Description

From the bestselling author of The Paris Wife comes an irresistible story of love, courage and resistance on the streets of Paris – and in the secret network of tunnels that lies beneath

* A Good Morning America Book Club pick for January 2026! *

‘A real treat’ The Times

1664: Alouette Voland is the daughter of a master dyer at Paris’ famed Gobelins Tapestry Works. With a gift for her craft and a drive to prove she is as good as the male dyers controlling the industry, Alouette dreams of creating her own masterpiece. But her boldness will put everyone she loves at risk.

1939: Kristof Larson is starting his medical residency in the same Parisian neighbourhood once dominated by the tapestry works. The shadows of his past have left him determined to improve conditions for the patients of the infamous Salpetriere asylum. But as war breaks out across Europe and Nazi forces descend on Paris, he could lose his career – and his life.

Alouette and Kristof are both ambitious, idealistic and brave. But faced with authorities who will do anything to silence them, the secret web of tunnels lying beneath the shimmering streets of Paris might be their only hope of survival.

Skylark is a spellbinding story about defiance and love that beautifully uncovers the hidden history of the City of Light.

Publisher Review

‘Paula McLain returns to Paris, the setting of her most celebrated novel, to intertwine two eras of upheaval with masterful precision. Seductive, subversive, and impossible to put down.’ Christina Baker Kline, author of Orphan Train ‘An enthralling plunge into deep layers of Paris history, both beautifully written and breathtakingly suspenseful. I could not put it down.’ Helen Simonson, author of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand ‘Above all, Skylark is the gift of a brilliant storyteller… If she were not a superb novelist, McLain most surely would be a painter – what brilliant colours, images, and textures.’ Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun ‘A resounding elegy of love, courage, and defiance… Mysterious and haunting and timeless. I loved it.’ Ariel Lawhon, author of The Frozen River ‘A magnificent book with prose that is lush, seductive, and velvet-rich. This big, bold, deep, satisfying literary adventure is a stunning tour-de-force.’ Adrienne Brodeur, author of Little Monsters ‘Intimate and sweeping… I’m convinced no one in the world can write like Paula McLain. Vital and prescient, she is absolutely one of the finest writers of our age.’ Amy Jo Burns, author of Mercury ‘Paula McLain is a story alchemist… This is the kind of historical fiction I live for-stories where the past acts as a mirror for the modern milieu.’ Sarah McCoy, New York Times-bestselling author of Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely? ‘With fine-tuned historical detail, McLain’s latest is a compelling tale of human will, resilience, and connection.’ Booklist