The Other Side of Midnight

The story focuses on the lives of Catherine Alexander and Noelle Page, and takes place before, during, and after the World War II period.

Noelle is an extremely beautiful girl born to a poor family living in the fishing district of Marseilles, France. Because of her beauty, her father constantly calls her a princess and she grows up believing that a prince will take her away. After Noelle comes of age, her father decides to capitalize on her looks by arranging her to become the mistress of Auguste Lanchon, a wealthy boutique owner. Noelle is horrified when she finds out their deal, and is forced to have sex with Lanchon. During the intercourse, she realizes that men may rule the world, but if she can control men, she can be just as powerful. She manipulates Lanchon to give her a sum of money, and then escapes to Paris. There, she is swept off her feet by American RAF pilot Lawrence “Larry” Douglas, who proposes to her before leaving for another mission, promising to marry her when he returns. However, when he doesn’t return, she finds out that he has forgotten about her and is with other women, she nearly dies of pneumonia, but is saved by a Jewish medical intern named Israel Katz, who takes pity on her and gives her money and a job in his aunt’s modelling agency.