We’re excited to be giving away two copies of Rue de Paradis by Jeena Murphy to our GrownUps members!
To be in the draw, simply make sure you’re a GrownUps member, signed up to our newsletter, and fill in your details at the bottom of the page.
An evocative and captivating debut historical novel that transports readers to France in 1933, from Kiwi author Jeena Murphy.
France 1933 – Yvette flees to Paris with her little sister Janie to protect her from the village predator. They find sanctuary with their cousin Daniel at the prestigious Blum Foundry on Rue de Paradis, and Yvette secures work as an artist’s model.
Her love of sculpting grows, along with her romance with foundry owner Oscar Blum’s estranged son, Steffan.
Steffan’s furious that the Blum Foundry is being destroyed by anti-Jewish sentiment. He joins Daniel’s chapter of the communist party to challenge the Croix de Feu, a rival fascist group. When Yvette is caught up in an ambush, Steffan and Daniel are compelled to act, threatening the Blum Foundry, and endangering everyone on Rue de Paradis.
Rue de Paradis is the first of a trilogy that spans generations and continents, linked through a statue created by artist Demétre Chiparus, titled ‘Semiramis, Queen of Heaven.’
‘The compelling tale of a woman caught up in the tensions of 1930s Paris. A must for lovers of WW2 fiction.’ Sue Copsey, aka Olivia Hayfield, historical fiction author.
Author Note
‘My journey with the characters in Rue de Paradis, started in 2006 with my project for Whitireia Community Polytechnic’s year-long Novel Writing Programme. I finished a first draft during that programme, and nearly 20 years later, I’ve sent two of the original characters out into the world while I continue working on book two.
People often ask me why I wrote about antiques and whether I am an expert. I’m not an expert, but my character Deco is, and you’ll meet him in book two. The antiques started with Deco, I wanted him to have an obsession, a reason for him to steal. I thought about making him a drug addict, but after a discussion with two drug and alcohol counsellors, they convinced me that the only meaningful relationship Deco could have was with his drug of choice. I knew this wouldn’t work for the story I wanted to tell, as he needed to have functioning relationships with others.
I contacted our local auction house Dunbar Sloane, to ask if they could put me in touch with an expert in the field. They had someone in-house, Anthony Gallagher, who’d just joined the team. He was keen to meet for a coffee, and his eyes lit up when I asked him what the Holy Grail of the Art Deco world was.
He told me about Demétre Chiparus and the bronze and ivory sculptures he made in the 1920s and 30s. My life was never the same again – in a good way – as I learned about Monsieur Chiparus and his wife Julienne and the foundries that made his pieces in Paris nearly 100 years ago.’
About the Author
Jeena Murphy has written and produced five Insight and Spectrum documentaries for Radio New Zealand. She has also co-won a Sir Julius Vogel award for the fan fiction documentary Renaldo: First Sheep on the Moon. Her short stories have appeared in anthologies, along with plays and short stories in the New Zealand School Journal.
Jeena’s other passion is workplace health, safety, and wellbeing, and she has been fortunate enough to make her living as a health and safety specialist through her business, Working Wise.
She lives in Wellington, reaping the rewards of the Predator Free movement, which has brought native birds back into the city. Sitting on her deck watching the life around her fills her with hope that if we work together, we can solve our societal problems.
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Terms and conditions
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You must be a GrownUps member and subscribed to our newsletter to be eligible to enter.
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The competition closes on 8th October 2025. Winners will be notified via email by 9th October 2025.
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It is your responsibility to provide a correct New Zealand postal address for prize delivery. GrownUps is not responsible for prizes sent to incorrect addresses.
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Winners will be drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
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GrownUps employees and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.
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By entering, you agree to GrownUps using your name on social media as a winner of the competition.
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One entry per household.
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The prize is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or other items.
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You must reside in New Zealand, as the prize can only be delivered within New Zealand.
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You must be over 50 years of age to enter. Please ensure your membership details are up to date in your dashboard.
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