Woman on Fire audiobook

4+History + Art + a Thriller + Secrets + a Psychopath = yes, please! Right up my street! The art in question is Woman on Fire painted by Jewish artist Ernst Engel, the history angle is 2nd World War Nazi looted art, the thriller element is a race to find the painting first, many involved have deeply buried secrets, some are heartbreaking and tragic others are downright dirty, the psychopath is gallery owner Margaux de Laurent. Charged with finding the painting before Margaux does is journalist Jules Roth for client Ellis Baum who wants the painting for deeply personal reasons. Time is short principally because Ellis is dying ....At the beginning the novel feels a bit disjointed but it soon beds down and the strands in the multilayered story slot into place. The plot is clever and complex with the Nazi looted art angle feeling more than believable and authentic - this is an author who has done her research well. The characterisation is very good and you root for Jules who is a likeable tough cookie as well as all those helping her on the deadly journey. Margaux's portrayal is also very good with a beautiful exterior and a deeply ugly interior but I'm actually not that interested if she's clothed in Stella McCartney of Tom Ford! The plot is a never a dull moment, fast paced twisty read with plenty going on to keep you glued. There's tension, suspense, it's horrifying in places with the depths that some humans will sink to, the historical detail is excellent and there's a dash or two of steam (blushes!). Overall, I really enjoyed this, it's a compelling page turner and just a bit different from the norm. An added bonus is a journey that takes us from the USA to France and Germany. If you like well written historical thrillers then this one is well worth considering.With Thanks to NetGalley and especially to Welbeck Publishers for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Wow. I think Lisa Barr just gets better and better, and if you’ve read The Unbreakables or Fugitive Colors, you know her books are already outstanding.About the book: “From the author of the award-winning Fugitive Colors and The Unbreakables, a gripping tale of a young, ambitious journalist embroiled in an international art art scandal centered around a Nazi-looted masterpiece--forcing the ultimate showdown between passion and possession, lovers and liars, history and truth.”I love love love a historical thriller, which combines two of my favorite genres. I also love any story involving art. The characters, especially the women, are strong and hard as nails. Margaux and Jules are both on the hunt for this missing painting. Jules was my favorite of the two, but Margaux is unforgettable and diabolical.Woman on Fire is a clever, thrilling adventure with a touch of romance and a stunning historical backdrop that kept me fully invested from start to finish. Highly recommended if you are looking for a fresh take on hist fic!I received a gifted copy.Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr lived up to all my expectations and then some. I listened to the audio CD that was brilliantly performed by Carlotta Brentan. This was the first book that I have read by Lisa Barr but I would most definitely read her prior books and look forward to reading her forthcoming books as well. Lisa Barr masterfully combined my two favorite genres of historical fiction and thriller into a powerful, riveting and suspenseful novel. Her character development included two strong female protagonists who were the complete opposites of one another and a cast of secondary characters that were believable, richly drawn and complex. The plot was filled with lots of history, secrets, twists and turns, deception, atrocities and the very idea of good vs evil. It was fast paced and such an emotional story that I still find myself thinking about it. Jules Roth, a young journalist, could best be described as ambitious, determined, brave, confident and gutsy. She always knew that someday she would work for Dan Mansfield, the best investigative reporter in the industry. Jules did not secure her position in the conventional way, but the results were well worth it. Her first assignment was one she was not prepared for. Dan Mansfield commissioned Jules to help him find a painting that was stolen by the Nazis during World War II. Dan’s good friend, Ellis Baum, the famous shoe designer, solicited Dan’s expertise to help him recover a painting that Ernst Engel painted long ago called Woman on Fire. Ellis Baum had hidden the fact from all that knew him, up to this point, that he grew up in Nazi Germany and was forced into hiding in order to survive the war. Woman on Fire depicted a beautiful and mysterious woman. It was the last painting Ernst Engel ever painted. This painting meant a lot to Ellis Baum. He wanted it in his possession. It was so important to Ellis. Jules was to help Dan figure out where Woman on Fire was now and get it back for Ellis. The Nazis had stolen it all those years ago and it had not been seen since then. Time was of an essence, though. Ellis had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and did not have long to live. Also helping Dan and Jules was Ellis’s grandson, Adam. All of them believed that Margaux de Laurent, ruthless, powerful and cutthroat heir to her family’s art gallery in France and dwindling fortune, was most certainly searching for Woman on Fire as well. Margaux was used to getting whatever she set her mind on. She always won. Margaux was the queen of deception and used her beauty to pin one against another to her advantage. In the end, Jules and Margaux would vie against each other and stop at nothing until one of them was successful at recovering Woman on Fire. Who would end up being victorious? Lisa Barr’s talent as a masterful storyteller was evident throughout Woman on Fire. Her research was impeccable. She was able to cast a pointed finger at the dark period of history when evil and greed dominated the art world under the Nazis. They stole, sold and destroyed “banned” art for their own pleasure and profits. I have read other books about stolen art by the Nazis but Woman on Fire touched me deeply. Woman on Fire was an unforgettable story. It was about family, love, secrets, bravery, deception, corruption, greed, courage, dedication, heroism, murder and courage. I loved the characters, at least most of them, and I still find myself thinking about them. It was beautifully written and Lisa Barr made me feel as if I was standing in front of much of the art she depicted in the book. It was that vividly described. Woman on Fire was so intense at times I felt myself holding my breathe. I shed a tear or two but also found myself smiling during parts of the book as well. I really enjoyed Woman on Fire and highly recommend it.

