Book review: The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel
Genre: Historical fiction
Release date: June 17, 2025
Goodreads rating: 4.48
My rating: 5
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I am a big fan of Kristin Harmel and her historical fiction novels. The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau was therefore at the top of my 2025 TBR (and it did not disappoint!).
It follows Colette, a 90-year-old on the hunt to find the person responsible for her young sister Lilianne’s death during WWII. The books is told from a dual timeline perspective: we follow Colette and her family starting in France in 1943, and again in 2018.
Harmel creates rich characters and environments. Here, we are drawn into a world of women jewelry thieves. Colette and her mother are descendants of Robin Hood and consider it their family legacy to steal from those doing harm to give to those needing help. Applied to the context of WWII, this creates a very dangerous and high stakes environment for Colette and her mother to practice their craft. When a bracelet resurfaces in 2018—a bracelet that was in young Lilianne’s possession on the day of her death—Colette tries to trace back its journey over the years to identify the culprit.
It's a compelling and thought-provoking book that delves into the bravery of resistance fighters in WWII and the complexities of wartime relationships. I recommend it to all historical fiction lovers.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for granting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.