Author: William Ian Grubman

Publisher: Dupapier Press

ISBN: 978-1-7326100-2

With his debut novel, The Storm Over Paris William Ian Grubman, brings to life the Nazi occupation of Paris during World War ll and in particular the plundering of precious art from their Jewish owners.

Readers are transposed to Paris in 1942 where we follow the harrowing adventures of Mori Rothstein, owner of a prestigious art gallery, his wife, Ruth and their two sons, Emile and Jacob. Emile is an art student at the famous École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and is in love with a Christian, Alena.

Grubman begins his yarn with a Prologue that takes his readers back to New York City on January 22, 2000, where the narrator is about to attend the opening of the Roth Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The exhibition is a two-year, forty-painting loan to the museum's Master Collection.

We are informed that the narrator's great-great-grandfather, Meyer Rothstein, was an art dealer in Paris during La Belle Époque and his business became the family business. It was continued by the narrator's grandfather, Maurice known as Mori to his friends, and subsequently, the narrator's father took over, which eventually was passed onto himself.

The centerpiece of the exhibition is Caravaggios's The Expulsion of Hagar, which, as the narrator mentions, is a forgery.

And so begins this work of fiction, which no doubt, will have readers wondering what this is all about?

As the narrative unfolds, we learn about the Nazi plunderiing of precious art during the war and in particular about one of the most notable Nazi's who engaged in it, Reichsmarschall Herman Goering, the head of the Gestapo. Incidentally, as a passing note,  according to recent findings, Goering, who was Hitler's right-hand man and who had committed some of the most heinous crimes in history, kept a handwritten catalogue of his vast collection of stolen art masterpieces.

Goering was well-aware of Mori Rothstein's art expertise and his art gallery. He thus calls upon him to determine which of the plundered paintings are of the most exceptional quality, and which are fine, but not in the premier category.

Mori tells Goering that to carry out his task, he would need to do extensive research and also have the art work delivered to his gallery for inspection. Mori goes along with Goering knowing full-well that if he didn't abide by his command, he and his family would be slaughtered in the Nazi death camps.

Mori does not divulge to his wife Ruth what he was about to be involved in; however, he was determined to find a solution to save his family from certain death and at the same time preserve dozens of valuable paintings that were owned by his Jewish patrons.

His answer is to have his very talented son, Emile forge several paintings that were in his possession and switch the originals for the forgeries.

Emile has some experience in forging the great masters as he had chosen The Expulsion of Hagar as the subject for his morceau de réception -his entrance presentation-for École des Beaux-Arts.

What stands out in this work of historical fiction is how Grubman seamlessly interweaves real people and invented characters with the actual events of the day. It is masterfully crafted, although improbable, yet all the right elements are in place including that its intense focus. In the end, the novel almost convinces you of the authenticity of the facts or at the very least it has you believe that you wish it were true. Apparently, there is a sequel in the future. I can't wait to read it!