The Paris Secret

By Karen Swan

With stunning locations and page-turning tension, The Paris Secret is an intense and gripping tale from bestselling author Karen Swan, the perfect escapism for fans of Santa Montefiore.

Not every door should be opened . . .

Somewhere along the cobbled streets of Paris, an apartment lies thick with dust and secrets: full of priceless artworks hidden away for decades.

High-flying fine art agent Flora from London, more comfortable with the tension of a million-pound auction than a cosy candlelit dinner for two, is called in to assess these suddenly discovered treasures. As an expert in her field, she must trace the history of each painting and discover who has concealed them for so long.

Thrown in amongst the glamorous Vermeil family as they move between Paris and Antibes, Flora begins to discover that things aren’t all that they seem, while back at home her own family is recoiling from a seismic shock. The terse and brooding Xavier Vermeil seems intent on forcing Flora out of his family’s affairs – but just what is he hiding?

'The next best thing to jumping on the Eurostar and being there' – Chris Manby, author of Three Days in Florence

'Escaping into a world of art, beauty and heartbreaking history, I was caught on page one and didn’t put it down until I finished it' – Liz Fenwick, author of The Cornish House

Enjoy more of Karen Swan's captivating seasonal novels with The Greek Escape and The Rome Affair.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Release date: Jul 14, 2016
• ISBN: 9781447280279

Karen Swan

Karen Swan is the Sunday Times top three bestselling author and her novels sell all over the world. She writes two books each year – one for the summer period and one for the Christmas season. Previous summer titles include The Spanish Promise, The Hidden Beach and The Secret Path and for winter, Christmas at Tiffany’s, The Christmas Secret and Together by Christmas. Her books are known for their evocative locations and Karen sees travel as vital research for each story. She loves to set deep, complicated love stories within twisting plots. Her historical series called The Wild Isle, is based upon the dramatic evacuation of the Scottish island St Kilda in the summer of 1930.

Reviews for The Paris Secret

[clp412 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book had everything I enjoy in a book, strong female character, art, descriptions of life in Europe, a love interest, and a mystery. I couldn't wait to read this book each evening!! This was a Goodreads giveaway that I won and am so glad I found this book! It really was the perfect match for me!

[mmoj_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A forgotten apartment brings Flora an art agent in to assess all the artwork that is found in the apartment. The apartment is owned by the powerful Vermeil family. But there are several things that stand in the way of Flora's work, her family and the Vermeil siblings. I really enjoyed the story, and the mystery. I would have liked even more history. For me I thought the relationship with the Vermeil siblings was not necessary.

[susan0316 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have to admit that if a book has the word PARIS in the title, I am going to read it. Sometimes I get a good book and sometimes not. This time I was thrilled because this is a fantastic book. I have never read anything else by Karen Swan but I plan to read her previous books. This book had all of the hallmarks of a fantastic book - wonderful settings - not just Paris but also Vienna, England and the south of France- interesting characters - the main character Flora as well as all of the supporting characters. I especially enjoyed Flora's best friend Ines. - romance - an interesting relationship between Flora and Xavier - mystery - how and why were all of those paintings hidden in an apartment in Paris for over 50 years.Flora is a high powered fine art agent and is thrilled to be asked to look at a recently discovered abandoned apartment in Paris. Underneath all of the dust and debris and hundreds of paintings and sculptures, Flora found a missing Renoir that had been lost for years. While trying to trace the painting's past purchasers, she found out information that could ruin the lives of the glamorous heirs of the apartment. What she does with that information makes this a thrilling and interesting book.This book is so much fun to read. It's full of the beauty of Paris, the beautiful clothes and a whole group of very interesting characters. Parts of the book take place during WWII but the main focus is on the modern day mystery of the Renoir painting.I found this a book that was impossible to put down once I started reading it. Thanks to the publisher for a copy to read and review.

