A Fierce Radiance: A Novel

“An engrossing and ambitious novel that vividly portrays a critical time in American history.” — Booklist (starred review)

“Enthralling. A Fierce Radiance shines with fascinating detail.... Belfer’s powerful portrayal of how people are changed in pursuit of a miracle makes this book an especially compelling read.” — Nancy Horan, author of Loving Frank

Set during the uncertain early days of World War II, this suspenseful story from the New York Times bestselling author of City of Light follows the work of photojournalist Claire Shipley as she captures America’s race to develop life-saving antibiotics—an assignment that will involve blackmail, espionage, and murder.

From the New York Times bestselling author of City of Light comes a compelling, richly detailed tale of passion and intrigue set in New York City during the tumultuous early days of World War II.

Claire Shipley is a single mother haunted by the death of her young daughter and by her divorce years ago. She is also an ambitious photojournalist, and in the anxious days after Pearl Harbor, the talented Life magazine reporter finds herself on top of one of the nation's most important stories. In the bustling labs of New York City's renowned Rockefeller Institute, some of the country's brightest doctors and researchers are racing to find a cure that will save the lives of thousands of wounded American soldiers and countless others—a miraculous new drug they call penicillin. Little does Claire suspect how much the story will change her own life when the work leads to an intriguing romance.

Though Claire has always managed to keep herself separate from the subjects she covers, this story touches her deeply, stirring memories of her daughter's sudden illness and death—a loss that might have been prevented by this new "miracle drug." And there is James Stanton, the shy and brilliant physician who coordinates the institute's top secret research for the military. Drawn to this dedicated, attractive man and his work, Claire unexpectedly finds herself falling in love. But Claire isn't the only one interested in the secret development of this medicine. Her long-estranged father, Edward Rutherford, a self-made millionaire, understands just how profitable a new drug like penicillin could be. When a researcher at the institute dies under suspicious circumstances, the stakes become starkly clear: a murder has been committed to obtain these lucrative new drugs. With lives and a new love hanging in the balance, Claire will put herself at the center of danger to find a killer—no matter what price she may have to pay.

Lauren Belfer dazzled readers with her debut novel, City of Light, a New York Times notable book of the year. In this highly anticipated follow-up, she deftly captures the uncertainty and spirit, the dreams and hopes, of a nation at war. A sweeping tale of love and betrayal, intrigue and idealism, A Fierce Radiance is an ambitious and deeply engaging novel from an author of immense talent.

“Belfer’s prose is heartbreaking, as are her twin themes of love and betrayal, both romantic and familial. . . . She also has a gift for rejuvenating spirit of place—turn-of-the-20th-century Buffalo in City of Light and wartime New York here.” - USA Today

“Belfer keeps a tight rein on the plot and never lets the pacing go slack, while at the same time creating nuanced, complex characters.” - Wichita Eagle

“This is a book to pick up and savor....A thrilling ride that kept me enthralled throughout.” - Mostly Fiction.com

“With an exquisite artist’s eye for detail that puts readers right in the middle of New York City and the World War II fronts and incorporating all the elements of a hot, sprawling, page-turning romance—not to mention espionage, murder, crime-scene deceptions, big business intrigue, and family estrangements—Belfer once again blends fiction and facts with riveting results” - Library Journal (starred review)

“A FIERCE RADIANCE is a feast of storytelling wonders, mixing corporate greed, murder, espionage, fraying family ties and irresistible descriptions of old New York. . . in a morality tale about one drug’s power to save lives—and how ordinary humans aren’t necessarily equal to that daunting task. ” - Salon.com

“Belfer’s first novel, City of Light, delineated the social and political tension of Buffalo, N.Y. at the beginning of the age of electricity. A FIERCE RADIANCE is similarly ambitious, combining medical and military history with commercial rivalry, espionage and thwarted love. Belfer clearly knows her scientific material. She also knows how to turn esoteric information into an adventure story, and how to tell that story very well.” - New York Times Book Review

“Belfer combines life-and-death scenarios, romance, murder, and wartime reality at home and abroad, while taking a stab at industrialists who profit by dubious means and salve their consciences through philanthropy. . . . An engrossing and ambitious novel that vividly portrays a critical time in American history.” - Booklist (starred review)

“Enthralling. A FIERCE RADIANCE shines with fascinating detail about a moment in American history we have mostly forgotten, when penicillin was new, miraculous, and in short supply. Belfer’s powerful portrayal of how people are changed in pursuit of a miracle makes this book an especially compelling read.” - Nancy Horan, author of Loving Frank

Lauren Belfer’s panoramic new novel is a love story wrapped around a spy story with a pivotal medical breakthrough at its center.” - O magazine

This fulsome tale of a modern marvel, and what life was like before it became ubiquitous, crackles with twists and turns. . . . It’s also a beautiful valentine to 1940s New York City and its neighborhoods, painted with great affection. A FIERCE RADIANCE’s life, humanity, and crack mystery was worth the wait. Highly recommended. - Historical Novels Review

“All these story lines are tied up to the reader’s satisfaction and in every one of them there is a common thread: there are shades of gray everywhere in judging the morality of human actions. All of Belfer’s characters must come to terms with this truth, in themselves and in others. Belfer exempts no one, and in so doing creates a believable story and recreates a forgotten time in our history.” - Shelf Awareness

“A FIERCE RADIANCE mixes fact, fiction, romance, murder, and debates about who should profit from scientific innovation to create a capacious, sometimes melodramatic but always absorbing tale. . . . These are just a few of the questions framed in Belfer’s artful composition, which captures the fragility and anxiety of life in wartime New York in crisply developed shades of black, white, and gray.” - Barnes and Noble Review

“A FIERCE RADIANCE shines with fascinating detail about a moment in American history we have mostly forgotten, when penicillin was new, miraculous, and in short supply. Belfer’s powerful portrayal of how people are changed in pursuit of a miracle makes this book an especially compelling read.” - Nancy Horan, author of Loving Frank

“Penicillin operates as the source of romance, murder, and melodrama in Belfer’s evocative WWII–era novel. . . . Belfer handily exploits Claire’s photo shoots to add historical texture to the book, and the well-researched scenes bring war-time New York City to life, capturing the anxiety-ridden period.” - Publishers Weekly