The Black Swan of Paris: A Novel

by Karen Robards

Overview

"Boldly conceived and richly realized…an emotional and powerful tale." —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris

A world at war. A beautiful young star. A mission no one expected.

Paris, 1944

Celebrated singer Genevieve Dumont is both a star and a smoke screen. An unwilling darling to the Nazis, the chanteuse’s position of privilege allows her to go undetected as an ally to the resistance.

When her estranged mother, Lillian de Rocheford, is captured by Nazis, Genevieve knows it won’t be long before the gestapo succeeds in torturing information out of Lillian that will derail the upcoming Allied invasion. The resistance movement must silence her by any means necessary—including assassination. But Genevieve refuses to let her mother become yet one more victim of the war. Reuniting with her long-lost sister, she must navigate the perilous crosscurrents of occupied France undetected—and in time to save Lillian’s life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780778386650
Publisher:	MIRA Books
Publication date:	07/26/2022
Edition description:	First Time Paperback
Pages:	544
Sales rank:	172,933
Product dimensions:	4.70(w) x 7.00(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Karen Robards is the New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of fifty novels and one novella. She is the winner of six Silver Pen awards and numerous other awards.

Editorial Reviews

★ 04/27/2020

Famed, beautiful Parisian singer Genevieve Dumont uses her alliance with the Resistance to rescue her mother from the Nazis in Robards’s thrilling latest (after The Fifth Doctrine). As the darling of Paris’s music scene, Genevieve receives adulation from the Nazis while secretly helping her manager, Max Bonet, an intelligence operative working with the British. When Genevieve returns to her childhood home and discovers that the Germans have killed her father and taken her mother, Baroness Lillian de Rocheford, prisoner, Genevieve becomes resolute in her efforts to rescue her and joins forces with her estranged sister, Emmy, also an agent for the British. Genevieve gains the attention of Gen. Claus von Wagner, a high-ranking German officer who she believes knows her mother’s whereabouts. In her quest to save Lillian, Genevieve persuades Max to help by revealing a painful story from her past. Together, Emmy, Genevieve, and Max risk their lives in a well-planned but highly risky mission to free Lillian from von Wagner’s German estate where she is being held prisoner. Robards blends commendable attention to historical detail with intense realism and deep feeling. Historical fiction fans will be enthralled with this richly hewn novel and the romance and danger lurking around its every corner. Agent: Robert Gottlieb, Trident Media Group, LLC. (June)

Publishers Weekly

Long a master of suspense, Karen Robards turns her formiddable talents to the Second World War. The Black Swan of Paris tells of singer Genevieve Dumont, who must navigate a tangled web of torn allegiances, painful secrets and a past that refuses to set her free, as she struggles to save all she holds dear from the Nazis. Boldly conceived and richly realized, Robards establishes herself in a single sweep at the forefront of World War II novels with an emotional and powerful tale.” —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris


“Beautifully written and completely absorbing. Genevieve is a broken but determined heroine in disguise, fooling the terrifying enemies surrounding her as she is immersed in the ugly belly of the Nazi occupation. Tension, secrets, and loyalty drive this gorgeous book until the very last page and I was transfixed by each riveting moment.”—Noelle Salazar, USA TODAY bestselling author of The Flight Girls


"One of the most popular voices in woman's fiction."—Newsweek

"One terrific storyteller." —Chicago Tribune


"Cinematic."—Publishers Weekly, starred review, on The Fifth Doctrine


"Evocative."—Library Journal on The Ultimatum

“Quite simply, the best historical romance I’ve read this year.”—Publishers Weekly on Dark of the Moon


“Beautifully told—the dialogue is crisp, the secondary characters bright and interesting, and the plot intriguing enough to keep readers turning page after page.”—Kirkus on This Side of Heaven


“A delightful and intense read that proves that Robards is equally gifted in crafting historical and modern romance."—Booklist on Shameless


“One of the finest, most talented writers of romantic history today.”—Affaire de Coeur on Loving Julia

From the Publisher

06/01/2020

Genevieve Dumont is an acclaimed star, a popular singer in Paris in 1944. She appears to live a happy, carefree life as a darling of the Nazi party. However, readers quickly learn that appearances can be deceiving. Genevieve isn't just a typical performer; she's working with the Resistance, collecting important and confidential information to relay back to the French. When she learns that her mother, Baroness Lillian de Rocheford, who's also working with the Resistance, has been captured by the Nazis, she realizes that she must repair her relationship with long-lost sister Emmy in order to save her mother's life. Robards takes a step away from her contemporary works ("Guardian" romantic suspense series) and delves into the world of historical fiction, crafting an engaging story that explores an often overlooked aspect of World War II lore. VERDICT For fans of Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale, this page-turning novel full of suspense and excitement examines the lengths to which we are willing to go for our loved ones.[See Prepub Alert, 12/9/19.]—Cassandra Walsh, South County Lib., Bellport, NY

Library Journal