★ 09/18/2023

Cameron (Bluebird) entwines the world of fine art and forgeries with a Dutch Resistance mission to smuggle Jewish children out of the Netherlands in this tightly plotted, suspenseful novel, set in 1943 Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Following her mother’s death, 18-year-old Isa DeSmit, who was brought up in the pre-war bohemian art society by painter parents, must manage the house (once also their gallery), while navigating her father’s erratic, absent-minded behavior. Lacking money for taxes and coal, Isa sells her father’s forgery of a Rembrandt to high-ranking Nazis, unwittingly beginning a dangerous entanglement with Nazi soldier Michel, who claims to be planning desertion. Allowing Resistance workers Truus, her childhood friend, and rigid Willem, Truss’s boyfriend, access to her home as they rescue Jewish babies entangles Isa, together with Michel, in their cause, which plunges her deeper into selling—and eventually creating—more forgeries. Painterly prose (“the deep deep cobalt of regret”) filled with rich intrigue depicts constantly shifting issues of trust in this complex, absorbing tale, based on historical figures, as detailed in the author’s note. All characters cue as white. Ages 12–up. (Nov.)

Praise for Artifice:

"War, resistance, and art are Cameron's canvas; her palette is a balance of trust and perfidy, beauty and defiance, new life and old. Artifice is a vibrantly-hued and many-layered story, exploring our very human inability to spot a fake when we long to believe that the object of all our desire is the real thing." — Elizabeth Wein, New York Times bestselling author of Code Name Verity

* "Painterly prose...filled with rich intrigue depicts constantly shifting issues of trust in this complex, absorbing tale." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

Praise for Bluebird:

* "Clearly meticulously researched but deeply engaging and immersive, the narrative seamlessly blends fictional characters and events with real people and places. An excellent follow-up to Cameron's The Light in Hidden Places, great for the author's fans and those who ­enjoy books by Monica Hesse, Michelle Barker, and Markus Zusak." — School Library Journal, starred review

* "The depth of Cameron's research on this historical era results in a completely immersive novel." — BookPage, starred review

"An important, well-executed work of historical fiction." — Kirkus Reviews

"Equal parts enthralling and frightening...This sweeping tale is perfect for fans of Ruta Sepetys." — B&N Reads

"A brilliant work inspired by a true story, Bluebird is as intensely thrilling as it is deeply reflective." — YAHOO! News

"A page-turner until the end." — Jewish Book Council

Praise for The Light in Hidden Places:

A Reese's Book Club YA Pick

"Beautifully written and meticulously researched. Sharon Cameron captures the extraordinary story of one of history's hidden heroes. Every devastating moment is both gripping and powerful." — Ruta Sepetys, New York Times bestselling author of Salt to the Sea

"Harrowing, heartbreaking, and yet so full of hope." — Jennifer Donnelly, New York Times bestselling author of Stepsister

"Haunting and lyrical. An incredible true story of bravery, survival, and defiance." — Alan Gratz, New York Times bestselling author of Refugee

"Sharon Cameron's exciting novel weaves together the lightheartedness, sheer terror, and incredible inner strength of this young woman, my mom. This book exceeds all my expectations." — Ed Burzminski, son of Stefania Podgórska

* "Authentic writing and well-researched history combined with the gripping and terrifying subject matter make this a must-read for historical fiction fans. Cameron's remarkable, heartbreaking true story of one woman's bravery and selflessness in World War II Poland will intrigue both teens and adult readers." — School Library Journal, starred review

* "Cameron's wide-ranging research and deft storytelling abilities combine to create an astoundingly authentic first-person narration. Her exquisite prose conveys in riveting detail exactly what it was like for Stefania to live through the horrors she witnessed." — BookPage, starred review

"A true story of faith, love, and heroism. [Cameron] deftly details Stefania's brave actions and includes moving family photographs in the author's note... Readers will be pulled in by the compelling opening and stay for the emotional journey. An inspirational read." — Kirkus Reviews

"Empowered by thorough research — an author's note details events after the war — Cameron successfully conveys horror and bravery in this powerful and captivating novel. A memorable read." — Booklist

"Cameron's novel is heartbreakingly real in its attention to detail and its ability to pack emotional punches." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"This story of extraordinary survival is bolstered by an author's note, accompanied by photos." — Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Knowing:

* "Both a politically charged adventure and culture study, this thought-provoking dystopia stands firmly on its own." — Booklist, starred review

