Last Train to Paris

by Michele Zackheim

An American foreign correspondent finds herself in love, and in danger, in this novel that “presents startlingly vivid images of life in Hitler’s Europe” (The New York Times).Rose Manon grew up in the mountains of Nevada, and is now working as a journalist in New York. In 1935, she is awarded her dream foreign correspondent. Posted to Paris, she is soon entangled in romance, an unsolved murder, and the desperation of a looming war.Assigned to the Berlin desk, Manon is forced to grapple with her hidden identity as a Jew, the mistrust of her lover, and an unwelcome visitor on the eve of Kristallnacht. And on the day before World War II is declared, she must choose who will join her on the last train to Paris . . .This carefully researched historical novel reads like a suspense thriller, and interweaves real-life figures into the story, offering “a poignant glimpse into the tensions and anxieties of prewar Europe” (Kirkus Reviews).“WWII enthusiasts may appreciate this quieter evocative look at a much-examined era.” —Publishers Weekly

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, World War II, France, Adult Fiction, Historical, 20th Century

247 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

For many years I was a visual artist exhibiting in museum and galleries, both in the united States and Europe. Over time, random words began to appear on my canvases . . . then poems . . . then elaborate fragments of narratives. I began to think more about writing and less about the visual world. Finally, I simply wrote myself off the canvas and onto the lavender quadrille pages of a bright orange notebook. This, my first book, was Violette's Embrace, published by Riverhead/Penguin.

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can also be found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...

I received this ARC from Europa Editions via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

I requested to read this story because I have an extreme interest in everything war related and as a result any novels written regarding wartime or with it as a backdrop. I was not let down with this one. I found it a little different than much of the other novels that I have read giving yet another new perspective on WWII.

Starting with Rose who was an American in Paris (and Berlin) in the years leading up to the declaration of war who also happened to be half Jewish. She was an outsider living in the reality that was Europe in those days who was experiencing all of the events leading up to the war through the eyes of a journalist. This gave the opportunity for the reader, like Rose, to see everything that was occurring to others while not directly being impacted (at first). Although many novels that I have read have occurred in wartime France or Europe I have not read a whole lot that centered around the time leading up to it. I found this a fresh take and interesting in my endless quest to fulfill my obsession with war and in particular WWII.

The character of Rose was also different than what one would normally expect in these types of novels. As a journalist her life was that of a man's world living in the less than ideal accommodations that were frequented by journalists, drinking excessively at times and being hardened to her surroundings. This was not your typical girl in a dress waiting for her true love to arrive. This made her endearing however also made her naïve at times as she felt that she could solve all the problems that were brought to her and had to have her eyes opened by those who were living the nightmares of the time.

I really enjoyed this book. Although there was a love story within the pages I felt that it was not the defining part of the book. There was a lot of tragedy in this read and those who enjoy historical fiction during wartime for the epic/tragic love stories alone may not enjoy it as much. Although this element is here, it is the tragic story of family, countries in ruin and the terrible things that humans do to others that is the focal point of this read. I felt that a lot of research must have gone in to writing this.

I would recommend this book without hesitation

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story, a fictional journalist works her way up to a position in Europe; Paris and Berlin specifically. Hitler is gaining popularity; and R.B. Manon(Rose) chronicles the anti-Semitism and violence as it escalates into WWII.

The story is told by the now elderly Manon as she reflects upon her life and career. I enjoyed Zackheim's writing style. I wanted to know what catastrophe/joy/loss each page offered; there are no pauses in this story. It plows on, gaining momentum with every word. She includes the antics of her overbearing mother, the impotence of her passive father, and her deep love and commitment for her doomed lover in this mesmerizing story. As an American Jew in Europe, her observations are at times, conflicting. Her sense of safety wears down as those around her endure the impact of Hitler's growing power.

Zackheim expertly creates her characters, exposing the best and worst in each of them. Through her descriptions, I have a familiarity with them that is special for me when reading historical fiction. I can better understand how so many Jews and non-Jews initially underestimated the strength and goals of the Third Reich. I believe her story is meant to explain the naivete and complacency of that time in Europe. And she accomplishes this as Rose, now with the benefit of hindsight, second-guesses the professional and personal choices she has made.

