Five years and multiple messy drafts, a poet’s patience is woven into a novelist’s grit. The result is a haunting, layered story that spans decades, from Nazi-occupied France to the present day, unraveling the theft of beauty in a time of brutality.
Karen Mulvahill and I met at a poetry retreat many years ago, enjoyed each other’s company, and stayed connected through social media where I learned she published a debut novel! I love hearing from people who switch genres, so I had to ask her more. Please enjoy this Q & A.
Inspiration: The Art They Stole, the Stories We Tell
Q: What inspired you to write The Lost Woman?
Many years ago, I read Lynn H. Nicholas’s nonfiction The Rape of Europa: The Fate of Europe’s Treasures in the Third Reich and the Second World War. I thought a fictional story about the Nazi plunder of looted art treasures from occupied countries and the consequences would make a fascinating novel.
Five years and many versions later, I finally called my book done. The story is an insight into the courage and tenacity that made survival possible, alternating between war-ravaged France and today as it details the perverse logistics of Nazi greed.
Q: I remember you as a poet. What changed?
I began writing poetry in college and continued writing poems and participating in poetry workshops over the years. But I noticed that when I had time to read, I rarely picked up a book of poems. Usually, it was a novel that grabbed my attention. And I also realized that I was just an average poet. So I decided to pursue fiction and returned to the idea I’d had years earlier.
The Process of Writing a Novel
Q: How did you research your work?
I read more than thirty books related to World War II history, from general history to the specifics of life in Occupied Paris, to the art market, women’s lives, diaries and more. There’s a partial list in my book.
Q: That’s a lot! What was your process for pulling it all together?
My process was unbelievably messy. I had no idea how to write a novel. Hence, it began as a thriller, had a different main character at one time (the psychologist), went from third person to first person, spent a little time in present tense, then back to past. Thank god for Scrivner, the writing software I use. When I read something interesting during my research and felt it had to be in the book, I wrote the scene right then, when it was fresh in my mind. Then I stored it in what Scrivner calls the binder. Later, I grouped scenes into chapters and ordered the chapters in a way to create a logical structure.
Q: I understand the time setting changes from past to present. How did you organize that?
I made a timeline of events in the war, which was critical to make sure my characters were experiencing events in the proper order. I also created a spreadsheet with the main characters’ names as column headings. Underneath I staggered brief chapter descriptions so I could see what was happening and strive for a good balance of exposure for each character, as well as logical shifting from present to past.
About the book
Q: How did you arrive at the title?
The title refers to two lost women. The first, and perhaps most obvious, is the Matisse painting of Nicole, which is still missing at the end of the book. The second refers to Nicole herself, who suppressed her past when she fled France.
Q: What are the themes in The Lost Woman?
Authenticity is one theme. Nicole is not her authentic self when the book begins, because she has cut off a large part of what has made her. Robert authenticates paintings for a living, but he has crafted a persona that is emotionless. Alexi begins the book as a Russian patriot but ends up fighting for the Germans and then the Americans, adopting the identity that will keep him alive. Amy is the most authentic character—perhaps because she is a psychologist.
The meaning and value of art is also explored in the book. The commodification of art during the war when a painting could buy a life, betrayed its spiritual purpose, as described by Amy. Robert’s authentication business was also a way of putting a price tag on art and enabling its purchase as an investment or a way of displaying someone’s importance.
The primary theme is the importance of courage and resistance in an authoritarian era, when fear keeps many silent. Nicole and her friend Jeanne both take tremendous risks to work for the Resistance.
Q: Was it difficult to find a publisher?
An enormous amount of persistence is necessary. I read many accounts of writers who submitted to numerous agents and suffered through rejection after rejection, only to finally be published—in many cases, to great acclaim. So, I set myself a goal of querying 100 agents. After about 50 (most of whom do not even respond), I became discouraged and took a couple years off to work on a new book. I resurrected The Last Woman with plans to self-publish, but felt I owed it to myself to complete my goal first. It was probably about the 98th query that resulted in an encouraging note suggesting I submit to indie publishers. Within days of sending out a few queries, the publisher of Envelope Books wrote me that he was interested in publishing it.
The Lost Woman:
When the Nazis arrest Nicole Cassin’s parents and seize their art gallery in Paris in 1941, Nicole vows revenge and joins the Resistance. Years later, living in New York, she is haunted by her losses and hires an art historian to find her family’s stolen paintings, among which is a portrait of her mother by Matisse. The whereabouts of the stolen art prove elusive but the search for them leads to another more unexpected discovery. A moving story of courage, determination and defiance.
Rousing applause for Mulvahill’s meticulously researched debut novel, The Lost Woman... Relatable and believable characters with intertwined destinies stepping on stage, whisking you away on sharp, swerving journeys, some into the past, some into the future. You will root for them, weep with them, and ultimately celebrate their steely determination. ~ Gaurav Bhalla
Ever since her big sister taught her to read at four years old, Karen Mulvahill has devoured books the way other people devour chocolate (a talent she also possesses). She has a BPh and an MFA in Creative Writing. Her poetry, non-fiction and short fiction have appeared in a variety of publications. The Lost Woman is her first novel. She lives with her partner and two large orange tabbies in northern Michigan where she enjoys a variety of outdoor sports. Her website is: www.karenmulvahill.com
Thank you for visiting.
Linda K. Sienkiewicz is a writer, poet, and artist
Books: In the Context of Love | Gordy and the Ghost Crab | Sleepwalker
New novel, Love and Other Incurable Ailments, coming fall 2026 from Regal House Publishing
Connect with Linda on social media: LinkTree
