Linda Joy Myers’ The Forger of Marseille is set in WWII, as Europe falls into the terrifying grip of Hitler and Nazi Germany. The story is inspired by the historical figure of Varian Fry, an American journalist who helped countless refugees escape from France. Sarah Rosen is 19, a Jew living in 1939 Berlin. Joshua Lieb, a Jew and master luthier, has been like a father to Sarah since her childhood days when she lost her father. As the persecution of the Jews intensifies, Sarah and Joshua flee from Berlin to France. In Paris, Sarah pursues her dream of being an artist. César Garcia is from Catalonian Spain and works for an underground organization as a forger of new identities and documents for refugees. Sarah becomes a forger when she meets César. In 1940, Hitler’s forces advanced toward Paris. Sarah, Joshua, and César escape to Marseilles. Sarah continues to be a forger for the French underground resistance. This well-researched and well-crafted novel’s suspense and tension continue to the end!

I was deeply moved by Linda Joy Myers’ compelling historical novel, The Forger of Marseille, because of its three exceptional characters, Sarah Rosen, Joshua Lieb, and César Garcia, and their unflinching courage and commitment to helping others find freedom under life-threatening circumstances. From the outset, I was immersed in the story as the lives of the three characters unfolded against the backdrop of evocative and gripping wartime descriptions. I liked their backstories and how Sarah and Joshua got to know César in Paris. Some of the story’s most powerful and emotional moments occur as Sarah, Joshua, and César flee Paris to Marseille. In a difficult journey, each protects the other, finding inner strength as they face life-threatening situations. I liked how thoughts and emotions are interwoven, revealing their fears, hopes, pain, and anguish of losing each other in vivid and realistic ways. I liked the interpersonal drama of Sarah’s meeting with the American journalist Varian Fry and how Sarah joined his team of forgers. The Forger of Marseille is gripping WWII historical fiction with extraordinary characters, a tale of incredible fortitude, resilience, love, and friendships.

Myers movingly conveys the traumas faced by her Jewish characters who flee Nazi Germany only to find themselves caught up in the turmoil of the 1940 Paris exodus and the early months of the occupation of France. Their involvement in Marseilles’ growing resistance movement highlights the crucial work of Varian Fry and Donald Caskie who aided the escape of countless individuals pursued by the authorities. In this gripping story of a tumultuous period of history, Myers offers us a vivid and compelling read.

This well-paced story of an artist turned forger in WWII era France weaves fictional characters with real-life people in a novel of gripping authenticity.

The Forger of Marseille a historical gem! Myers delivers an absolute page-turner with just the right amount of suspense and laced with a gripping love story. The historical detail, pitch-perfect prose, and realistic dialogue makes this one unputdownable. You’ll be thinking about these characters long after the last page is finished. Highly recommend!

In this carefully researched and crafted novel, The Forger of Marseille, Linda Joy Myers tells the story of resistance by those who risked their lives to save others—one of the few bright spots in the Holocaust. While accurately portraying what went on in France in 1940, Myers weaves elements of love, tension, art, music, and the gradual unfolding of her characters as they begin to trust one another. Myers draws the reader in with her descriptive prose and insight into what individuals endured during that horrific time.

The Forger of Marseille transports you to interwar Europe where you experience warmth, wine, and song in the cafés of Paris and also discover skills the forger must master to rescue Europe’s victims. In her historical novel, Myers reveals important figures such as Varian Fry who saved thousands, and points an accusing finger at France as it capitulates to occupation and betrays its citizens. A lesson for nations of today and a call for peace through art.