Synopsis:~

A mysterious painting breathes hope and beauty into the darkest corners of Auschwitz—and the loneliest hearts of Manhattan.

Manhattan art dealer Sera James watched her world crumble at the altar two years ago, and her heart is still fragile. Her desire for distraction reignites a passion for a mysterious portrait she first saw as a young girl—a painting of a young violinist with piercing blue eyes.

In her search for the painting, Sera crosses paths with William Hanover, the grandson of a wealthy California real estate mogul, who may be the key to uncovering the hidden masterpiece. Together, Sera and William slowly unravel the story behind the painting’s subject: Austrian violinist Adele Von Bron.

A darling of the Austrian aristocracy, talented violinist, and daughter to a high-ranking member of the Third Reich, Adele risks everything when she begins smuggling Jews out of Vienna. In a heartbeat, her life of prosperity and privilege dissolves into a world of starvation and barbed wire.

As Sera untangles the secrets behind the painting, she finds beauty in the most unlikely of places: in the grim camps of Auschwitz and in the inner recesses of her own troubled heart.

My take:~

There’s nothing quite as exciting as discovering a debut author who lives up to the accolades that swirl around prior to the novel even releasing. Kristy Cambron and her first Hidden Masterpiece novel did not disappoint and the lovely things I had heard were affirmed when I read this stunning novel about a talented and beautiful violinist who finds herself in the darkest and most evil of places ~ the  World War II concentration camp known as Auschwitz. This story is told in two parts ~ the contemporary story line reveals a modern art dealer, trying to move beyond the hurt of a shattered relationship and a man born with a silver spoon. Both Sera and William are searching for the original painting of a young violinist and begin to discover hope and healing as they pursue their quest. The historical element focuses on the young aristocratic Adele, whose heart reaches out to the tormented Jews and pays the consequences. Kristy Cambron writes the historical story with tenderness, authenticity, and beauty, despite the depravity and darkness of Auschwitz. As someone who majored in World War II history, it is with some knowledge that I can say Kristy’s research is impeccable and her translation of that research onto the page, exceptional. I was immersed in Adele’s pain and fear but taken on a transcendent journey to find beauty, hope, and love. My only criticism is that the contemporary story did not match the historical thread’s brilliance and tended to pull me out of the story. That said, I loved the premise of Sera and William’s search for the painting and enjoyed them as characters but the deeper level of connection with the characters truly came about when reading about Adele, Vladimir, and Omara. That said, Kristy’s talent for the written word is evident in her vivid imagery, genuine characterisation, and compelling prose and as such, I highly recommend this story and eagerly await the literary journey in the sequel,  A Sparrow in Terezin.

With thanks to Thomas Nelson for my review copy

Relz Reviewz Extras
Character spotlight on Adele & Sera
Visit Kristy’s website and blog
Buy at Amazon: The Butterfly and the Violin (A Hidden Masterpiece Novel) or Koorong