The Woman Who Heard Color [Paperback]

Kelly Jones (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 4, 2011

"Kelly Jones is a wonderful writer, and definitely one to watch." -Nicholas Sparks

Lauren O'Farrell is an "art detective" who made it her mission to retrieve invaluable works stolen by the Nazis during the darkest days of World War II. Her quest leads her to the Manhattan apartment of elderly Isabella Fletcher, a woman who lives in the shadow of a terrible history-years ago her mother was rumored to have collaborated with the Nazis.

But as Isabella reveals the events of her mother's life, Lauren finds herself immersed in an amazing story of courage and secrecy as she discovers the extraordinary truth about a priceless piece of art that may have survived the war and the enduring relationship between a mother and a daughter.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kelly Jones was born and raised in Idaho and attended college in the state of Washington. She lives in Boise, Idaho.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; 1 Original edition (October 4, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425243052
• ISBN-13: 978-0425243053
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83,849 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kelly Jones grew up in Twin Falls, Idaho. She attended Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in English and an art minor. She spent her junior year in Italy at the Gonzaga-in-Florence program and developed a love for travel, a passion she now shares with her husband, Jim. An art history class in Florence fueled a love for the history of art, which has become an integral part of her writing.
Her latest release, The Woman Who Heard Color (Berkley Books, October, 2011), is a historical novel set in Munich, Berlin, and New York. A story of family loyalty, banned art, and creative freedom, it spans a period of over a century.
Her previous novels include The Seventh Unicorn (Berkley Books, 2005), inspired by The Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries in the Cluny Museum in Paris, France, and The Lost Madonna (Berkley Books, 2007), set in Florence, Italy.
She is a mother and grandmother and is married to former Idaho Attorney General Jim Jones, who now serves on Idaho's Supreme Court. They live in Boise.
Visit Kelly at www.kellyjonesbooks.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars History comes to life October 8, 2011

By Laura Kay Bolin

Format:Paperback

Art Detective, Lauren O'farrell, is investigating art stolen during World War ll in hopes of restoring pieces to their rightful owners. She is looking into, Hanna Fleischmann, who was rumored to be a Nazi Collaborator. She contacts Hanna's elderly daughter, Isabella to probe about Hanna's past. She is stunned when Isabella not only invites her into her home, but also shockingly announces she has possession of a Kandinsky painting, which was believed to have been destroyed during the war. Isabella believes she must finally tell her mother's story before history writes it.

Hanna Schmid was just a young girl when she took off from her German country home. She found work in the affluent home of Moses Fleischmann, a Jewish art dealer. The story of Hanna begins in 1900. She begins with working in the Fleischmann home and later Moses realizes her love for art and she begins working in his gallery where she eventually becomes an art dealer. She lives in Germany with her family during World War l. After Hitler takes over the life Hanna knows and loves is over. In order to survive Hanna must do the unthinkable and work with the Nazis. The story of Hanna Schmid is deeper and darker than even her daughter realizes.

I normally give myself a week for a book, but I went over my week mark with The Woman Who Heard Color. I went over because I needed to put the book down a number of times and really absorb what I was reading. It was fascinating to me to read a story about what life may have been like for German's living during Hitler's reign. I was completely engrossed in Hanna's story. I would read for awhile about the changes Hitler was making and would have to stop and realize how blessed I am to live in the US today--no matter what are political views are we are free to have them and to express them.

I tend to read during the evenings and the last few nights I'd lay in bed for a bit and just think about the story...it felt as if I was really reading Hanna's story. This is a story filled with history, art, mystery, suspense; it is beautifully written and filled with heart palpitating moments. I was captivated by The Woman Who Heard Color. I highly highly recommend it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A worthy historical novel November 9, 2011

By historybuff

Format:Paperback

This is a great read. Although I generally prefer non-fiction, I found this novel to be thought-provoking and historically accurate. It tells the story of a young German woman, Hanna, who gets caught up in the modern art movement in Munich leading up to World War II. The author deftly weaves the story together, partly from Hanna's point of view and partly from the memories of her eldely daughter many years later. We experience four decades of German history leading up to the War, become involved in the lively art scene in Munich with the likes of Vasily Kandinsky and Franz Marc, and dispair when Hitler declares their art to be "degenerate" and has it purged from German museums. The author does a very nice job of developing her characters--people we can care about. She gives a first-hand account of the terror of living under the Nazi regime. The story kept my attention to the last page, with a good mix of education, suspense, mystery, and haunting questions about inhumanity and censorship.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Woman Who Heard Color is a great read!! November 12, 2011

By D. Solomon

Format:Paperback

It's another Kelly Jones book, that educates the reader in fine arts, all the while entertaining them with a beautiful and entertaining story. Illustrated thoughtfully, the systematic dehumanization of Jews in Germany by Hitler, and the human struggle that ensued. Well thought out, and historically sound. I loved it and can't wait for her next story.