[jfe16 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The discovery of a priceless treasure trove of fine art in a Paris apartment abandoned since the Second World War draws Flora Sykes into a mystery as she assesses the art left there. The apartment, a time capsule of years past, belongs to the powerful Vermeil family and they are anxious to determine the value of the newly-discovered fine art hidden away in those dusty rooms for so many years.Despite her dislike of Xavier Vermeil, the moody playboy of the family, Flora finds herself inexplicably drawn to the man. Nevertheless, she agrees to stay at the family’s residence and continue her work to find the provenances necessary for the sale of the art. But as Flora digs into the old records to research each piece, she uncovers a scandal surrounding both a painting and the Vermeil family as the dark secrets of the past threaten to destroy them.Exquisite writing wrapped around the real-life discovery of a Paris apartment abandoned for some seventy years creates a tale filled with awe and wonder. With well-defined characters, a captivating plot, a believable heroine, and the charm of the City of Lights, there is much for readers to appreciate in this intriguing narrative. The suspense surrounding the mysterious apartment creates tension and keeps the pages turning. Readers are likely to find this gripping story of love and intrigue, built around the painful events of the past, to be truly unputdownable.Highly recommended.I received a free copy of this book through the LibraryThing Early Readers program

[bookmarque · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

ugh. I should have known as soon as I saw the author's bio and the desperate name dropping (Chanel, Breguet etc.) that I was in the shallow end of the pool. I feel like I was sold a bill of goods when it comes to this book - the lure of the ER copy led me to believe it wouldn't be a romance. It is and what's more, a really stupid one. The minute Xav (omfg) appeared on the scene I skimmed, then shut the book for good. Typical stupid woman attracted to a complete asshole. She doesn't use her brain one bit according to other reviews so I am not sad it's a DNF. It's going on the kick to the curb pile as well.

[welsh_eileen2 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I was looking forward to reading this as I have an interest in antiques etc., but I was so disappointed.I just couldn't get into the story at all. Too formulaic for me.Maybe I have no romance in my soul!I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Pan Macmillan via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.

[bookscookslooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I am always attracted to a book with art at its center. I was an art history major in college and I still have a passion – especially for the Impressionists.I am sure that many of you, like me, read the story of the apartment in Paris that had remained untouched for decades after the second World War. That story has a mystery and romance about it without even knowing anything more. I think that leaving it up to the imagination leads to so much more than the reality as remarkable as that was.The Paris Secret takes that story and builds another. The mystery is still there and the romance comes but this tale is so much more. It is really all about the art. Flora lives for her job of sourcing fine art. So much that she really doesn’t have any other life; she is always on the road seeking, researching, learning and identifying. The place she calls “home” is her parent’s house and she is very rarely there.This latest assignment has her trying to find the provenance of the paintings in this lost apartment. The heirs want to sell the paintings but can’t do so until their ownership can be verified. The one son, Xavier does not want Flora to be successful and tries to call her off but she is not working for him so she continues in spite of him. What she finds …. well, you will have to read the story to find out what happens.This was a real page turner of a book with a lot of twists and turns. There are a number of storylines but they all are woven together with great skill by Ms. Swan. There are issues of family – both Flora’s and the mysterious Vermeils. They are the family who now own the apartment. I am somewhat intrigued by this choice of name as vermeil is basically gold plated – or bonding of 22kt gold on to sterling silver. It’s stronger than gold plate, but it’s not real gold. Intentional? You will find out, just as I did.Just be sure to set aside a block of time because once you start you won’t be able to stop reading.

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Flora is an art expert, buying art for clients, evaluating pieces, and the researching the authenticity of ownership of artwork. When many pictures are discovered in an abandoned apartment, she is tasked with tracing their path of ownership for the family who now owns them. But as she goes down that path, Flora soon discovers how twisted it is, and plagued with secrets. Meanwhile, her own family is dealing with a secret of their own. The first part of book is somewhat slow moving, and though the author tries to build a bit of suspense with the gradual reveal of the secrets, the book is nearly over before it gets really interesting. A couple of twists will likely surprise readers, but everyone and her cousin will know how Flora’s romantic encounters will end long before the novel does.