A well-written and unfortunately sad story; it's truly a fine example of historical fiction.

[Dan]

Michele Zackheim’s Last Train to Paris retrospectively tells the story of R. B. (Rosie) Manon), a then-young foreign correspondent stationed in Paris and Berlin during the run-up to World War Two. She’s Nevadan, unfamiliar with her Jewish heritage, and fluent in French, German, and Mandarin. Rosie’s 1939-1940 story of derring-do, romance, heroism, family dysfunction, kidnapping, murder, journalism, and Nazi brutality and takeover is told through the spritely voice of the eighty-seven year old Rosie, who pries open a newly discovered trunk of her memorabilia.

Last Train to Paris is an engaging and even affecting historical melodrama, especially if the reader ignores some of its unlikely elements and doesn’t insist on complete believability.

[Γιώτα Παπαδημακοπούλου · Rating 2 out of 5]

Η Michele Zackheim είναι μια πολυδιαβασμένη και πολυβραβευμένη συγγραφέας, με το σύνολο του έργου της να χαίρει της εκτίμησης του κοινού και των κριτικών. Σε προσωπικό επίπεδο, και χωρίς να έχω διαβάσει κάποιο άλλο βιβλίο της εκτός από το "Τελευταίο τρένο για το Παρίσι", δεν μπορώ να ισχυριστώ πως καταλαβαίνω για ποιον λόγο ισχύουν όλα τα παραπάνω. Μπορεί το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο να είναι ένα ευχάριστο, εύκολο και γρήγορο ανάγνωσμα, αλλά τίποτα περισσότερο, πόσο μάλλον ένα από εκείνα που σου προσφέρουν συγκλονιστικές αναγνωστικές στιγμές και που δεν μπορείς να βγάλεις από το μυαλό σου.

Βρισκόμαστε στο 1935 και η Ρόζυ Μάνον είναι μια σουφραζέτα της εποχής η οποία προσπαθεί με κάθε τρόπο να αποδείξει την αξία της και να πραγματοποιήσει τα όνειρά της. Ένας δυνατός έρωτας που θα χτυπήσει απρόσμενα την πόρτα της, η προσπάθειά της να διαφυλάξει την ταυτότητά της και να μην αποκαλυφθεί πως είναι Εβραία, το ξέσπασμα του Δευτέρου Παγκοσμίου Πολέμου που θα την οδηγήσει σε φυγή, είναι μόνο μερικά από τα γεγονότα που θα σημαδέψουν τη ζωή της. Τα χρόνια που θ' ακολουθήσουν, η Ρόζυ θα καταφέρει να επιτύχει τους στόχους της, χωρίς όμως να έχει καταφέρει να κλείσει τις παλιές πληγές του παρελθόντος της, αναζητώντας απαντήσεις για όλα όσα την βασανίζουν.

Το μεγαλύτερο πρόβλημα του βιβλίου αυτού, κατά την προσωπική μου εκτίμηση, είναι πως η επιφανειακή προσέγγιση, τόσο της ιστορίας, όσο και των ίδιων των χαρακτήρων που συμμετέχουν σ' αυτήν. Σαφέστατα και καταλαβαίνω που θέλει να το πάει η συγγραφέας ωστόσο, υπήρχαν στιγμές που ένιωθα σαν να βαριόταν να γράψει λίγο παραπάνω, να αναλύσει και να εμβαθύνει στα γεγονότα έτσι ώστε να έχουμε μια πιο ολοκληρωμένη και σφαιρική εικόνα του συνόλου. Αυτό θα μας επέτρεπε όχι μόνο να ταυτιστούμε με την Ρόζυ, αλλά και να μπορέσουμε να κατανοήσουμε εις βάθος το δράμα της που στην προκειμένη, δεν φαντάζει και τόσο δραματικό, αλλά περισσότερο μιαν σειρά ατυχών γεγονότων που τελικά, δεν οδηγούν σε καμία τεράστια αποκάλυψη, σε κάτι που θα μας ταρακουνήσει.

