Xe Sands's soft voice and subdued delivery are good matches for this melancholic novel set in the City of Light. After her marriage falls apart, Genevieve Martin escapes to Paris, the city to which she also fled as a young girl grieving the loss of her mother. As a child, Genevieve was an enthusiastic apprentice to her Uncle Dave, a locksmith, and she now has the opportunity to take over his business. She is immediately, almost overwhelmingly, embraced by her late uncle's many friends and neighbors who all knew of Dave's great affection for his American niece. Genevieve soon discovers that her mother also viewed Paris as a refuge and her visit just before Genevieve was born holds the key to many family secrets. While Blackwell's (Spellcasting in Silk) narrative slows occasionally, it is well structured and wraps up nicely. VERDICT Recommend to those who enjoy armchair traveling with popular fiction. ["A solid contemporary fiction purchase, especially for Francophiles and those who enjoy Paris settings": LJ 9/1/15 review of the NAL pb.]-Beth Farrell, Cleveland State Univ. Law Lib. © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.