"Diverse, well-drawn characters abound, but in the riveting power struggles that ensue, women are dominant players, ruthless ideologues willing to sacrifice all that interferes with the goal. The intricately woven narrative threads come together in a suspenseful denouement sure to leave readers hoping for another installment." — Kirkus Reviews

"Wildly inventive yet somehow believable. . . For all of its fantastical elements . . . this companion novel is ultimately a story about two teenagers, Samara and Beckett, finding their places in the world, managing familial and societal expectations, and falling in love. Cameron is a writer of prime caliber." — School Library Journal

Praise for The Forgetting:

A #1 New York Times bestseller

An Indiebound Indie Next List selection

* "Effective worldbuilding and strong characterization . . . A well-crafted fable for our time." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "This fantasy is a marvelous achievement." — School Library Journal, starred review

"[An] absorbing adventure." — Publishers Weekly

"The Forgetting is Sharon Cameron's fourth young adult novel, and she's grown adept at blurring the lines between fantasy, dystopian and science-fiction genres. Cameron reminds us, through Nadia's documented memories, that we must learn to appreciate the truth as much as question it, exploring the morality tucked within the fallacy of memory." — Bookpage, Top Pick

Praise for Rook:

A YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection

An Indiebound Indie Next Top Ten selection

Winner of the Parents' Choice Gold Award

"The suspense kicks right off in this action-packed tale, quickly wrapping readers up in the drama." — Romantic Times

"Full of derring-do and double crosses, this romantic adventure is thoroughly engrossing." — Kirkus Reviews

"Cameron crafts a brilliant homage to The Scarlet Pimpernel yet also manages to make her telling unique, particularly in... the many twists, turns, betrayals, and lucky breaks [that] will keep readers breathless until the very end." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Rook is sure to be a read all readers will remember." — Portland Book Review

Praise for The Dark Unwinding:

A YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection

Winner of the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award

"Utterly original, romantic, and spellbindingly imaginative." — USA Today

"Haunting thrills unfurl." — Entertainment Weekly

"Gripping twists, rich language, and an evocative landscape." — Publishers Weekly

"[A] singularly polished piece." — The Horn Book

"A strikingly original, twisty gothic tale that holds surprises around every dark corner." — Judy Blundell, author of What I Saw and How I Lied

Praise for A Spark Unseen:

"Gripping... [an] absorbing, intelligent adventure." — Kirkus Reviews

Saskia Maarleveld's precise narration captures Nazi-controlled Amsterdam in 1943. There, this audiobook's heroine must move with caution and pretend confidence when she's rescuing Jewish babies and selling art forgeries to the Germans. Maarleveld's pacing is exact whether she is imbuing a suspenseful scene with tense emotions, increasing speed when rapid action demands it, or slowing down for descriptions of art. She builds the relationship between Isa and art lover Michael with care. Maarleveld depicts Isa's complex character--sometimes shrewd, other times empathetic, and always awed by art. She gives the many minor characters their full due, as well. Sharon Cameron delivers her author's note, which is filled with her passion for turning history into story. S.W. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

2023-08-26
Art, lies, and Nazis.

In 1943, Isa de Smit survives the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam by keeping her head down. She hates the Nazis, who have taken some of her beloved friends, like Jewish artists Moshe and Hilde, and even executed her gay artist friend, Arondeus, for resisting. She knows that Truus, her former best friend, is in the Resistance, but 18-year-old Isa’s job is protecting both the Gallery De Smit, including the hidden Vermeer, and looking after her widower father, an impractical painter. When she rebels by selling a fake Rembrandt to the Nazis for tax money, she’s drawn into action via an uneasy alliance with a young art-loving Nazi soldier named Michel Lange who’s craving escape, smuggling Jewish babies away before they’re sent to their deaths, and interacting with collaborators and Nazis to sell forged art. Part historical thriller, part portrait of a life played out against a turbulent backdrop, this engrossing read inserts fictional Isa into the true stories of two fascinating historical figures, all of which is detailed in the lengthy author’s note. The writing leans heavily on artistic descriptions, with painterly descriptions of both physical and emotional landscapes. Inattentive readers might sometimes get lost in the complex plotting, but this is a genuinely immersive, teen-centric answer to the historical thrillers that fill adult shelves and will satisfy plenty of readers.

Gripping. (Historical thriller. 12-18)