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France, April 1940. Orphan Polly Hartford has been sent across oceans to her Aunt Marjorie, known only from letters. When Marjorie dies in suspicious circumstances, Polly is left with her aunt’s loaded pistol in a beautiful Hermès handbag ... and to the care of Marjorie’s three closest friends: an elegant Comtesse, a gutter-born film star and a big-hearted American heiress.
Polly is taken to live at the Hôtel Ritz, where guests and staff believe wealth and prestige protect them from war. But when the Nazis invade, the illusion is shattered. As Paris deteriorates, Polly and her guardians face the horrors of the Occupation with daring, humour, style – even romance – and despite their dangerous secrets, they discover just what they are capable of.
As the Liberation approaches, those who survive at the Ritz must face a day of reckoning, but one truth stands tall: at the heart of the Ritz is the soul of resistance.
France, April 1940. Orphan Polly Hartford has been sent across oceans to her Aunt Marjorie, known only from letters. When Marjorie dies in suspicious circumstances, Polly is left with her aunt’s loaded pistol in a beautiful Hermès handbag ... and to the care of Marjorie’s three closest friends: an elegant Comtesse, a gutter-born film star and a big-hearted American heiress.
Polly is taken to live at the Hôtel Ritz, where guests and staff believe wealth and prestige protect them from war. But when the Nazis invade, the illusion is shattered. As Paris deteriorates, Polly and her guardians face the horrors of the Occupation with daring, humour, style – even romance – and despite their dangerous secrets, they discover just what they are capable of.
As the Liberation approaches, those who survive at the Ritz must face a day of reckoning, but one truth stands tall: at the heart of the Ritz is the soul of resistance.
Four women join forces to survive the invasion of Paris with conviction, courage – and style.
Luke Devenish is a scriptwriter, novelist, playwright and lecturer.
Head Writer with Neighbours from 2001 to 2007, he worked in key
creative roles including Script Producer, Story Editor and
Supervising Script Editor. He oversaw well over 1,500 episode
scripts for the iconic Aussie soap. Previously, Luke was Script
Executive on Something in the Air and, with ABC TV Drama, worked in
the writing and development of SeaChange, RAW FM and others.
Before working in the television industry, Luke was a playwright,
with productions of his work staged by Playbox, the Adelaide
Festival, the Sydney Festival and NIDA. A graduate of Curtin
University's Creative Writing stream, Luke studied fiction under
Elizabeth Jolley and Tim Winton. He regularly teaches story editing
and screenwriting for the Australian Film Television and Radio
School. Jennifer Vuletic is an Australian actress, singer and NIDA
graduate from the class of 1984. She has enjoyed a varied career
travelling all over Australia and the world, and has toured
internationally with the hit show Mamma Mia!, playing the role of
Tanya. She also performed in Menopause The Musical, The Women of
Troy and Jerry Springer: The Opera. She has recorded audiobooks for
over 24 years and has won numerous awards for her narrations,
including the Trish Trinick Award for Arundhati Roy's The God of
Small Things.
'Luke Devenish is a master of the dramatic cliffhanger.’
*Daily Telegraph*
This wartime story set in Paris starts in 1940 and ends after the
city's liberation. Listeners will enjoy hearing narrator Jennifer
Vuletic portray the denizens of the swanky Ritz Hotel during those
dark days. The plot revolves around a 16-year-old Australian girl
who becomes the ward of three quirky, stylish, and good-hearted
women, all living in the glamorous hotel. Vuletic excels at making
the odd assortment of wealthy women seem real. One hears the
elegant French countess, with her refined diction; the
less-than-genteel film star, who has a raspy timbre like that of
someone on drugs; and the American heiress, whose loud and brassy
voice features an exaggerated but authentic American accent. Other
characters are distinctive as well. This warm account places
listeners in a world of fashion, danger, and intrigue. D.L.G. ©
AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2019]
*Luke Devenish*
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