Lauren Belfer Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Lauren Belfer is an American author best known for writing historical fiction novels. Belfer was born in Rochester before her parents moved to Buffalo where she spent most of her childhood and attended Buffalo Seminary. The Buffalo Seminary setting would be the basis for Lauren’s first novel “City of Light” that was based in Buffalo during the early years of the 20th century. After she graduated from Buffalo, she went to Swarthmore College, where she graduated with a Bachelor in Medieval studies, before proceeding to Columbia University where she got an M.F.A. Creativity and history have always been in her blood having been born to an artist mother that taught art, and a father that taught history. She learned about how to place herself in the different historical epochs through discussing history with her father when she was a child. As such, she would later go into writing to use her love and knowledge of history to show the impact of events on the global scene on individual lives.

Lauren always wanted to become a writer since she was about six years. She was so determined to make it as a writer that by the time she cleared her high school studies, she had numerous rejection letters from the editors of some of the biggest publishers and literary magazines in the US. She started out with short stories about princesses and magical animals, and got forty-two rejections under her belt before she found a publisher for her first work. The second story fared no better and notched twenty-seven rejections before it was published. She would continue with her quest for a professional writing career even while she was in college adding poetry to her repertoire of literary works. Once she had graduated from college, she worked in a variety of odd jobs such as fact checker at magazines, associate producer of documentary films, law firm paralegal. She also worked at an art gallery and at one of the photo departments at a major newspaper. Lauren credits her variety of jobs she has held over the years as the reason why she is excellent at picking some of the best professions to her characters.

Lauren Belfer was the winner of the 2016 National Jewish Book Award for “And After the Fire” her third novel. Together with her spouse Marissen Michael a noted musicologist, they have made appearances to discuss their work in several noted publications such as The New York Times and “Sunday Edition” a CBC radio program. Lauren’s fiction work has been featured in Henfield Prize Stories, Shenandoah, and Michigan Quarterly Review. Her nonfiction work has appeared in notable publication such as Christian Science Monitor, and the New York Times Book Review. Belfer has also contributed to “Elbert Hubbard: An American Original”, which was a PBS documentary on the life and work of Elbert Hubbard.

“City of Light” the first novel in the series is set in early 20th century New York City. The lead character is a woman charting her path to success in the city when her life is disrupted by a mysterious murder. The New York Times bestseller went on to make the shortlist for the Barnes & Noble Discover Award nomine. Fierce Radiance, Lauren’s second novel is a historical thriller which follows the story of the development of penicillin in Second World War New York City. The novel was on the list of 2010 five best mysteries by National Public Radio and The Washington Post. “And After The Fire” the third novel in the series is a passionate and powerful novel following the story of an American and European women, whose lives are changed by Johann Sebastian Bach’s mysterious choral masterpiece. The novel has been compared to the excellent historical novel “Possession” by A.S. Byatt. The major themes of the novel are faith, family, love, and death that are interspersed with a dark and insistent music of loss that the New York described as intensely provocative.

“City of Light” Lauren Belfer’s debut novel is a novel set in 1901 New York that is poised for glory. The city of New York and particularly the suburb of Buffalo where the novel is set are a model for industrialization, with their newly electrified streets and booming industry. Louisa Barrett has a home in Buffalo, and represents the upward mobility of the newly liberated women, in a world dominated by men. As the headmaster of one of the most prestigious schools in the city, she has the backing of the most powerful men in the city. She is rudely awakened from her reverie when she uncovers evidence that links the Niagara Falls, one of the most visible symbols of Buffalo progress to a murder. Another mysterious murder quickly follows on the heels of the first one igniting an explosive chain of mysterious happenings. A battle for control is raging between industrialists, power brokers, and politicians who want to take control of the profitable Niagara. It is now up to Louisa to protect a dark secret that implicates most of the men that have her back.

“A Fierce Residence” is another brilliant novel that follows the Pearl Harbor bombings by the Japanese during the Second World War. Claire Shipley, the photojournalist has the story of her life as she is assigned the story. Meanwhile, researchers are in a race to save thousands of injured US soldiers with the development of a new drug named penicillin. For Claire the development of the new drug is of personal importance to her, as she had lost a daughter to an infection that could have been treated with the miraculous drug. It becomes even more personal for Claire when she suddenly finds herself in love with James Stanton, a brilliant though shy head of the penicillin research team. But Clare is only a tiny spec in the battle for the cure as the mysterious death of a researcher brings a dark secret to the fore. It is clear that someone desperately wants control of the research and the drug that promises to be highly profitable. With a new love and thousands of lives in the balance, Clare will do everything in her power to find the killer.