When the world was black and white but the circus was a colorful place by Jina Bacarr

October 11, 2025 by marianne h donley in category circus, Jina’s Book Chat, Writing tagged as cirucs, Paris, thriller, trapeze, writing, WW2 with 0 and 0

Home > circus > When the world was black and white but the circus was a colorful place by Jina Bacarr

Hitler loved the circus.

According to classified reports uncovered after the war, the Fuehrer would sit in the front row of the circus and cheer on the performers he perceived to be ‘working class folks’ putting their lives on the line.

He loved the ‘woman in danger’ element in the acts, as my heroine Lia di Montieri discovers when she appears in a circus in Germany in the 1930s. I shan’t spoil the surprise, but we follow Lia’s career, her heartbreak over losing her baby, and how she makes a daring leap to join the Resistance to save Jewish children.

I’ve always been fascinated by circuses since I was a little girl. Especially the trapeze. We had a swing set in the backyard when I was growing up and I’d try every crazy trick I could think of, pretending I was flying under the big top, that I was ‘an angel without wings’ until one day the swing broke. Then we moved. As we did a lot in those days.

And so ended my circus dreams.

Finally, I can fly again! In my Boldwood Books upcoming WW2 novel about Occupied Paris and the circus.

‘The Stolen Children of War’ is…

The heartbreaking story of Lia di Montieri, Queen of the Flying Trapeze, who loses her own baby and risks her life to save innocent children from the Gestapo.

An adorable baby elephant named Bebe.

And lurking in the background is a serial killer preying on circus queens who threatens to destory what Lia holds most dear.

I wanted to write a story about circuses with a twist — there’s danger under the big top at every performance… lions, tigers… knife throwers… high wire walkers, trapeze artistes flying 100 mph from the flybar to the catcher, but what if there was also a killer watching their every move, ready to strike?

You’ll find all that and more at Le Cirque Casini!

It’s a psycological thriller with a mad doctor serial killer, beautiful circus queens in danger, heroes willing to die to protect them, baby animal ‘cuteness’, and ‘stolen children’ who will steal your heart.

Step right up, ladies and gents, and let’s go to the circus!

Now on NetGalley for all you book bloggers and reviewers.

Author Details

Jina Bacarr

Once Upon A Story

Author Details

I discovered early on that I inherited the gift of the gab from my large Irish family when I penned a story about a princess who ran away to Paris with her pet turtle Lulu. I was twelve. I grew up listening to their wild, outlandish tales and it was those early years of storytelling that led to my love of history and traveling. I enjoy writing to classical music with a hot cup of java by my side. I adore dark chocolate truffles, vintage anything, the smell of bread baking and rainy days in museums. I’ve always loved walking through history—from Pompeii to Verdun to Old Paris. The voices of the past speak to me through carriages with cracked leather seats, stiff ivory-colored crinolines, and worn satin slippers. I’ve always wondered what it was like to walk in those slippers when they were new.

http://jinabacarr.wordpress.com

Jina Bacarr

Once Upon A Story

When the world was black and white but the circus was a colorful place by Jina Bacarr

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Hitler loved the circus. According to classified reports uncovered after the war, the Fuehrer would sit in the front row of the circus and cheer on the performers he perceived to be ‘working class folks’ putting their lives on the line. He loved the ‘woman in danger’ element in the acts, as my heroine Lia […]
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