Paris, February 1927

The banker Marcel Pericour dies seven years after the tragic suicide of his son, Edouard. His daughter, Madeline, takes over the reins of the economic empire her father created, in a time when women don't even have the right to sign checks. But fate has other plans. An unexpected and tragic gesture will forever change the lives of Madeline and her seven-year-old son, Paul.

With her ex-husband in prison due to a huge moral and financial scandal, Madeline will be faced with the wickedness and greed of people, the harshness of her time, and the corruption of her close surroundings. How much strength will she need to cope with the unforgiving world that surrounds her?

In the face of all the insurmountable difficulties, Madeline will have to unfold reserves of cleverness and resourcefulness in order to survive and rebuild her life. A doubly difficult endeavor in a France that weakly observes the colors of the fire that will ignite in a few years with the rise of fascism and will destroy all of Europe.

"The Colors of the Fire" is the second volume of a trilogy that began with "Goodbye Up There" (Goncourt Prize 2013) - which can be read independently. The reader will once again enjoy the amazing talent and craftsmanship of Pierre Lemaitre in recreating the mural of the interwar period.