Ουσιαστικά, και για να μην μακρηγορώ καθώς δεν υπάρχει λόγος για κάτι τέτοιο, η ιστορία αυτή είναι ιδιαίτερα κοινότοπη και βασίζεται σε θεμελιώδεις αλλά κλισέ ιδέες του είδους, που η συγγραφέας δεν προσπαθεί να αναπτύξει και να εξελίξει λίγο περισσότερο, έτσι ώστε να μας προσφέρει ένα μυθιστόρημα που παρά τα όποια τετριμμένα χαρακτηριστικά του, θα κατόρθωνε στο τέλος να έχει την δικιά του ταυτότητα. Και μπορεί η ιστορική απεικόνιση και η μεταφορά του κλίματος της εποχής εκείνης να είναι ιδιαίτερα καλά ως προς την αποτύπωσή τους στο χαρτί, όμως αυτά τα δύο στοιχεία μαζί, δεν είναι αρκετά από μόνα τους για ν' απογειώσουν μια ιστορία που κατά τ' άλλα είχε τα φόντα και τις προοπτικές να πετύχει κάτι καλύτερο.

[Bonnie Brody · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Last Train to Paris by Michele Zackheim is the story of Rose Manon who grew up in a small town in Nevada and went on to become an international journalist of some renown prior to, and during, World War II in Europe. Her first assignment was in 1929 as a social reporter for the New York Courier. She was promoted in 1933 to the social desk in Paris where she became known as R.B. instead of Rose as she was the only female staff member working in the office and R.B. didn’t sound so feminine. In 1936 she went to work at the foreign desk in Berlin.

Rose was half-Jewish though she didn’t find this out until she was about eight years old. Her mother was anti-semitic and racist and acted monstrously towards Rose. Rose was close to her father though he was a binge drinker and disappeared from home for days at a time.

The novel is written as a reminiscence by Rose when she is elderly and living in her home in New York. She loves gardening and is quite happy to live a life of solitude. One day, the papers from her time as a journalist are delivered to her and she begins to recollect her life during that period. This is the main crux of the novel.

During the time she is in Berlin, things are very dire. World War II is on the horizon and Rose is in a precarious position. As a half-Jewish woman, a liberal, and also someone who writes their own column as well as reporting on international events, she often gets into trouble with the powers that be – her prejudiced boss and the German Government.- for her choice of topics. “I couldn’t leave the human-interest stories alone. I continued to look at the perilous situation of the disenfranchised. The group grew daily – Romani, Jews, homosexuals, the disabled, Catholics, clergymen, nonconformists, communists. Even mixed-race children were considered enemies of the state.” She is not surprised to find some of her writing censored. Her boss, Ramsey, is a misogynist and an anti-semite but he can’t fire Rose as she has made too big a name for herself as a journalist.

Along with her professional life, she receives visit from her Aunt Clara and her cousin Stella. During this visit, her cousin Stella is kidnapped and believed dead. This creates a huge uproar and, despite newspaper articles on the first page, her body is not found immediately.

Clara meets a Jewish man named Leon for whom she has a lifelong love. Leon is an engraver who ends up in the hands of the Nazis doing their bidding, engraving items they request of him. He must do this in order to save his parents who will be sent to a concentration camp if he puts up any sort of fuss. Rose has a great love and passion for Leon but their time together is short-lived.

The novel takes the reader through World War II in Germany and Paris. Rose is involved in the war effort and often takes secret documents from Paris to Berlin for the American embassy. We are there with her when Kristalnacht occurs, as the Jews try to escape Germany. Rose is, of course, fearful for her life. While in France, she leads people to believe that she is Catholic. However, “I was still afraid. Every couple of weeks, whether in Paris or Berlin, I was stopped and asked for my papers. I showed all my credentials. And even though they were in order, each time this happened I thought it would be the end. I knew that, if someone did a little research, I would be identified as a Jew.

Despite what could have been a truly riveting novel, too much of it was taken up with small aspects of Rose’s life such as Stella’s kidnapping, casual friends, and work relationships. I enjoyed the historical aspects of the book but felt like there were too many red herrings thrown in. The book is short and easily read in a couple of sittings and well worth the effort. My criticisms are not major. I just wanted the book to be better, and it could have been.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been fifty-two years since Rose Manon left Paris. Now in her eighties, a trunk arrives on her doorstep. Inside are the notes she kept during the war years. Years when she worked as a correspondent in Paris and Berlin. Rose, half Jewish and half Catholic, witnessed first hand the horrors that occurred as the Nazis first came into power in the 30s. She was there when war broke out and barely made it out alive. Many of those beside her - friends, colleagues, and acquaintances - did not. As an elderly Rose revisits those memories, she also reminisces about her early career and her family life.

