See more, pay less with the Festival Pass! If you’re planning to see multiple events, you can save by purchasing a Festival Pass for $40. (Please note that the Festival Pass includes all events but does not include books.)

The 24th annual Ann Katz Festival of Books & Arts presented by Herbert Simon Family Foundation is a three-week festival featuring well-known authors, award-winning films and local visual and performing artists. For a full list of events, visit JCCindy.org/events.

From the author of the award-winning Fugitive Colors and The Unbreakables, New York Times bestseller and upcoming Sharon Stone film Woman on Fire is a gripping tale of a young, ambitious journalist embroiled in an international art scandal centered around a Nazi-looted masterpiece—forcing the ultimate showdown between passion and possession, lovers and liars, history and truth.

Rising young journalist Jules Roth is given an unusual assignment: locate a painting stolen by the Nazis more than 75 years ago. A world-renowned shoe designer wants this portrait of a beautiful, mysterious woman for deeply personal reasons, but Jules doesn’t have much time; the famous designer is dying. Meanwhile, in Europe, provocative and powerful Margaux de Laurent also searches for the painting. Heir to her art collector family’s millions, Margaux is a cunning gallerist who gets everything she wants. The only thing standing in her way is Jules.

In addition to writing books, Barr has served as an editor for The Jerusalem Post, managing editor of Today’s Chicago Woman, managing editor of Moment magazine, and as an editor/reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times. She has also been featured on Good Morning America and Today.

This is a Jewish Book Council program. Barr will be interviewed by writer Carol Weiss.

This event is virtual; Zoom link will be made available to registrants two days, two hours and 10 minutes before the program (this means registration will end 15 minutes before the program begins).

The JCC is a nonprofit organization; donations from program participants like you help us continue to provide stellar Arts & Education programming. Visit JCCindy.org/donate and select “Arts & Education” under the Campaign dropdown to make a donation.