Just wow this enthralling tale of a story took me on an unforgettable journey. Loved this read and it will stick with me for a long time. Deeply moving and emotive.

A gripping and at times powerfully raw historical novel, I was quickly hooked by the mysterious Severine Kassel and keen to understand her story. There were some slightly implausible moments, and she’s almost too polished and perfect (it seemed like no man could resist falling instantly in love with her, and for a very private and insular woman she was oddly eager to reveal her story to a stranger). Still, her story of survival and the pursuit of justice was enthralling. The historical background was fascinating and the conclusion brought all the threads together neatly, and even if I did raise an eyebrow once or twice it was nevertheless an absolutely rattling good read and there were moments when I thought my heart might break for what the heroine went through.
4.5 stars

I loved the writing and the overall story. Great historical fiction!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

Oh my goodness. Tears are still streaming down my face as I write this. Probably the best book I have EVER read. When I say I didn't move for the day, I really didn't move. Exceptional in every respect. Heartbreaking and historically correct. Just a perfect work of art. I'm still in pieces. Just fabulous!

This is my first time reading Fiona McIntosh, and The Pearl Thief made a solid impression. It’s historical fiction with emotional depth, post-war intrigue, and a plot that winds through cities and memories like a trail of scattered pearls.

The story opens in Prague, 1941, in a heartbreaking moment where a Jewish father places his infant son on a Kindertransport to Britain — a desperate act of love in the face of rising Nazi terror. Then the novel jumps ahead thirty years to follow Severine Kassel, a jewellery curator at the Louvre. She’s summoned to London to authenticate a set of pearls… and recognises them instantly. From there, the story takes off.

Severine’s past is full of trauma — most of it repressed — and the story peels back those layers as she follows clues across Prague, Paris, Yorkshire, and London, trying to uncover the truth behind the atrocities committed against her and her family.

Other standout characters include Daniel Horowitz, a former Mossad agent now retired, who adds complexity and a further sense of intrigue to the search. The supporting cast all have interesting backstories, and the pacing of the story keeps things moving, with just the right amount of detail to make each setting feel vivid and lived-in.

As someone who doesn’t usually gravitate toward World War II fiction, I found myself more engaged than I expected. The writing is strong, the historical atmosphere immersive, and the emotional arc — especially Severin’s — is compelling.

That said, I did find the way Severine’s decided to reveal her secrets a bit jarring. Without spoiling anything, it felt slightly out of step with the way her character had been developed. Not enough to ruin the book by any means, but it did make me pause.

Final verdict?

A gripping, emotionally resonant read with a well-drawn sense of time and place. I’d rate it 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for the quality of the writing and the interesting story.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy!

This was an absorbing story of past trauma, revenge, healing and survival. Set in 1963, Severine has made a good life for herself, despite her terrible war time experiences. However, the appearance of a special set of pearls sets off a chain reaction of events that brings someone from her past back into her life. Told through flashbacks, her story is gradually revealed. There is a wonderful twist at the end. Fiona Macintosh has a way of creating characters that you can really relate to and care about. If you enjoy historical fiction, you will enjoy this. Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my opportunity to read and review this book.

Before reading this book I had never heard of Fiona McIntosh so her books her completely new to me. However after reading this book I will most definitely look into readibg more. This is a interesting historical fiction novel taking place from the late 1930's all the way to the 1960's. You must admit that out main heroine does suffer alot but I think thats how she ends up getting shaped into the strong character she although some would claim she is a bit to severe but I think that it is very appropriate based on the time period.
When this novel begins we are first introduced to Katerina Kassowicz who has suffered a terrible loss. You really have to feel for her because her support system isn't that good. You do have to admit that she is slightly negative because she feels like she will always be encountering her past which makes her feel like she can never move on. However she realizes that sometimes you just have to let go in order to move on.

One of the best historical fiction books I have read this year.
this book spans from 1939 to 1963, from before, and after Hitler’s reign.
this book was written with this author signature style.
So heartbreakingly, beautiful!

Historical fiction at its best! I know this is a re-release because it's being made into a feature film but how did I miss this release the first time? Can't wait to see how the film turns out. Highly recommend reading the book first!

Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fiona McIntosh is a new author to me but not any more.
The Pearl Thief is one of the best and most gripping book I have read in a long time and I can’t recommend it enough.
From the very page of the book you are aware that this story although fiction is historically accurate and you are at the beginning of an amazing read that is effectively a man hunt that effects the main character Severine Kassel who is ultimately in pursuit of justice from the heinous person she is hunting

The Pearl Thief, by Fiona McIntosh, is a historical fiction novel full of descriptive writing that makes visualizing what's happening easy for the reader.  The length of this book can be daunting at first, but once you begin reading, you'll see that every word has a purpose, detailing every setting, action, etc. The historical parts are seamlessly tucked away within the story to educate while entertaining the reader.  Intriguing, exciting, and educational.
I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC ebook that I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book! I loved the history, the information given, the detail, simply everything about it. Fiona McIntosh always goes into minute detail with her books and this was no exception. I felt I was there with Katarina throughout all her trials and tribulations they were so perfectly described. I feel like I have read quite a lot of WW2 books recently and at first I thought picking this one might have been the one that was one too many.However, the opposite was true. It was so believable and relatable it has restored my liking for the genre. Definitely one for fans of historical fiction.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to Fiona McIntosh, Storm Publishing, and Netgalley for this ARC!