Wow! Do you remember reading Sydney Sheldon’s Master of the Game back in the 80’s?The twists and turns, the cat and mouse and the unexpected actions from the different characters every time you turned the page?This book gave me all those feels. Jules is an aspiring investigative journalist and pushes her way into a job with a well respected and well known journalist, Dan. She passes his first test and then he begins the story of a lifetime with her. I’m not going to explain every detail - you can get a lot of the basics from the blurb - but I will tell you it was filled with fast moving edge of your seat dangerous turns and heart wrenching twists.

Be prepared to lose yourself in the pages of Lisa Barr’s dark, sexy thriller about the high-priced, high-stakes world of art theft. At the heart of WOMAN ON FIRE is a young, determined journalist who takes on some of the industries’ most powerful players in her search for one painting and for justice. Beautifully written, well researched and filled with twists you’ll never see coming, this is everything you want in a rich, juicy page-turner.

Woman on Fire is a book that I have been hearing such good things about. Finally relaxing in Australia this week, it is a great mix of historical fiction, thriller, suspense and a bit of romance. It is the second book that I have read recently about stolen artwork and I throughly enjoyed it.Ernst Engels painting “Woman on Fire” has been missing for years, stolen by the Nazis during the war. It is a highly sort after piece, one that people will do anything to get their hands on. Margaux believes that it rightfully owned by her family, but at the same time, Ellis Baum, the famous shoe designer, believes the same. Ellis hires his good friend Dan, and investigative journalist and his protege Jules, to help him find the painting and get it back to his family before he dies.This book had everything… scandal, family secrets, murder, revenge and danger. Margaux will kill for this painting, and has the means to do so. Jules is young , but a strong and capable woman and relishes the assignment.A fantastic read, highly recommended. Thank you Allen and Unwin for my copy to read.

This was so good, and beautifully written! This book was as interesting as it was heartbreaking. I loved getting lost in this powerful story of mystery, art, love, family drama, secrets and more. This fun book is full of suspense, lies and lots of twists.4.5⭐Thank you Bibliolifestyle and Harper Perennial for this gifted copy! All opinions are my own.

An absolutely stunning story about Nazi stolen art and the people who do the stealing and the underhand dealings years later with treasures that are not theirs.Terrific, well fleshed out characters – some to love and some to hate.It’s fast paced with twists and turns worthy of any suspense novel, but it is the painting that takes center stage.The story of the Nazis stealing art during WWII is not new, but this story is about one particular painting that means everything to an old man who is dying. Will he ever get to see his beloved painting before he dies?Left up to a novice reporter to get to the truth. Great story telling by this author!

Loved loved loved! 🤍 I’ve added this (along with The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post) to the top of my favorite books stack of 2022. It’s already been optioned by Sharon Stone to be adapted onto the big screen.. so excited for Lisa Barr!LB’s left nothing untouched when writing this novel.•A CLEVER PLOT•HISTORY dating back to WW2 and now•historical “THRILLER”•a brilliant MYSTERY•SUSPENSE•scandal, betrayal, family secrets and damaged pasts•ROMANCE•the good - the journalists and artists•the bad - Hitlers notorious art thief, and psychopath Margaux de Laurent and her cronies •and STOLEN ART. This is about one painting in particular, stolen by the Nazis during the holocaust. It’s a priceless masterpiece painted by Jewish artist Ernst Engel, named “Woman on Fire”.. and has everyone scrambling to find it. There’s so much heart and emotional depth written into the pages of this story. The history behind the painting is unique and heartbreaking, and the reason for finding it now—all had me shedding tears and rooting for the good guys to find and return it to its rightful owner before it was too late. And the ending.. yes, I shed a few more tears then too. This was the perfect weekend read. Not to be missed! ❥

WOMAN ON FIRE is an exquisite, fascinating read that hooks you with its intensity and captures your heart with emotional depth. A brilliant, seamless tale of art, atrocity, love, family, and courage, this stunning novel, both with the words and the paintings described on the pages, comes alive so vividly it's as if you are right there, seeing every remarkable moment with your own eyes. A truly astonishing novel that builds tension sentence by gorgeous sentence then crescendos to a scorching, utterly satisfying ending.