LAST TRAIN TO PARIS was a bit of an odd bird. The book begins with a note from the author stating "A German citizen named Eugen Weidmann abducted a distant cousin of mine in Paris in 1937." Tell me that isn't an intriguing way to begin a book?! The case, which you can actually read more about on Wikipedia, does play a role in the book itself, but the overall focus of the story is Rose looking back on her life in the war years.

The story alternates quite randomly between various timelines. It was an approach that I actually enjoyed thanks to how well Zackheim transitioned between each new memory and Rose's present day. It made the book read more like an actual memoir than anything else. Unfortunately I did enter into the book with the expectation that it was going to lean more towards a thriller/mystery than anything else - and I definitely wouldn't consider LAST TRAIN TO PARIS to be that at all. As a result I had a tough time moving beyond what I'd expected the book to be and embracing what it actually was.

One of the things I really adored about this book was the way the author incorporated historical events and people throughout the story. The French author Colette becomes involved, as well as the fictionalized approach to the Eugen Weidmann case, even Ian Fleming gets a bit of a sidebar mention in the end.

[Sandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is poorly written book with asinine dialogue, worse than a bad Lifetime movie. I couldn't get through it. Unfortuntately, it's an important story about the rise of Hitler in Europe and how an American Jewish reporter slowly begins to understand the eventual impact. The heart of this story is lost by ridiculous, romantic dialogue. It's a shame. Here's a sample of the dialogue: "Oh how I can still feel my body leaning toward him, my lips almost touching his, whispering." Wait, it gets better. 'This little train', I said 'makes me feel like we're going where no one else wants to go.' Trash. And not even good trash.

[Dora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Η περιγραφή του Παρισιού κατά την κήρυξη του πολέμου από το 3ο Ράιχ θα μείνει για πάντα στη μνήμη μου. Παραστατική γραφή χωρίς περιττές λεπτομέρειες και η ιστορία θλιβερή χωρίς να είναι δακρύβρεχτη όπως όλες οι Ιστορίες του 2ου ΠΠ

[Terri Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This books is not awful but somehow it didn't hook me. I love WWII books with a passion, both fiction and nonfiction and both adult and young adult (even children's) but I couldn't make myself care about Rose. Maybe it was the disjointed narrative that pops back and forth in time, ruining the drama that I like to feel is immediate and not just someone's memory going and forth. I didn't feel like I was there in New York, Paris, and Berlin because I kept running into elderly Rose back in the country thinking about the bad old days and that jolted me out of the events over and over. Perhaps it would have worked better if the author had just told the story in an active way and then had an epilogue at the end to show present day Rose looking at her notebooks.

[Elain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can only think one thing, that I will have this book in my bookcase for the rest of my life. I loved every bit of it. At the beginning I thought it was a very heavy book which was truth, and I said to myself I couldn't handle it, but after page 100 or so, the story became addictive, I was instantly mesmarized by the whole thought of prosess, by the writing, the characteristics of the character, by the whole vibe. Such an amazing book for anyone that likes to learn about the history of Berlin and France a little before the second World War.
Though at moments I was a little bit shocked by the rawness of the writing, I can only say good things about it. Definitely recommend.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book and I liked this complex and imperfect heroine. She's angry, she's talented, she's not a looker. I enjoyed seeing how she valued and worked to develop her writing skills over many years and how she navigated incredibly trying situations. I felt the detachment some reviews saw as a fault of the book to be a realistic reflection of the way she was raised and the things she went through. I liked this fictional life and feel it's a good addition to the crowded genre of WWII fiction.

[Jessie Leigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

3.5/5

A bit dry and scattered, but good bones and good characters.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just didn't work for me. Jumpy narrative, irritating, naive characters. Couldn't be bothered to finish it.

