People ask if my research really lands in my books.

Happy to report it absolutely does.

Here’s Part 3; Parts 1 and 2 were in the August 2025 and October 2025 postings.

PS: To Catch a Spy can be ordered from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.Newsletter Item & Chapter in To Catch a Spy

July 2024

Golf at the Riviera. In my July ‘24 posting, I wrote about The Cannes-Mougins Golf Country Club, near Nice, France. I also wrote about the similarities between golf and writing, after having learned both at the same time.

Let’s start with golf & writing; the parallels between the two are amazing.

To begin, both are very mechanical. Writing has structural rules; many of us know some of them. For example, I know ‘i before e, except after c’ (even if not foolproof -- think ‘neighbor’), but I don’t know anything about modifiers; thankfully Grammarly does.

Similarly, golf has swing procedures you should follow; they make a difference in the success of your ball strikes.

I even wrote about which one, writing or golf, was harder. See the July ‘24 posting for my conclusion!

I also wrote about a fantastic golf club in Nice, France. As you know by now, I found it when researching my book. The Cannes-Mougins Golf Country Club is often referred to as a ‘Jewel of the Riviera.’ Gotta say, I love the coincidence there…

Kidding aside, the golf club looks fantastic -- stone walls, picturesque golf holes, and a lot more. I love the outdoor patio so much I put something similar in my book.

Bottom line -- read Chapters 8 - 10 to find the first mentions of golf and the club; there are other mentions elsewhere, too.

That was fun.

Grace Kelly Meets the Prince. In that same posting, I wrote about when Grace met Prince Rainier of Monaco.

Contrary to popular belief, the two did NOT meet during the filming of To Catch a Thief; they met one year later during the Cannes Film Festival.

What a story, too! The meeting gave me newfound respect for Grace Kelly; it demonstrated how professional, flexible, and quick-thinking she was.

I also wrote about their marriage, and I ended the piece by saying I’d love it if Francie Stevens and the Prince met in my book.

Check out Chapters 22 and 24 of To Catch a Spy to see what happened!

August 2024

Villa Bijoux. In my August ‘24 posting, I wrote about John Robie’s villa.

His home was one of the things I fell in love with when I was a young man; it’s an incredible estate with stone archways, breathtaking views, and real charm. His villa is exactly where an independently wealthy ex-cat burglar from the French Riviera would live.

During my research, I was fortunate to get to know Dirk Domenic, a Riviera virtuoso who happens to be an entrepreneur with a fantastic business. Dirk is the man who actually located John’s villa (from the Hitchcock film), and he’s friends with Brigitte Auber, the actress who played Danielle in that same movie. Imagine that!

Dirk is also the one who told me about one of my favorite scenes from the movie. That’s in my August, 2024 posting.

Read Chapter 6 of To Catch a Spy to get an introduction to the Villa Bijoux.

Walking Like a Model. I also discovered fascinating information about walking like a model on an actual runway. Amazing stuff.

Along those lines, I wrote about Sunny Harnett, a real model from that time period. She was such an interesting person, with a sad but astounding life.

Sunny makes a cameo appearance in To Catch a Spy; read Chapter 7.

Aperol Spritz. One of the really fun things I learned about was the Aperol Spritz, which, surprisingly, made a recent comeback.

I provided some history on the brand itself, then went on to talk about its taste and appeal. I included a recipe that I tried with family members, who loved it.

What first struck me about the cocktail was the rich orange hue; there’s nothing like it, and it’s an attention-getter.

Chapter 10 of my book has a couple mentions of the Aperol Spritz. It was also one of my favorite chapters to write.

Your Newsletters are Interesting But…Part III

July 2024

August 2024

Ralph Waldo Emerson, Rum Punch, and Martinican Music

To Catch a Spy