"Huguette"

Cara Black is the author of twenty-one books in the New York Times bestselling Aimée Leduc series as well as the WWII thrillers Three Hours in Paris and Night Flight to Paris. She has won the Médaille de la Ville de Paris and the Médaille d’Or du Rayonnement Culturel and received multiple nominations for the Anthony and Macavity Awards; her books have been translated into German, Norwegian, Japanese, French, Spanish, Italian, and Hebrew.

Black applied the Page 69 Test to her new novel, Huguette, with the following results:

From page 69:

Huguette says:

"I can speak GI English, and I'm good with numbers. You've seen the housekeeping budget Marie gave me, and I kept my father's accounts in the café since I was thirteen. And....after maman went to the sanatorium, my father had me keep two ledgers."

Louis's face barely changed. He nodded slowly. "One ledger for the tax man and another for himself, oui?"

"You could say that, monsieur."

Louis reached in his silk bathrobe pocket. Handed her a key. "Unlock the bottom drawer in my desk. Take out two ledgers in there."

She did.

"Now make coffee. We've got work to do."

This page shows Huguette, in survivor mode trying to be useful and keep her job with Louis. This also illustrates her background in that she's no stranger to clandestine accounting and Louis, sharp as a tack, reading between the lines and seeing her skills and usefullness.

In my mind writing this scene I kept hearing a line from the film Casablanca where Rick says to the French policeman as they walk off into the fog "Louis I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

And for Huguette and Louis page 69 starts their friendship and working relationship. He becomes Huguette's mentor, her entree to the world of French cinema, to his connections and in return she does his black market dealings. In the set up we've learned Louis is desperate to avoid bankruptcy, has dreams for the French film industry and can read people and spot talent. Huguette becomes vital in his dealings and she's no stranger to the black market. She's also afraid to be back on the street and go hungry again so to her, it's her only choice.

Visit Cara Black's website and follow her on Instagram and Threads.

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--Marshal Zeringue