[Shadoshard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't ordinarily read books about WWII, but I was fascinated by the kidnapping and pre-war France and picked it up. So the hooks worked - and the historical elements were well worked into the plot. So what we have is a story about a woman journalist during WWII - an American who was directly touched by the horrific events in Berlin as the Nazi machine geared up - but I feel like it was a story being told by her narcissistic mother. The mother was a woman who hated her origins as the daughter seemed to disdain her gender, telling the story form an almost neutered point of view. It was like the story was written with a scalpel; sharp, quick and surgically - shying away from emotion and cauterizing the emotional points as it pressed forth. It almost felt as if it lacked heart - or found its heart/s an obstacle. And there were many here; her relationship with her mother, her lover, her heritage, her position as a woman doing a traditionally male job, the impeding war. And it rushed them all seemingly for the sake of itself. And I think that's what frustrated me about the book; it had all these elements and the author showed she had the punch to pull off every dramatic edge but skimmed them - wrote to write it for their own sake but granting the reader only enough to get their attention. And when they had that, they just - kept going - leaving us with just enough to know what we could have had. I felt like the daughter who just wanted her mother to love her; I wanted to be pulled into that story but it just -would do it - and then - the end. And even that last paragraph - where the writer says they could just let the pages fly off in the wind - like a narcissistic parent threatening to take what little they give from an emotionally starved kid. And that just made it worse because it showed how damn artful the writer is. I wanted more - I want to give more - so we end with three stars rather than the four I wanted to give. Story writer, petulant reader - there it is.

[Wendalina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something led me to this book. I think it was a mention in The Seattle Times, but I've scoured past Sunday editions and can find no references. But something led me to this book, which made me mention it to my Dad who promptly read it and enjoyed it and then highly recommended it back to me so that we could talk about it. Like my Dad, I was quite moved by the description of life in Germany right before WWII was declared and right after -- especially the experience for Jewish people. As many WWII stories as I've read or watched in movies or tv, this was a part of the story I hadn't quite heard before and unsurprisingly, the stories were horrific. Following a Jewish lead character in this book heightened the intensity of the experience. I appreciated hearing this experience. The other book element that my Dad called out and wanted to talk about was the character of RB's Mom. Whoa Mama - what a piece of work! She is up there with the worst of the bad guys/gals I've happened upon in books and movies. She was fascinating in her terrible way. All said, this book was very engaging and I'm glad to have read it. (I'd love to recall what put it on my radar in the first place, but I guess I'll never know.)

[Karin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh, I couldn't finish this, it was written so poorly. A lot of "telling instead of showing" and really disjointed conversations between characters. The kind that takes you out of the story because it feels so unnatural. It also didn't tie together into a cohesive story. The story of the murder isn't at all related to the beginnings of WWII and the treatment of Jews or even to the story of the awful mother. The mother was completely unbelievable - not so much in her unbelievable behavior (although a bit that) but mostly in that she kept coming back to the daughter for unrealistic reasons. She was presented as certain kind of person but then her actions belied that type. It was as if the author wanted her to do certain things and so couldn't stick with her original plan for the character. It just never reconciled. I flipped through to the end to see if it got better or if ends ever got tied up. It definitely didn't get better. Ends were kind of tied up but again, in an odd, stilted way.

[Bella Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Μια Εβραία φιλόδοξη δημοσιογράφος, εργάζεται ως ανταποκρίτρια στο Παρίσι και το Βερολίνο κατά την προετοιμασία για τον Β' Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο.
Μια ιστορία αγάπης, τρόμου, πολέμου, φόβου και γενναιότητας.
Οι χαρακτήρες καλά ανεπτυγμένοι (αν και κάποιοι δεν ήταν συμπαθητικοί) και ενδιαφέροντες.
Η σχέση του χαρακτήρα με τη μητέρα της είναι επίσης υπερβολικά έντονη.
Απόλαυσα ιδιαίτερα τον τρόπο που το βιβλίο άλλαζε χρόνο.
Η ζεστασιά των τελευταίων χρόνων της ζωής της με έκανε να θέλω να γνωρίσω την R. B.
Το βιβλίο διαβάζεται γρήγορα και αξίζει τον κόπο.

[Lisa Chan · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. I used to feel bad when I would not finish a book. I often forced myself to finish. Then, one magical day, I realized life is too short to read something you’re not enjoying. That was Last Train to Paris for me. The idea of the story was intriguing, but the writing was SO bad I just…couldn’t. The sentences were choppy, telling not showing. The story was weird. I gave it 70 pages before I called it quits!

