Stella is back, but this is not the Stella Bled Lawrence we met on her honeymoon: clever, fun-loving, a little naïve. Nor is this the extraordinary young woman we followed through seeing Abel in the boxcar, the Sorkines in the canal, Rosa on the train station floor, little Anna starving in her crib, and Marion screaming herself hoarse in terror. This Stella is still extraordinary, but there is a lot of war left and it is slowly, painfully, inexorably taking its toll on her. Her actions are still strong, brave and fearless because they have to be, but she feels the fear every moment of every day. This Stella seems desperate, overwhelmed and frightened right from the start. She’s survived the frostbite on her feet from flying the plane, the infections from the water in Venice, the deaths, more and more deaths, Peiper’s unstable, unbridled rage and hatred and much more, but how much more can she take? Now she is always near death, never out of danger. And she is still so, so young.

When A Quiet Little Place on Rue de Lille opens Stella is still in Paris, posing as Micheline Dubois, an antiques expert and art buyer for a New York firm. But it’s hardly playing a role anymore; she has had to become Marceline morning, noon and night. She can barely remember the young bride she was, the joy she felt embarking on her honeymoon. Instead, everything in her life has become subterfuge, pretending, plotting, planning, playing at both sides to defend the side she is loyal to. It feels like she will never be just Stella again. It also feels like Paris will never be Paris again. Lively, warm, exciting Paris is lively and warm no more, and the excitement is only of the negative kind. Paris has been overrun, overtaken but the government says this is only temporary until the armistice is signed. Stella knows better. She’s seen what has happened firsthand as The Reich has rolled along.

Author A. W. Hartoin paints a vivid, heartbreaking picture of people, places and emotions. She instills a sense of dread and suspense that are full-on from first page to last. Until now, Stella has stayed one step ahead of the Nazis’ relentless push across Europe, but now she is feeling discouraged and exhausted. Peiper was the most frightening man she ever met, and he’s back, back in her face. Will he recognize her? Hitler is the most evil man she has ever seen. If she has the chance to eliminate him but at the cost of losing her own life, will she take it?

In addition to a do-not-stop-reading, do-not-put-down page turner, Hartoin once again fills this book with horrifyingly accurate real-life history and an amazing knowledge of art and artists, including a look at how organized, efficient and ruthless the Nazis were in stealing all the art they could in Europe, making sense of the desperation to smuggle books, paintings, and any works of art out, or a truly heart-stopping song about sharpening the long knives to go better into the Jewish belly sung by Hitler Youth for girls between the ages of 10 and 14. Nazi rules and Hitler’s orders were often followed without thought or question.

A Quiet Little Place on Rue de Lille is haunting, tragic, inspiring, riveting, moving from one horror to another so fast you can barely catch your breath. We glimpse bits of Stella’s humor, but not the joyous bursts from before but something now understated, wry, ironic. Makes us wants to see the old Stella, that real Stella that might have been if not for this war, but will that ever be? She has lost so many people and doesn’t know where Nicky is or if he is even alive. So that young, elite American couple, Mr. & Mrs. Nicky Lawrence, is probably no more. Her sense of duty surpasses everything so what will their future hold?

As always the writing and plot structure are superb. There is so much going on, so many characters and events and unknowns but author A. W. Hartoin once again expertly weaves them together flawlessly, bringing in events from the past and adding hints and surprises for the future. This book is complicated and complex but never confusing; everything and everyone has a purpose. I continue to be impressed with how well Hartoin manages the people and the plot and the details and historical accuracy to present a smooth, compelling, satisfying read. Stella’s thoughts in italics is an addition I especially enjoyed. When her German contact looks at a print and says, “What am I missing?” Stella thinks: A soul. A heart. And when she thinks to herself, “If this isn’t hell, I can see it from here.” that is sobering insight into her state of mind.

Thanks to the author for providing an advance copy of A Quiet Little Place on Rue de Lille for my reading pleasure and a fair and honest review. While the subject matter may not be joyful this series is definitely a joy to read. There were a couple of plot twists and hints I didn’t see coming, which make me even more anxious for the next book in the series. I recommend this book and the rest of the series (and all the other books A. W. Hartoin writes – think Mercy!) without hesitation. All opinions are my own. ( )