[indygo88 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Flora Sykes, based in London & working as an art agent, is asked to help examine & inventory a large selection of fine art just discovered in an apartment in Paris. The apartment has been locked up & abandoned since WWII, and there is a significant likelihood that the artwork is valuable and that the discovery will be newsworthy. However, a possible scandal comes to light and Flora must do some sleuth work in order to reveal the true mystery. In the meantime, a scandal is brewing at home with one of her own family members. I didn't realize it until I finished the novel, but this story is loosely based on a real occurrence -- there really was a large cache of valuable artwork found in an abandoned Paris apartment several years ago. The whole idea of making such a discovery, dating back to Hitler's reign, is intriguing, and I did really like that aspect of the story. However, I did feel that there was a little too much going on in this novel. I think it would've flowed better if the author had stuck with the main story line. Was it a mystery? Chick lit? Romance? I wasn't sure. I was fairly engaged in the story until the end, where it became too cliche'd and predictable, and that sort of ruined it from being a higher rated book for me.

[tamidale · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Flora Sykes, the daughter of a chief auctioneer at Christie’s, grew up in the world of fine art and began a glamorous career as a fine art agent. When a long forgotten apartment belonging to a wealthy client is discovered, Flora is sent to Paris to work on assessing the value of the artwork found in the apartment.As Flora gets deeper into the job, she uncovers deeply hidden family secrets, World War II intrigue and embarks on her own passionate romance. This is a novel that will satisfy mystery, romance and historical fictions readers. I thought there were a few loose ends and a few surprises, but the ending was satisfying and I enjoyed the novel overall. I was also fascinated to discover that the novel was based on the discovery of an abandoned apartment in Paris--locked up since WWII-- that was in the news a few years ago.Thank you to Early Readers for the opportunity to read this book and give my honest review.

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

*I received this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers.*A mysterious Paris apartment locked up since WWII containing a bunch of artwork is a great start to this novel, which delves into the a family's history and the secrets long thought buried. This book is fun reading, especially for those with a interest in WWII, even though the book is primarily set in contemporary France. The author does a good job of only slowly uncovering the layers of secrets held in the abandoned apartment - with just the right amount of romance thrown in.

[etxgardener · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I keep falling for books set in Paris & I probably should back off for a bit because this one is the dumbest one yet. It's based on a true story of a Paris apartment that was rre-opened several years ago after being locked up for seventy years. It was a veritable time capsule of Paris life in the 1930's This could have been a great story, but instead, it's a total mess. Flora Sykes is a high-powered art agent in London When her boss asks her to travel to Paris to help him appraise the contents of an apartment that has been sealed for 70 years. It is owned by the powerful Vermeil family who hire Flora's firm to catalog the contents of the apartment and to bring anything of value to auction. Flora settles in to inventory and place valuations on everything, but is soon up against the Vermeil children who are anything but pleasant. The plot twists and the plot turns with an irritation side story about her brother who is in deep trouble about....something, but that something is not revealed until the 11th hour in deus ex machina fashion.In the meantime there is at least three product placements per page. AND, Flora picks the absolutely worst person to end up with. This book is a mess.

[smik_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Here is another of those novels that sits on the outer boundary of crime fiction. Certainly crimes have been committed, long ago, perhaps even the biggest crime against humanity of all. But this novel is about whether a family will benefit from the aftermath of those crimes, or is what has happened in the past, in this instance, not what it seems?A family's lawyers are contacted by some burglars to say that they have found a long untouched apartment. A junior clerk not well versed in the protocols to be followed in this case contacts the family and events escalate from there. He has sent them the key to the wrong apartment.The family is controlled by a matriarch, her husband long dead. He has left instructions that the apartment is not to be opened by the family until after his wife's death. So, the family employs a fine art agent to explore and document the contents of the apartment which appears to be scores of painting and other art treasures untouched for over 70 years.The author says the story is based on a newspaper report about a similar situation that has occurred in Paris.There is a lot of human interest in this story particularly about how the younger members of the family will cope with their family's history about which they have, until this point, known nothing.Very readable.

