.

Plot Summary:
Spanning multiple countries across Europe—from the modern-day Czech Republic to Paris and the UK—The Pearl Thief traces the remarkable journey of Severine Kassel from the early days of World War II through to the 1960s. This is a powerful and poignant story of perseverance, hope, justice, and the lasting bonds of family.

The writing is vivid and immersive, bringing the settings and characters to life with rich detail that allows readers to picture each scene fully. The novel beautifully weaves together elements of historical fiction, romance, and mystery/thriller, making for a compelling and emotionally resonant read.

Trigger warnings: The story includes descriptions of violence and sexual assault.

Overall:
This is a moving and well-crafted novel that will appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction with depth, suspense, and emotional impact.

A wonderfully thrilling and chilling novel. It's historical fiction mixed with thriller, action, spy and so much more. The main character Severine Kassel is so multifaceted and the rest of the characters are so real. Well done!

When Severine Kassel, a jewellery curator at the Louvre, is invited to London in 1963 to authenticate a collection of rare Byzantine pearls, she is confronted by a ghost from her past. Her carefully crafted image is shattered causing her to flee back to the safety of Paris. Beautifully written, Fiona McIntosh weaves a compelling, addictive tale that begins in Prague before the Nazis invaded where a father makes a heartbreaking decision to save his son. A powerful epic historical saga that will tantalize your feelings and completely take over your heart. There’s much to love about this dynamic tale, an impressive cast, descriptive setting and the narrative as a whole is so compelling and strong. I loved it!

This is quite simply the best book I have read all year, and I’ve read a lot! I cannot recommend it highly enough. Once started I couldn’t put it down and anything else I had to do just had to wait.

An intriguing and well-written book following the life of a young Jewish girl from WW2 to the 1960s in London and Paris. She alone of her family survived death from Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia, but still suffered their atrocities. She changed her name, became an expert of WW2 Byzantine jewellery and kept her family secret pearl necklace, stolen during the war, just that until she was asked to authenticate it at the British Museum. The story is complex as is Severine/Katarina. It felt odd that such a strong, focussed and composed woman would suddenly tell all to Daniel, met on a park bench. He clearly had an ulterior motive as was revealed later. Revenge was thought to be sweet but turned out to be hardly so. It was one of those books that read well, although rather ponderous at times, but that, a few weeks later, I have little immediate recollection about it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

This book is an amazing read it is a new edition of "The Pearl Thief" published most recently. What a story it is about Severine Kassel, a jewellery curator working at the Louvre museum. The storytelling unravels as Severine goes to London to give her expertise concerning a rare collection of Byzantine pearls. This book is very adventurous with the trail going back to WWII and recollections of the horrible past, that Severine has for set aside for a long time. She will tell her story to Daniel as they have a person in common who put them both through a traumatic past. Daniel and Severine both want to get hold of the most horrible monster, the former Nazi officer Ruda Mayek. The trails they find take them to Prague, Paris and Yorkshire. When Severine tells her story and what happened to her family, the horror unravels and it's impossible to fathom how much cruelty is involved. Severine gets to know different people along the search and becomes friends with Edward a lawyer in the UK. The book has a lot of dramatic happenings and, the reader will feel how intense the search is with Severine and Daniel tracking down Ruda Mayek. Ruda Mayek is the key to all the horrors experienced by so many jews. Traumatic events lead Daniel and Severine through the hard times together, they meet people including those from the past. It is a story of hardship, WWII horrors, resilience and with the hope of something better. New beginnings and a happy future. I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to read this fantastic book even if some parts were heartbreaking. I can definitely recommend this read!
Charlotte N

The Pearl Thief begins during the early occupation of Czechoslovakia by the Nazis.
There are two timelines following the occupation and the early 1960's.
Katerina's family is Jewish, and they all fall victim to the Nazis. Somehow, Katerina survives.
Katerina changes her name to Severine and becomes an expert in antiquated jewelry-especially from the WW2 era.
While working for The Louvre in Paris, Severine is sent to the British Museum to authenticate some specific pieces.
One pearl necklace changes everything for many people.
Severine's has personal knowledge about this necklace that no one is prepared to hear.
The information Severine reveals changes the course of many lives-including her own!
The discovery of this necklace helps Severine put her past to rest while opening up a new future!
If you love historical fiction, especially from WW2, do not miss this beautiful book!

This dual time novel (1940s and 1960s) is an enjoyable WWII read and suspense novel.

What I like:
The angle - the pearls
The country - Czechoslovakia
The “modern” times - 1960’s
The 1960s atmosphere (well done!)
The different men who played a role in Severine’s life, each in their unique way
The backstory of the “bad” guy, interesting to observe his life no matter how despicable it is. Makes you wonder how people could possibly be like that and the disgust that you feel knowing that many got away with it.

What I don’t like
(And I don’t think anyone will) are the atrocities at the beginning of the book, but essential for the story.
The fact that Prince Charming comes out of nowhere.

The author goes into great detail describing landscapes, cityscapes, outfits, etc. Although this normally is not my style, it is well done and only every once in a while did I wish she’d hurry up with her descriptions.

Overall a good way to spend a few hours and learn more about WWII. Will the story stay with me for days on end? No, that’s why I chose 3 stars instead of 4.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an ARC. I was not required to leave a (positive) review.