Petite Mort by Beatrice Hitchman

On Kindle

In 1963 a film is discovered in a basement.   Entitled Petite Mort it was made at the famous Pathe studios in 1913 and it's star was Adele Rous a young unknown who never appeared in a film again.   A young journalist, Julliette Blanc, tracks down Adele and goes to interview her and the narrative cuts between her interview and re-enactments of the events of 1913.

In 1912 Adele arrives in Paris determined to break into films and is employed in the sewing room at Pathe.   She is spotted by leading director Andre Durand who makes her his mistress then employs her as assistant to his wife Luce who acts in his films under the name Terpsichore.   Adele moves into the Durand mansion in the Bois de Boulonge and Luce appears indifferent to Andre's visits to her room but when Andre is away she seduces Adele who falls in love with her.  

At this time another Pathe director is constantly asking Luce to appear in his film Petite Mort but she refuses and so he uses Adele, a fact that she tries to conceal from Luce.   A further complication is that Adele's young sister, Camille, has turned up also trying to get into films and hopes to use Adele to do this which she does but this is not revealed until the end.   Violence and murder are also on hand to tangle the web nicely and bring the tale to a satisfyling conclusion.

Beatrice Hitchman has written a subtle and entertaining tale which, considering I bought it on Kindle for ninetynine pence, is as good as books ten times the price.   I hope to see more from this author.