[lisasharvey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

THE PARIS SECRET Karen SwanMY RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️▫️PUBLISHERWilliam MorrowPUBLISHEDNovember 14, 2017The Paris Secret is a riveting and entertaining tale about priceless art locked away in a Paris apartment for over 70 yearsSUMMARYA Paris apartment with dust caked windows has been locked and abandoned by a family since 1943. The apartment is full of secrets and priceless works of art. Flora Sykes, a 27 year-old London Fine Art agent has been hired by the wealthy Vermeil family to catalog the contents of the apartment. Inside are hundred of sketches and paintings — including a beautiful Renoir. To assess value, Flora must trace the ownership history of each these newly discovered treasures, and in doing so she becomes intimately familiar with the Vermeil family, particularly the dark and brooding Xavier Vermeil. Within her own family, Flora is given some devastating news from her brother that threatens to ruin her family’s reputation. REVIEWThe Paris Secret is a well-crafted and gripping story borrowed from a real-life Paris headline. Karen Swan writing is superb and she skillfully transports us from London to Paris to Vienna to Antibes. The characters are all unique and well-developed, but I really loved Flora’s character. It’s a truly enjoyable read which had me from the moment the dusty footprints were found on the parquet floor. I particularly like the book’s theme of family and being there for each other in difficult times. Thanks to LibraryThing, HarperCollins and Karen Swan for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[kayebarley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Being a lover of most books with a Paris setting, I couldn't wait to read this. Fine-art agent Flora Sykes is called in to assess objets d'art in a Paris apartment that has been abandoned since WWII, and finds herself in the midst of more than she bargained for including romance and family intrigue. Excellent!!

[shearon_3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An enjoyable summer read, but so predictable! Of course the Paris apartment shattered for 70 years with instructions that it not be opened until the owners are dead is full of Nazi plunder; of course the classy art dealer goes for the bad boy; of course the disgraced family is redeemed. The way the author gets us to these results is really fun, with several very clever twists, but it's more process than mystery.

[whitreidtan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When it came out in the news a couple of years ago that there was a perfectly preserved apartment in Paris that had been closed up and untouched since WWII, it was such an intriguing piece of news. Why would someone walk away from their apartment, never to return? What was in this unexpected time capsule? Were the people dead and gone, victims of the war? Were they still alive but unable to face the memories of the place? The truth could have been anything. The romance of it was in imagining the story behind all of it. If in fact, the real story did come out, it wasn't covered in the news anywhere near as completely as the discovery itself was. Karen Swan imagined her own back story for an apartment like this, complete with a fabulously wealthy family, war crimes, amazing art treasures, and closely held secrets in her newest novel, The Paris Secret.When the Vermeils, a wealthy and high profile French family, discover that they own an apartment in Paris that hasn't been opened since 1943, they call in a discreet fine arts agency to examine, catalog, and potentially sell whatever might be inside. A codicil to Mr. Vermeil's late father's will forbids Jacques and his wife from going into the apartment themselves until after both the late Francois' and his still very much alive wife's deaths. Flora Sykes is the fine arts agent assigned to the strange and intriguing find, made even more exciting when the apartment turns out to be filled with valuable art. It falls to Flora to trace the provenance on everything they discover, including a long lost Renoir and smaller pieces by other famous artists. As Flora chases down the history of the pieces, she is also dealing with a devastating family situation at home in England. The urgency and discretion required by both situations are overwhelming; luckily Flora is a professional. Although she cannot or will not share everything that is going on in her life, she does have some good friends in Paris to lean on for support. They come in particularly handy when she clashes repeatedly with the spoiled, angry, obnoxious, and badly behaved in every sense of the word, adult children of Jacques and Lilian, Xavier and Natascha. But if playboy, partier Xavier is truly so unpleasant, why is Flora so pulled to him?Of course, the family is, or should be, of little consequence to her; she is working on the amazing art. Unfortunately she can get no further on the provenance of the art treasures than that they were last known to be sold to a notorious Nazi collaborator, a fact that renders them close to worthless despite their authenticity. Dogged in her determination to find the proof that the Vermeil family came to own these pieces honestly and not simply because desperate Jewish families sold the only things they had of any worth in an attempt to escape Hitler's genocide, Flora digs deep, uncovering secrets that the will's codicil was meant to forever hide, changing and then changing again the Vermeil family's knowledge of itself.Anyone who knows the art world will immediately see the difficulty in finding a long abandoned stash of valuable art in Europe and have certain expectations regarding the plot of the novel. Swan has done a good job leading even the non-art savvy to the same conclusions and then to twist the plot a hair's breadth, writing a very different story than the one the reader expects. But that's not the end of her slight of hand as she is clearly a master of the unexpected. The family crisis that consumes Flora is very slowly revealed and its importance seems to be only in adding to Flora's stress level until it too is takes on rather more weight in the narrative. While Flora is well fleshed out, some of her motivations or actions are given a tad bit of a short shrift, and despite being an expert at her job and therefore used to dealing with impossibly large sums of money and the people who have it, she is strangely uncertain and occasionally even timid in most of the dealings highlighted in the book. The secondary characters do change the direction of the plot on several occasions but, for the most part, they remain fairly unrealized beyond these plot diversionary roles. The romantic connection is background rather than the main focus of the novel although it grows in importance as the story progresses. There are a few hiccups in the plot such as why, if the family has never stepped foot in the apartment or have any knowledge of what's inside, do they immediately call a fine arts dealer to inventory the contents and why is it so easy for serious and real trust issues to be overcome in the end (over a mere half page) simply by declaring "love"? Over all though, this is an engaging imagining of the story behind an abandoned apartment and an interesting look into the world of fine art and the detective work required to verify and trace it. Readers who love uncovering deeply buried secrets, those who want a small glimpse into the rarefied world of the super rich, and those with an interest in art will find this a worthwhile read.

