The Art Spy: The Extraordinary Untold Tale of WWII Resistance Hero Rose Valland

Dear friends, family and colleagues,

I'm very excited to reveal the cover of my new book The Art Spy: The Extraordinary Untold Tale of WWII Resistance Hero Rose Valland from HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins! The book will be released on May 13, 2025 and is available for pre-order.

I first came across Rose Valland, a WWII Resistance hero who helped take down Hermann Göring's art looting ring, four years ago almost to this day, Whenever she appeared in the book, Göring's Man in Paris, she popped off the page. At the time, I was pregnant with my second daughter, whose middle name would be Rose in Valland's honor, and I said casually to my friend, the journalist Prune Perromat, "I'd like to write a book about Rose one day." Prune responded, "You should!" With that, the seed for the book was sown.

I believed from the start that Rose Valland's story was even more extraordinary than she portrayed in her own memoir, and that hunch turned out to be correct. As Fiona Davis, the New York Times bestselling author of The Stolen Queen said to me today after reading my manuscript, "This reads like a movie!" which is truly the greatest compliment.

For the last four years, I have been completely dedicated to this book. I pulled at threads, I followed hunches, and relentlessly tracked down new material and sources to be able to tell Rose's wartime story. I took a hiatus from Untapped New York, the company I founded, which lives on in very capable hands who have taken it to a greater success than I ever could have imagined, which enabled me to be completely immersed in World War II France.

Telling the real, untold story of my heroine took me often to France, where I was welcomed by many experts in art restitution and on Rose Valland, by her family, and by the Association La Mémoire de Rose Valland. But the research on Rose extended far beyond France—to England, to Germany to Washington D.C., New York City, and even to Latvia. A special highlight was speaking about Rose Valland and her partner, Joyce Heer, at the US Embassy in Paris last year.

If you're interested in WWII, heroes and heroines, art and looted art, Paris between the wars and during the war, modern artists like Picasso and Matisse, they are all in The Art Spy, along with villains I could not have dreamed up, like a glass-eyed Nazi who wore a coat with a wolf hair collar.

When you write narrative non-fiction, you hope for one or two never-before-told stories to add to the canon, but with Rose, there were just so many incredible finds that made my jaw drop which highlighted her bravery and persistence spying under the noses of the most ruthless of Nazi operators.

It was an honor to live in Rose’s world for the last four years. It gave me hope that no matter what atrocities take place, there are always those who are willing to fight for what is right, no matter the cost.

I hope you will consider pre-ordering the book and coming to one of my book tour events around the country. I'll be in 8 cities and counting for the initial tour! Pre-ordering is one of the best ways to support writers and bookstores, as the sales count in the first week a book is out and help a store predict inventory needs. See below for more info and do reach out to me for speaking engagements and updates on your life!

From,

Michelle

The GG Archives is thrilled to announce our pre-order of The Art Spy by Michelle Young, a captivating and valuable addition to any World War II collection. This remarkable book delves into the untold stories of wartime art espionage, blending intrigue, history, and heroism. We wholeheartedly recommend adding this compelling title to your library—it’s a must-read for history enthusiasts and collectors alike!