The Lipstick Bureau (Item 1697216) will be available in January in most Costco warehouses.

Secret spies in Italy

Michelle Gable’s novel The Lipstick Bureau focuses on a fictional character who was inspired by a real spy. In the novel, newlywed Niki Novotná is recruited by a new American spy agency to establish a secret branch in Italy’s capital. She’s tasked with crafting fake stories and distributing propaganda to lower the morale of enemy soldiers.

Costco Connection Who was the real-life spy who helped inspire this novel?
Michelle Gable The character of Niki Novotná was inspired by Barbara Lauwers, who was stationed at the Office of Strategic Services’ Morale Operations division in Rome during the period between liberation and the end of the war (mid-1944 to early 1945). Barbara fascinated me because of the work she performed—creating propaganda to feed to enemy soldiers—and the fact she was a Czech native who’d escaped Europe because of the war and then returned to work there. Like Niki, Barbara also knew multiple languages, had multiple degrees and won the Bronze Star.

CC What else would you like readers to know about The Lipstick Bureau?
MG The Ezra character is based on the cartoonist Saul Steinberg. I would love for readers to research his work and his life.—Simon Gravel, Assistant Buyer, Books

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