Charles Belfoure – författare

1942, Paris. Architect Lucien Bernard accepts a commission that will bring him huge wealth - and maybe a death sentence. He has to design a secret hiding place for a wealthy Jewish man, a space so invisible that even the most determined of Nazi soldiers won't discover it. When one of Lucien's designs fails horribly, the problem of hiding a Jew becomes personal, and he can no longer deny the enormity of his project. What does he owe his fellow man, and how far will he go to make things right?

To understand the evolution of bank design, it is also necessary to grasp the fundamentals of America's banking and financial history, which go hand-in-hand with the creation of bank architecture. While the worldwide evolution of architectural styles played a major factor in the way banks look, developments in the financial history of the nation--depressions, panics, government monetary and banking policy--also played a critical role.With more than 200 photographs and illustrations, this work studies the evolution of American bank architecture from 1781 (when America's first bank was founded) to new banks of the present day. It explores how and why the classically inspired structures built in late 18th century America, embodying strength and trust, evolved into the essentially anonymous bank buildings of today.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Architect!Charles Belfoure's next novel is a puzzling historical thriller about a man who must dig through the rubble of his past to construct a future worth living, grounded by Belfoure's experiences as a professional architect.Someone has to take the blame when the Britannia Theatre's balcony collapses. Over a dozen people are killed, and the fingers all point at the architect. The man should have known better, should have made it safer, should have done something.Douglas Layton knows the flaw wasn't in his design, but he can't fight a guilty verdict. When the architect is finally released from prison, he has no job, no family, nowhere to go. He needs to assume a new identity and rebuild his life.But the disgraced man soon finds himself digging up the past in a way he never anticipated. If the collapse wasn't an accident ... who caused it? And why? And what if they find out who he used to be?A chilling novel of architecture, intrigue, and identity, this historical thriller uncovers one man's quest to clear his name and correct the mistake that ruined his life."A twisted mystery…Belfoure gets better and better"—Karen Bakshoian, Letterpress Books (Portland, ME)Also by Charles Belfoure:The Paris ArchitectHouse of Thieves