Arrested: A Memoir of the American First Lady of Nice, France and the French Riviera

Written by Countess Ilene Medecin

Narrated by Laura Lockwood

Growing up in Beverly Hills with two famous uncles - a cosmetics magnate and a well-connected mobster - eventually led Ilene Médecin to a romantic and glamorous life as the American First Lady of Nice and the French Riviera. "Arrested" follows Ilene through her marriage to Jacques Médecin, a Medici Count fondly known as "King Jacquou," who was the last scion of a century old political dynasty. Her unique experience is from the perspective of an American woman living in France, married to a powerful French politician ruling the Côte d'Azur as they shared their social circle with Princess Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier. Life was extraordinary among royals, celebrities, and politicians. From the enchanted pages of a storybook Camelot, being at the pinnacle of a fantasy existence, only to fall from grace to the depths of a French prison cell. While there were trysts and scandals, nothing prepared Ilene for the demise of a prominent political family and her eventual arrest for her husband's alleged wrongdoings. As for Jacques, sadly, taking up residence in Uruguay was a puzzling end to a stellar political career.

Neither political exile nor arrest had ever been on Ilene's bucket list, but she found herself checking them both off. Her late husband, Jacques Médecin, had been Mayor of Nice, President of Alpes-Maritimes (presiding over the Côte d'Azur), French Minister of Tourism, Member of Parliament, and a Medici Count. Rest assured, "King Jacquou" was no ordinary politician as he ruled the expanse of the French Riviera. Curiously, he also gained notoriety being the official reference for proper Salad Niçoise as the published author of a widely acclaimed cookbook, "Cuisine Niçoise, Recipes From A Mediterranean Kitchen."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Release date: Oct 28, 2025
• ISBN: 9798295348402

Countess Ilene Medecin

Ilene Médecin était la Première Dame de Nice et de la Côte d'Azur, en France. Hormis Grace Kelly, elle est la seule Américaine à avoir acquis une telle notoriété sur la Riviera française. Née et élevée à Beverly Hills, en Californie, entourée de deux oncles célèbres - Max Factor, le magnat des cosmétiques, et Jake « The Barber », qui a contribué à faire la renommée de Las Vegas -, il lui a toujours semblé naturel de trouver sa place sous les feux des projecteurs. Sa vie a été décrite comme unique, captivante, glamour, excitante et dangereuse.