Secrets of Paris - 3 Books by Ella Carey

by Susan Roberts

All three of these novels are told in dual time periods with one in the present day and the other in Europe before, during, and after WWII.  They can each be read as stand-alones with no confusion, but they fit together so well that I suggest reading all three in order for the ultimate enjoyment.

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Paris Time Capsule

October 2020; Bookouture; 978-1800191037
audio, ebook, print (268 pages); historical mystery

Cat Jordan is a photographer in NYC with a successful boyfriend and a life all planned out when she receives notice from a lawyer in Paris that she's inherited the estate of someone in Paris that she's never met.  She flies to France and plans to put everything up for sale until she sees the apartment and meets the man who is the real grandson of the original owner.  The apartment has been locked up since 1940 and under all of the accumulated dust are treasures from the Belle Époque era.  Cat is determined to find out more about the original owner - a renowned courtesan of the era.  During the historical chapters, we learn all about the life of Isabelle de Florian and why she left the apartment to flee the Nazis who were invading Paris.  This book had a little mystery, a little romance, and a look at two women who have never met but share a connection over time.

Paris Time Capsule is based on real people and an apartment that was discovered in 2010 that hadn't been opened since 1940.  

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The House by the Lake

October 2020; Bookouture; 978-1800191013
audio, ebook, print (244 pages); women's fiction

Anna has a happy life in San Francisco until her grandfather asks her to go to Germany and find a package in his family's estate in Germany.  For the first time, she finds out that he was part of an aristocratic family before WWII.  When she gets to the small town in Germany she finds the castle abandoned and falling apart.  She feels that she has to learn the history of the home and of her grandfather's family so she contacts the lawyer of the owner and after a rude start, he helps her try to trace family history despite all of the dead ends that they encounter.  By the end, they find that the house in Germany and her grandfather are linked to the abandoned apartment in Paris.  As with Book 1 in the series, The House by the Lake has mystery, romance, and family history that unlocks her grandfather's past.

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From a Paris Balcony

November 2020; Bookouture; 978-1800191471
audio, ebook, print (286 pages); women's fiction

Sarah lives in Boston. Her parents have recently died and her husband - the man she thought was her soul mate - has left her for another woman. While cleaning out her parents' house she finds a small green chest concealed at the back of her father’s wardrobe.  When she opened the chest, there was only one thing inside: a letter, postmarked 1895, Paris. Determined to find out more about the letter and a distant aunt who committed suicide in Paris, she goes to Paris and rents the apartment that originally belonged to Isabelle de Florian. The more information she uncovers, the more sure she is that her aunt Louisa was murdered and didn't kill herself. She also finds out that Louisa's husband had a great friendship with the courtesan from book one.  Sarah and Louisa were both interesting characters and both were looking for love and understanding in their lives.  As with the other two books, From a Paris Balcony had mystery, romance, and lots of historical detail.

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Susan Roberts lives in North Carolina with her husband of over 50 years.  She grew up in Michigan but now calls North Carolina home. Since her travel plans had to be canceled for this year, she is starting to make plans for travel in 2021. She reads almost anything (and the piles of books in her house prove that) but her favorite genres are Southern fiction, women's fiction, and historical fiction. Susan is a top 1% Goodreads Reviewer. You can connect with Susan on Facebook, Goodreads, or Twitter.

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