Published by Head of
Zeus,
8 May 2025.
ISBN: 978-1-83793039-5 (HB)
The 1950s, and the dark side of the Hollywood dream factory. This novel
opens in a mental hospital, with an unnamed female narrator who’s not sure who
or where she is, except that she was once in Hollywood. Next, we meet Miss
Stella Hope, a Hollywood star who was sent under contract to Ealing Studios in
England, to get her out of the way after her divorce from her equally starry
husband, Max. Now, her co-star’s groping her and someone’s sending her
blackmail letters. The third main female
character is Ginny, who won a trip a Hollywood and a screen test. She’s
determined to make good, but life in Hollywood’s nothing like her dreams: the
toughness of the studios, the predatory men, the hard work. Turned into a
platinum blonde, she meets Max and thinks her dreams are coming true ...
This cleverly-plotted novel
draws you in straight away: the mad woman’s heartbreaking situation (and which
of them is she?), and the vividly-drawn characters of egotistical Stella, seen
through the eyes of her make-up artist, Maggie, who has secrets of her own, and
naive Ginny plunged into a world that’s dissolute beyond her imagining.
Kyriacou’s last book was based on a true crime case, and at the end of this one
she gives a shocking list of examples of Hollywood ruthlessness in suppressing
people who threaten to spoil the dream image. Her portrait of life as a wannabe
starlet is chillingly credible, and the flashes of memory from the woman in the
asylum ramp up the tension as the reader tries to fit the pieces of this puzzle
together. I absolutely didn’t see any of the big twists coming, and the
ending’s a shocker.
A page-turning mystery with
believable characters set against the glittering, hollow backdrop of the 50s
movie machine. An excellent read.
------
Reviewer: Marsali Taylor
Eleni Kyriacou was
born and brought up in London to Greek Cypriot parents. Never quite feeling
completely British or Cypriot, she's always felt a Londoner and still adores
the place, especially Soho. She's an award-winning editor and journalist and
her writing has appeared in many publications, including the Guardian, the
Observer, Marie Claire, Red and Stella, among others. She's written on a wide
range of topics including adoption, relationships, travel, self-development,
the arts and women's health. She's edited national magazines and is now
freelance. Her first novel She Came to Stay was published by Hodder
in 2020.
Marsali Taylor grew up near Edinburgh
and came to Shetland as a newly-qualified teacher. She is currently a part-time
teacher on Shetland's scenic west side, living with her husband and two
Shetland ponies. Marsali is a qualified STGA tourist-guide who is fascinated by
history, and has published plays in Shetland's distinctive dialect, as well as
a history of women's suffrage in Shetland. She's also a keen sailor who enjoys
exploring in her own 8m yacht, and an active member of her local drama
group. Marsali also does a regular
monthly column for the Mystery People e-zine.
Click on the title to read a review of her
recent book
An Imposter in Shetland
www.marsalitaylor.co.uk
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