Secrets and Showgirls by Catherine McCullagh is a historical fiction story set in Paris before and during the 1940 German Occupation. It is a wonderful story of hardship, strength, resilience and friendships.
Le Prix d’Amour is a successful Parisian Cabaret managed by Monsieur Maurice, a shrewd business operator.
Lily Lestrange aspires to be a dancer in a Parisian Cabaret. Her audition is successful and she joins the troupe at Le Prix d’Amour. She devotes herself to learning her routines and getting to know her colleagues — many are her fellow tenants in Madame Gloria’s boarding house.
But, the declaration of war brings an end to the normality of life in Paris.
Business continues to be good for the Cabaret. The patrons are now French soldiers eager for a night of fun before heading off to war.
With the approach of the German army, Maurice suggests to his troupe members, that they should leave Paris for their own safety. With no money, no family and nowhere to go they all decide to stay.
The German Governor decides it is important for their men to have somewhere to relax to forget the war and issues a permit to allow the Cabaret to reopen…but only for German Officers. The troupe realises they need to hide their patriotism and that adaptation is the only means of survival.
Monsieur Maurice manages to keep Le prix d’Amour operating while dealing with the German patrons, the Gestapo and the French Police. Many of his artists, singers, dancers and crew have secrets. It is dangerous times because there is an informer among them.
The story is told through Lily and Maurice’s experiences. There are many wonderful, diverse and colourful characters whose past and present intertwine.
Catherine McCullagh cleverly takes a historical event, and uses likable and relatable characters, each with a secret, to show the effects of war on everyday life in Paris.
The danger, mystery and suspense keep you engaged in this captivating book. Will the troupe of Le Prix d’Amour survive the German Occupation?
If you are a fan of historical fiction Catherine McCullagh has written other books that are equally as exciting and well worth reading.
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club members are reading Secrets and Showgirls by Catherine McCullagh. You can read their comments below, or leave your own review.
I love to read, any book on any topic. I now love ebooks as they are easier to store, I was running out of bookshelves! My other interests are family, gardening and our beautiful King Charles spaniel dog who is my reading companion.
Thank you Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read Secrets and Showgirls by Catherine McCullagh.
Catherine never disappoints!!
I absolutely loved this story set in war time Paris 1940.
It follows the Parisian cabaret Le Prix, full of colourful characters and secret lives.
Entertaining the enemy is dangerous but it’s a must to survive.
Highly recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thankyou Beauty and Lace and Big Sky Publishing and of course the author Catherine McCullagh to review such an interesting read in ‘Secrets and Showgirls’.
Tall, slim Lily answers an advertisement for a dancer at Le Prix d’amour Cabaret in Paris. Confronted by glitzy billboards she meets elegant Madame Claudette and secures work.
After the summer of 1938 Le Prix becomes a popular place for the Germans to relax and enjoy the company of the performers.
After the German occupation in 1940, not only rationing becomes a problem but the threat of infiltration of informers is of concern.
Claudette’s husband Maurice is ever conscious that there could be a spy in their midst.
This was funny and interestiong and I really enjoyed the characters.
Coco the sensual burlesque dancer, Crecy who thinks of himself as more woman than man. Not to forget Madam Gloria who runs the boarding house, to name just a few.
Secrets and Showgirls by Australian author Catherine McCullagh is a gripping theatrical story in the historical fiction, interpersonal drama, and cultural subgenres.
Paris 1938, Le Prix d’Amour cabaret, is one of the most popular nightspots in town managed by Monsieur Maurice. The building is majestic with its red velvet curtains, crystal chandeliers and gold interior fixtures. It oozes charisma, glamour, and seduction with an array of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, and flamboyant showgirls very few could resist.
June 1940 sees Paris being governed by the German military and everyone is being watched. Many Parisians left the city for the provinces before the invasion but the artists with nowhere to go stayed and found themselves on the fringe of society with rationing of food, tobacco, coal, and clothing. Their only hope for safety was to hold their secrets close to them and entertain the enemy but will this be enough to survive?
This is a suspenseful story that is intelligently plotted and beautifully told, infused with humanity and realism, readers will feel as though they were sipping champagne and sitting in seats watching the cabaret scene. The vast cast of characters are richly developed and entertaining with their complexities and struggles showing courage and determination being brought to life on the pages.
Author Catherine McCullagh has done a simply fabulous job in researching and telling the story of cabaret life during German occupation both the glamorous and not so glamorous parts. She includes interesting, factual fragments about everyday life under the Occupation examining the effect on the ordinary Parisian citizen.
Secrets and Showgirls has all the right ingredients for a captivating and engaging read; war, adventure, romance, and drama taking the reader back to an era when society could be very harsh.
The cover with its stunning illustration is simply alluring. The bold title and the understated author name make this cover feel like a true work of art and a story is to be told.
I enjoyed every bit of this tale and highly recommended to those who enjoy historical war fiction.
Thank you, Beauty & Lace, and Big Sky Publishing Pty Ltd for the opportunity to read and review.
Secrets and Showgirls by Catherine McCullagh is a historical fiction set in Paris before and during the 1940 German Occupation.
Monsieur Maurice is the Manager of Le Prix d’Amour, a successful Parisian Cabaret. Lily leaves home to follow a dream of becoming a dancer and thus auditions at the cabaret, is successful and joins the troupe at Le Prix d’Amour. She finds boarding at Madame Gloria’s boarding house.
With the declaration of war in June 1940 Paris is now being governed by the German Military. Many Parisians left the city before the invasion took over but the artists of Le Prix with nowhere to go stay and the cabaret must go on. The Cabaret has shows to entertain the Germans and thus their life is held by a balance and this is one way they may be able to survive by entertaining the Germans.
As the Occupation draws on they find themselves with rationing of food, tobacco and clothing and must find ways to be able to further help themselves to be able to survive such a the black market, and the many secrets there amongst them.
The story shows of the battle to survive showing how the Cabaret performers under the guidance of their manager Monsieur Maurice, the boarding house Madade Gloria and the glittering array of characters can work together with their strength, resilience and friendships to make it to the end of the War and back to their life of normalcy of Parisian life.
Secrets and Showgirls
Having read many books about war time this was a totally different take on that horrible time. Being inside the Le Prix cabaret was interesting. Seeing just what had to be done to survive such a difficult four years. Entertaining the Germans and eating anything and everything that they could just to survive.
Monsieur Maurice played an important role in keeping the showgirls and artistes safe while he himself being in danger harboring illegals.
I found this an entertaining and enjoyable read. Many colorful characters to keep it interesting throughout.
Thanks to Beauty and Lace and Big Sky Publishing for my copy to read and review.