9 pages into the book and my heart was already cracking. I loved the FMC, she was so strong and resilient. Her expertise in tracing the provenance of antique Jewish jewelry brought her back to her harrowing past during WWII. McIntosh’s lyrical & descriptive prose made the story even more raw, powerful, and heart-breaking. Some parts were devastating to read. This was an incredible story of survival and courage with a small romance subplot.

This new-to-me author was unable to hold my attention long enough to appreciate her historical fiction novel, which features the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia, the Kindertransport, and the reclaiming of stolen jewelry.

Lack of emotion, info dumping, pacing, and unbelievable actions on the part of Severine made this a difficult read.

I love historical fiction, so this came as a disappointment. I’ll try another of this author’s works sometime, as I noticed the reviews on this particular story are polarizing.

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I went into The Pearl Thief expecting a solid piece of historical fiction. What I got was something far more powerful—an immersive, emotionally raw, and utterly absorbing journey through survival, memory, and vengeance. Fiona McIntosh doesn’t just write history. She resurrects it. The Pearl Thief, published by Storm Publishing, is a story that lingers in the chest long after the final page is turned. Deepest thanks to Nagalli for my ARC—this was one of the most gripping reads I’ve had in years.

Severine Kassel is introduced to us as a woman in control—elegant, respected, distant. A senior curator at the Louvre with a particular expertise in antique jewelry, she carries herself with grace and detachment. But when she’s summoned to London in 1963 to examine a set of Byzantine pearls recently donated to the British Museum, her composure disintegrates. These pearls are not just rare—they are hers. They once belonged to her family, taken in an act of unspeakable brutality during the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia. In an instant, decades of survival, silence, and repression crumble.

What follows is not just a story of recovering stolen property. It’s a pursuit of justice. Of identity. Of lost time. The name behind the theft—and behind far greater atrocities—is Ruda Mayek, a former Nazi officer Severine believed long dead. Now, with these pearls resurfacing, so does the monster who destroyed her life. And Severine must decide: is she willing to relive everything she survived to see him brought to justice?

McIntosh’s choice to frame the novel as both a mystery and a psychological thriller works flawlessly. We’re taken through snowbound forests outside Prague, the glamorous and haunted streets of Paris, the foggy alleys of 1960s London, and the lonely Yorkshire moors. The pacing is electric—tight, but never rushed. You feel every step of Severine’s journey. The memories she’s locked away come crashing back in shards—painful, vivid, and unavoidable.

But what elevates this novel is not just its plot, but its moral and emotional core. Severine is not simply a victim. She is a complex, layered survivor. She has learned to survive in silence, to mask her past with poise and knowledge. Yet there is rage and grief still alive in her. And through the slow unraveling of her memories, we begin to understand the magnitude of what she lost—and what she endured. Her transformation from prey to predator is subtle, tragic, and triumphant all at once.

Daniel Horowitz, a retired Mossad agent who becomes an unlikely ally (and possibly more), is a standout character. He represents a different kind of strength—quiet, thoughtful, principled. His presence brings both tension and tenderness to the narrative. Then there’s Edward Summerbee, the lawyer caught between legal obligations and his growing feelings for Severine. Neither man is reduced to a simple love interest; both play essential roles in helping Severine confront her past, but they never overshadow her. This is her story, entirely.

And let’s talk about the villain. Ruda Mayek is horrifying—not just because of what he’s done, but because of how real he feels. He isn’t a caricature. He’s not a cartoonish Nazi boogeyman. He’s cold, calculating, charming when it suits him. And that makes him far more chilling. McIntosh captures something essential about evil—it doesn’t always look like a monster. Sometimes it wears a smile. Sometimes it hides in plain sight.

The historical detail is impeccable without ever feeling heavy. McIntosh’s research is evident, but it never slows the narrative. Instead, it deepens it. We get a profound sense of time and place, from the panic of Nazi invasions in Eastern Europe to the bureaucratic entanglements of postwar restitution efforts. The inclusion of the Kindertransport initiative, the operations of Mossad agents, and the Jewish experience of diaspora after the Holocaust is handled with dignity, clarity, and depth.

One of the most haunting themes of The Pearl Thief is the idea of identity. Severine, born Katerina Kassowicz, has remade herself after unimaginable loss. But how much of her true self remains? Can you ever truly escape the past, or do you carry it with you, buried just beneath the surface, waiting for one wrong moment to erupt? These are the questions McIntosh dares to ask. And she doesn’t give us easy answers.

There are also beautiful moments of grace. The friendships that emerge. The quiet strength of Dr. Otto Schafer, a figure from Severine’s past who becomes a crucial touchstone in her journey. The final confrontation—without spoiling anything—is a masterclass in tension, and the resolution feels earned, not forced.

McIntosh’s writing is clean and unflinching. She doesn’t flinch away from the horrors of the past, but she doesn’t exploit them either. She treats trauma with respect. She gives us heartbreak and healing in equal measure. Her prose is clear, sharp, and emotionally grounded. There are no wasted words. No sentimentality. Just the truth of what it means to survive.

By the time the final chapters unfold, The Pearl Thief becomes more than a thriller or historical novel. It becomes a story about reckoning—with history, with memory, with self. It’s about the high price of justice and the cost of silence. And ultimately, it’s about the resilience of the human spirit. Even when shattered. Even when buried.

I’ve read dozens of novels about World War II and its aftermath, but few have struck me this hard. The Pearl Thief isn’t just good historical fiction—it’s essential. It reminds us that history is not just facts and dates. It’s people. And the stories they carry.

Fiona McIntosh has outdone herself with this book. It’s intelligent, riveting, and emotionally devastating in all the best ways. If you’re looking for a historical novel that combines action, depth, and unforgettable characters—this is it.