Join us for an evening with international bestselling author Natasha Lester, in conversation with Jane Turner and Shirley Alexander, to discuss her new novel, The Mademoiselle.

WHEN: Thursday, 24th July 2025, at Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore. Please arrive at 6:45pm for a prompt 7pm start.

TICKETS:

Admission: $25.00 (excluding external fees), includes admission for one, a glass of wine and nibbles upon arrival.

Admission + Book: $50.00 (excluding external fees), includes admission for one, a glass of wine and nibbles upon arrival, and a copy of Natasha's new book, The Mademoiselle. (RRP $34.99)

How did a young Parisienne mother, celebrated for her beauty and glamour, come to lead the largest spy network in France? A powerful, heartbreaking historical novel by the New York Times bestselling author

About The Mademoiselle:

Morocco, 1928. Eighteen-year-old Frenchwoman Marie-Madeleine is not the kind of woman who goes through life sitting down, something her new husband can attest. Her unconventionalities - rally car driving, flying planes and dabbling in intelligence work for the government - earn her a reputation, but she knows who she is at heart: an adventurer.

Paris, 1936. As Europe teeters on the brink of war, a chance encounter with a mysterious man codenamed Navarre turns Marie-Madeleine's life upside down. Recruited to help build a resistance network known only as Alliance, she conceals her identity - and her gender - as she navigates a perilous double life away from her children and the man she loves. Capture and death are only a heartbeat away.

Bestselling Australian novelist Natasha Lester passionately brings to life the true story of one of history's unsung heroes: Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, the only woman to lead a resistance network in WWII France. Her story is one of epic love, tragic loss and magnificent leadership.

'An incredible story of courage, devotion and daring, filled with vivid prose and rich detail. A must-read for historical fiction lovers' CHANEL CLEETON, author of Next Year in Havana

About the author:

Natasha Lester is the international bestselling author of A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald, Her Mother's Secret, The Paris Seamstress, The French Photographer, The Paris Secret, The Riviera House, The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre and The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard, and a former marketing executive for L'Oreal. Her novels have been translated into 21 languages and are published all around the world. Her eighth novel, The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard, was longlisted for the 2024 ARA Historical Novel Prize.

When she's not writing, she loves collecting vintage fashion, practising the art of fashion illustration and reading about history. Natasha is a sought-after public speaker and lives with her husband and three children in Perth, Western Australia.

For all the latest news from Natasha, visit natashalester.substack.com, subscribe to her newsletter Bijoux, follow her on Instagram (natashalesterauthor), or join the readers who have become Natasha's friend on Facebook.

'Lester writes with razor-sharp research and admiration for a woman whose name deserves to be blazed across the pages of history' KATE QUINN, author of The Alice Network

About Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore

Rated as one of the top 10 bookstores in the world by National Geographic, Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore is an oasis for writers, readers, and coffee lovers. Books overflow from the shelves of their store, featuring a mix of new, second-hand, antiquarian and rare books. Stay a while & enjoy some homemade chai, and amazing coffee, and unearth a book treasure or two. Read more about the bookstore's story here, and about the real Gertrude & Alice here.