The Forger of Marseille
A Novel
by Linda Joy Myers
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Pub Date Jul 11 2023 | Archive Date Aug 14 2023
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Description
In Paris, Sarah, a young Jewish artist originally from Berlin, along with her music teacher and father figure, Mr. Lieb, meet Cesar, a Spanish Republican who knows well the brutality of fleeing fascism. He soon recognizes Sarah’s gift. She will become the underground’s new forger.
When the war reaches Paris, the trio joins thousands of other refugees in a chaotic exodus south. In Marseille, they’re received by friends, but they’re also now part of a resistance the government is actively hunting. Sarah, now Simone, continues her forgery work in the shadows, expertly creating false papers that will mean the difference between life and a horrifying death for many. When Mr. Lieb is arrested and imprisoned in Les Milles internment camp, Simone, Cesar, and their friends vow to rescue him, enlisting the help of American journalist Varian Fry, known for plotting the escapes of high- profile people like Andre Breton and Marc Chagall. In this enlightening and thrilling story of war, love, and courage, author Linda Joy Myers explores identity, ingenuity, and the power of art to save lives.
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
“Myers movingly conveys the traumas faced by her Jewish characters who flee Nazi Germany only to find themselves caught up in the turmoil of the 1940 Paris exodus and the early months of the occupation of France. Their involvement in Marseille’s growing resistance movement highlights the crucial work of Varian Fry and Donald Caskie, who aided the escape of countless individuals pursued by the authorities. In this gripping story of a tumultuous period of history, Myers offers us a vivid and compelling read.”
—Hanna Diamond, author of Fleeing Hitler and professor of French History at Cardiff University
“The Forger of Marseille is a historical gem! Myers delivers an absolute page-turner with just the right amount of suspense and laced with a gripping love story. The historical detail, pitch-perfect prose, and realistic dialogue makes this one unputdownable. You'll be thinking about these characters long after the last page is finished. Highly recommend!”
—Michelle Cox, author of the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series
“This well-paced story of an artist-turned-forger in WWII-era France weaves fictional characters with real-life people in a novel of gripping authenticity.”
—Barbara Stark Nemon, author of Even in Darkness and Hard Cider
“The Forger of Marseille transports you to interwar Europe, where you experience warmth, wine, and song in the cafés of Paris and also discover skills the forger must master to rescue Europe’s victims. In her historical novel, Myers reveals important figures such as Varian Fry, who saved thousands, and points an accusing finger at France as it capitulates to occupation and betrays its citizens. A lesson for nations of today and a call for peace through art.”
—Judith Berlowitz, author of Home So Far Away
“In this carefully researched and crafted novel, The Forger of Marseille, Linda Joy Myers tells the story of resistance by those who risked their lives to save others—one of the few bright spots in the Holocaust. While accurately portraying what went on in France in 1940, Myers weaves elements of love, tension, art, music, and the gradual unfolding of her characters as they begin to trust one another. Myers draws the reader in with her descriptive prose and insight into what individuals endured during that horrific time.”
—Merle R. Saferstein, former Director of Educational Outreach, Holocaust Documentation & Education Center, South Florida
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781647422318 |
| PRICE | $17.95 (USD) |
| PAGES | 342 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Caroline P, Reviewer
The story of how a young Jewish woman from Berlin became a forger of identity papers in Marseilles during WWII. I hope there is more to the story and Sarah/Rosiemarie/Simone finds a happy ending with her love.
Shanna H, Librarian
Very interesting read! I really liked this book, it gave a lot of great details. A very good WWII book.
Lily A, Reviewer
The Forger of Marseille follows Sarah (Rosemarie, then Simone) and her guardian Joshua Lieb (then Josef, then Mathieu) from Berlin, then to Paris, and then to Marseille as they attempt to flee the Nazis’ power. Originally seeking refuge in Paris, Rosemarie meets Cesar, a young Spanish Republican who fled his own country, and the two become involved -- as a couple, and in the Parisian underground. The found family continues to work for French freedom and for their own freedom despite the many challenges placed in their path. Joining larger resistance networks, Simone, Mathieu, and Cesar do what they can to bring undermine the Nazi and Vichy regimes. Meyers crafts a fantastic narrative, immediately pushing the reader into the dangerous world of 1930s Berlin, and her characters are equally wonderful -- vibrant, dynamic, brave, and a little cynical. Her characters develop greatly over the course of the novel, and their relationships with each other and other members of the underground also evolve as the need for greater action and security arise. This novel is driven forward by its characters and their relationships, with settings playing a smaller role, yet the locations are as critical to their identities (literally) as their relationships and alliances. Meyers paints a beautiful picture of the struggles of the French underground under the Vichy regime.
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