Book Review: ‘The French Gift: A Novel’ By Kirsty Manning

I love Historical Fiction novels and author Kirsty Manning has written one of the best ones of the year in The French Gift: A Novel Of WW II Paris. It’s a compelling story spanning over 80 years, with a twist you never see coming. Just when I thought I had read enough of these French WW II novels, Kirsty has upped the stakes with this novel.

In 1939 Margot Bisset is a maid for a rich French family. The big yearly party is going on and she’s being used as part of a fake murder game. But the intended victim is actually murdered and Margot is found guilty of the crime, even though she’s innocent. As the war commences in France, Joséphine Murant (who would go on to be a famous writer and recluse), from a well to do family, is captured and found guilty of working for the Resistance. Both women are sent to Fresne prison and become cellmates and friends. They’re then taken to a work camp and are still together. Today in Paris Evie Black and her son are traveling to the home owned by the late Joséphine Murant and now belongs to Evie and her son Hugo (after the sudden death of her husband). A museum wants to do a collection on her and they start researching and going through all of her stuff. There are rumors of an unfinished first novel that was rejected years ago. The story flashes back between the Margot and Josephine’s times in the prison and camps and the search today for all that can be found about her and that time. Bombshells are found and the reader is left with a shocking twist (as I stated before) and for Evie maybe even a new love.

You can pick up The French Gift in stores on Tuesday, November 9th from William Morrow Paperbacks.