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The Barman of the Ritz

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What to expect

An Immediate Bestseller | A Bloomberg Best Book of 2025

When the Ritz becomes the Nazis’ favourite spot, its Jewish bartender has no choice but to keep working.

Paris, 1940. Despite the Occupation, the prestigious Ritz Hotel has managed to remain open. Its bar becomes a favourite spot for Nazis eager for a taste of French refinement. Its celebrated barman, Frank Meier, is forced to adapt to this new clientele. But he is hiding a secret that no one can find out: he is Jewish.

With every word and smile, the atmosphere becomes more and more suffocating. Yet Frank refuses to flee. With the unwitting help of the Nazis, Frank eventually uncovers secrets that help keep him and his loved ones alive — especially Luciano, his young apprentice, and Blanche, wife of the director of the Ritz and Frank’s impossible love — both of whom are Jewish too.

Betrayal, lies, and backstabbing raise the stakes for the bartender — with Frank always just one step ahead of fate.

Based on a true story, The Barman of the Ritz is as chilling as it is fascinating.

'Philippe Collin is a magnificent storyteller. This novel fascinates at every turn.' Elle

© Philippe Collin 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

Critics Review

Philippe Collin is a compellingly brilliant story-teller
Philippe Sands, author of East West Street and winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize
Quite simply brilliant. Philippe Collin’s The Barman of the Ritz is so beautifully written that we imagine ourselves in the real Frank Meier’s position, shaking creative cocktails for the new inhabitants of his beloved Petit Bar at the Ritz: Paris’s Nazi conquerors. This novel, based on the real heroics of this charming, creative, and emotionally complex man with a secret love and a hidden past, is a must-read not just for fans of WWII fiction, but for anyone who cares about freedom in today’s complicated world.
Meg Waite Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Train to London
A spellbinding novel of extraordinary elegance and moral depth. Philippe Collin reveals how humanity survives in dark times: not through heroics, but in the quiet, daily work of remaining oneself. In a world distorted by power and fear, this novel reminds us that our humanity is not something we possess, but something we practice, moment by moment, relationship by relationship. Philippe Collin is one of the essential moral historians of our time, and this is an unmissable book.
Chris Cleave, #1 bestselling author of The Other Hand
The Barman of the Ritz brilliantly captures the tense, morally murky atmosphere of Nazi-occupied France. Richly researched and utterly absorbing, this World War II novel pulls readers inside Paris’s legendary Ritz Hotel – where every cocktail, every conversation, and every choice could change a life forever.
Anne Berest, internationally bestselling author of The Postcard
At its core, this book is a reminder that grand hotels like the Ritz are not simply built from glittering chandeliers and beautiful décor. Their true spirit comes from the people who work there and the enduring power of human connection.
Bloomberg
A riveting account of the moral dilemmas of surviving, body and soul, within the luxurious isolation of the German High Command's hotel of choice during the Nazi occupation of Paris. . . An eloquent storyteller, Collin captures the weight of unthinkably difficult choices and in immersive historical detail, conjures the escalating tension, perils, and absurdities of the world at war from inside the Ritz Hotel.
Booklist, starred review
Atmospheric and unsettling
Bookseller
A compelling story of entrapment and survival.
Kirkus, starred review
A vivid debut...[Collin] does an excellent job of recreating daily life under the German occupation...This satisfying novel honors the memory of Meier and other brave Parisians who opposed Nazi rule.
Publishers Weekly
As complex as one of Frank's signature cocktails, The Barman of the Ritz presents a multifaceted account of life under Nazi rule and a sensitive portrait of a man forced to make impossible choices.
Shelf Awareness
Author Philippe Collin
Narrator Simon Paisley Day
Duration 11 hours and 35 minutes
Release Date
ISBN 9781529964875
Format Audiobook
Publisher Transworld
Genre Biographical fiction, Fiction in translation, Historical fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction, Narrative theme: Social issues
Availability AU, GB, IE

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