As Paris teeters on the edge of the German occupation, a young French woman closes the door to her late grandmother’s treasure-filled apartment, unsure if she’ll ever return. 

An elusive courtesan, Marthe de Florian cultivated a life of art and beauty, casting out all recollections of her impoverished childhood in the dark alleys of Montmartre. With Europe on the brink of war, she shares her story with her granddaughter Solange Beaugiron, using her prized possessions to reveal her innermost secrets. Most striking of all are a beautiful string of pearls and a magnificent portrait of Marthe painted by the Italian artist Giovanni Boldini. As Marthe’s tale unfolds, like velvet itself, stitched with its own shadow and light, it helps to guide Solange on her own path.

Inspired by the true account of an abandoned Parisian apartment, Alyson Richman brings to life Solange, the young woman forced to leave her fabled grandmother’s legacy behind to save all that she loved.

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This was a fantastic tale, beautifully told, of a time that is past. Marthe’s life as a reclusive courtesan (a bit of an oxymoron, yes?) was fascinating, especially when you think that this story is based on fact. I love how the apartment was traced through time and paralleled Solange’s story.

Here’s a fascinating post by Ms. Richman on how she came to be inspired to write THE VELVET HOURS: http://www.signature-reads.com/2016/09/paris-dispatch-the-intersection-of-novel-writing-and-research/

I loved this book so much that I ran right out and got another by Ms. Richman. Her writing flows beautifully and is wonderfully evocative of another time and place.

Highly recommended!