Horizontal Collaborator
The idea for the character of Violette was very loosely based on Marthe Richard, an espionage agent who worked for France during the First World War. I borrowed certain excerpts from Ms. Richard's adventures in a book called The Skylark published in 1932, and written by Major Georges Ladoux, who was the Chief of the French Counter-Espionage Service, and whose character appears in my story as Georges St. Denis.
Adrianne Sainte-Eve
In addition to St. Denis, I based certain characters in my story (I have changed their names, and in some cases their titles) on people who really existed, according to The Skylark. The list includes Baron Leo von Beringer, Count Klaus von Hundraiser, Karl and Seigfried, the Gonzales sisters, Julio Cefuentes, "the excellent" Henninger and Nicky.
Updating...