[kimkimkim-7 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In the fall of 2016 I read Alyson Richman’s The Velvet Hours and found the idea of a Paris apartment left vacant for decades compelling. I enjoyed the writing and the story but felt more could have been coaxed out of the mystery. Having just finished The Paris Secret by Karen Swan, I feel weary, bereft and deprived by the lack of research. She took a little of Michelle Gable’s; A Paris Apartment, a little of Alyson Richman’s; The Velvet hours, then Swan threw in family problems which are forever left dangling in the hope the reader will continue turning pages, turmoil, ugly situations and behavior and of course the gorgeous, sexy unattainable antihero. Perhaps it was Ms. Swan’s intention to reduce this story to chick lit but I had hoped for much more. The multitudinous descriptions of all things meaningless were distracting and annoying. Did we really need to know the color of the carpet, the flowers, and on and on?! There is a story in all of this but it just wasn’t one that I found interesting. Many thanks to LibraryThing and the Publisher for the Early Review copy.

[kimaoverstreet · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Flora Sykes, a beautiful, wealthy, and impeccably well-dressed art agent is called into action when an art-filled Paris apartment, sealed for decades, is discovered. A powerful (and also well-dressed) family, the Vermeils own the apartment and the art and hire Flora to research each work of art. As Flora is caught up in mystery, romance, and politics with the Vermeils, she is also dealing with a crisis within her own family as her unfortunately nicknamed younger brother stands accused of a serious crime. I selected The Paris Secret because I generally enjoy books with art tie-ins : e.g. B. A. Shapiro’s The Art Forger, Nina Siegal’s The Anatomy Lesson, and the work of Susan Vreeland and Tracy Chevalier. The glimpses into the world of fine art and the true story that inspired Karen Swan are riveting. However, it wasn’t the best choice for me as this novel fit more into the chick lit/romance category, which I generally avoid. As such, I tried to rate it as an example of the genre. On my enjoyment alone, I would have gone with one or two stars - the frequent brand name drops drove me crazy. But chick lit fans will find it to be a solid and enjoyable read.