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had me at the first page with her explanation about what enjoyment it was to see her name on a printed newspaper page. Totally echoed my own feelings at seeing my articles in the Greenwich Time and then the Deseret News though I am certainly on the opposite end of her portrayal as a hard drinking woman of the world. Liked the book very much.

[Maria Vermisoglou · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review can be found at https://maraki2311.wixsite.com/wonderpen

Καλούτσικο αλλά κάτι του έλειπε. Ο τρόπος τον οποίο τα γεγονότα ξετυλίγονταν ήταν λίγο περίεργος αλλά καταλάβαινες τι γινόταν. Δεν θα έλεγα ότι είναι και από τα καλύτερα που έχω διαβάσει. Η γραφή ήταν καλή αν και υπήρχαν μερικά προβλήματα.

[Connie Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

I am an avid reader of WWII novels and this novel did not disappoint. The characters were complicated and interesting, and most importantly, the writing was of exceptional quality. It's difficult to find a book with an excellent story AND a well-written narrative. I will look forward to following this author!

[Dory Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

While a lot of the details about life in Paris and Germany at that time right before the war were interesting, I found the pacing and narrative all over the place. The main character was narrating and she continually jumped all over the place...back and forth from different time periods, inserting facts and background very randomly, just very disjointed.

[Elissa Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story illustrates the life of an American Jewish female correspondent, working in prewar and during World War II in both Paris and Berlin. The story uncovers antisemitism in one’s own family, difficult mother and daughter relationship and the random stroke of love and war.

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be totally honest, the writing is not great- the dialogue in particular is awful. Nonetheless I thought it was entertaining, even if I’m not sure I understood what the entire plot line with the awful mother was about.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unique perspective of a Jewish female journalist during the lead up to WWII.

[Aimee Borden · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 i wanted to finish it but it took too long couldn't keep my attention.. It was straightforward, unfeeling... But still i needed to keep reading.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. It was a nice story, nothing special but a good read. I was going to go with 3 stars for this but it got better and tied up nicely in the end.

[Weronika · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Marilyn Pronovost · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good story about an American reporter who in the past never considered herself as being a Jew. When she reports from Berlin and France in the rise of Hitler, then it becomes a part of her life density. She is an American who takes her status for granted. It is only when she sees it happening in front of her and when she falls in love with A German Jew does she begin to the effects of persecution and her Americans privilege. As an American shenanigans s allowed self confidence and freedom., but as a person witnessing European standards to religion and status she gains some empathy.

The characters are strong and well defined, some withstand danger and others are subdued or crushed by it. Rose's relationship with her mother is tragic, but her love of Leon is real. Leon's need to do distasteful things for the right reason is enlightening. Other minor characters are well developed and memorable.

The writing is easy and interesting which makes the story flow well.

Caught my interest from the start.

[Kerry Hennigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michele Zackheim’s novel “Last Train to Paris” is an incredibly immersive novel of a young female journalist in Europe in the years leading up to WWII told from the perspective of an elderly woman looking back on her life and career.

In the pre-war years, RB Manon (Rosie) travels from Paris to Berlin and back, covering the impact of the rising tide of Nazi ideologies as it begins to sweep away the world she knows.

This is also the story of a kidnapping and murder, based on a true incident that happened to a member of Zackheim’s family. In the novel, it is a cousin of RB’s who disappears with her handsome boyfriend one night.

The fate of her cousin is eclipsed by the horrors that RB witnesses happening to people she has come to know and love. In the meantime, her relationship with her mother remains a constant irritant in her life, particularly when they both end up in the same city, covering the same event.

“Last Train to Paris” is a reminder, both painful and enjoyable, of how precarious and dangerous life was like when the world was on the brink of war, when the light-hearted youth of Europe were about to be plunged into a terrible and brutal darkness.

I doubt I will ever forget RB’s experience of what came to be known as Kristallnacht – the “night of broken glass”. It is horrifying, yet is merely a warning of far worse things to come.

While not a hefty volume, “Last Train to Paris” manages to be a mammoth storytelling achievement that, like its heroine, spans the decades and speaks to us of the best and worst of humanity.

Review by Kerry Hennigan
January 2017