Berlin, 1932. Monika Varady, a Bavarian actress, arrives in the city dreaming of becoming a star of stage and screen. However, with the rise of Hitler and the ensuing brutality of the Nazi regime, life in Berlin is rapidly changing and many feel they can no longer stay.
Hitler places the theatre scene under the control of Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. Monika’s beauty catches Goebbels’ attention, yet she is in love with a Jewish actor, and the escalating persecution of the Jewish community threatens all of their futures.
Monika must use all her skills to outsmart Goebbels and resist his attempts to politicise and reshape German theatre and culture. Her belief in ‘hiding in plain sight’ as the best way to deal with Goebbels forces her into a dangerous game of cat and mouse.
Monika is a likeable character, though at times a little naive about the situation she faces. While I did find myself willing her to outwit the powerful Nazi regime – not only to save herself and the man she loves – I had trouble connecting to the story to be fully invested.
However, The Woman in the Spotlight is a well-written book and Lonie’s many years working as a screenwriter and playwright, along with his previous historical fiction, clearly shine through in the vivid scene-setting, placing the reader firmly in the front row of the theatre as events unfold.
Reviewed by Claire Stanley
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
J R Lonie is the author of the best-selling novel The Woman from Saint Germain. As John Lonie he has been a screenwriter and script editor whose credits include some of Australia’s top TV dramas and films. He was head of screenwriting at the Australian Film Television and Radio School for seven years during which time he co-wrote the feature film Kokoda. He lives in Sydney.
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