Description

An acclaimed national bestseller praised by Ann Patchett, bestselling author of Tom Lake, Alice Austen’s masterful debut novel explores how our past and present are intricately bound together, illustrating that trust, courage, and art are vital keys to survival.

Set in Belgium during World War II within the elegant apartments of a Beaux Arts building, 33 Place Brugmann is a compelling blend of mystery, romance, and philosophical exploration, intimately weaving together the voices of the building’s distinct inhabitants.

As Nazi occupation looms over Brussels, life at 33 Place Brugmann changes irrevocably. Charlotte Sauvin, a gifted art student who shares apartment 4L with her cherished architect father, knows the residents and rhythms of the building by heart—from how sunlight illuminates the wooden floors to the echo of footsteps on the marble staircase. She knows, too, the familiar knock of her close companion, Julian Raphaël, whose family, prominent art dealers, lives across the hall. Suddenly, the Raphaëls vanish, leaving behind their invaluable art collection that mysteriously disappears.

With the grim reality of Nazi rule taking hold, once-familiar relationships fracture and lives become deeply entangled. Charlotte’s brave and elegant godmother, Masha, a seamstress who lives on the floor above, finds herself drawn deeper into a perilous liaison with Colonel Warlemont’s associate in 3L—a man whose true intentions are far darker than suspected. When a German officer with an interest in the missing Raphael family moves into the building, identifying allies becomes an urgent question of survival.

Under immense pressure, the residents of 33 Place Brugmann will each be forced to confront hidden truths about who they really are. Faced with impossible choices—to submit silently to oppression or risk everything to rescue one another—they discover the profound depths of their own loyalties, loves, and identities.

Captivating, lyrical, and powerfully engaging, 33 Place Brugmann celebrates the enduring redemptive force of love, the bravery inspired by crisis, and the essential value of art amid the darkest circumstances.