I was up past midnight last Tuesday - couldn't sleep, which happens more than I'd like to admit - and figured I'd start something light before my Thursday client briefing. Linda had left Chasing Starlight in our shared Audible library, and I thought, why not? 1938 Hollywood, murder mystery, maybe there's something here for me.
Let me cut to the chase: this is a YA historical mystery dressed in Golden Age glamour, and it's better than it has any right to be for a guy who usually reaches for Brad Thor or Ben Macintyre. Not my usual lane. Not even close. But Teri Bailey Black clearly did her homework on 1930s Hollywood, and the murder plot kept me from hitting pause.
Old Hollywood Through Telescope Lenses
Here's what grabbed me - Kate Hildebrand isn't trying to become a movie star. She's an aspiring astronomer stuck in a world of film sets and fake smiles. That contrast works. You've got this girl who wants to study the actual stars, forced to live in a crumbling mansion with her grandfather, a washed-up silent film actor whose best days died with talkies. The boarding house setup - young men renting rooms in grandpa's decaying estate - creates a natural suspect pool that reminded me of an Agatha Christie locked-room setup, just with more palm trees and art deco.
The 1938 setting isn't just wallpaper, either. Black weaves in the casual sexism of the era, the studio system's iron grip on actors' lives, the way women were boxed into roles both on and off screen. Kate working on a musical film set while trying to solve a murder gives the book a double-track structure that mostly works, though I'll admit the romance subplot slowed things down when I wanted more detective work.
Compared to something like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - which Linda also pushed on me - this plays in a similar sandbox but aims younger and leans harder into the mystery angle. Less literary ambition, more plot momentum. Different missions, both executed decently.
The Murder Investigation (And Where It Stumbles)
The opening murder scene hooks you fast. Kate walks into her grandfather's mansion and finds a body. From there, the suspect list fans out among the boarders, and Black does a solid job keeping you guessing. Each young man has enough motive and enough charm that you're second-guessing yourself every few chapters.
But here's where it lost me a bit - the pacing sags in the middle third. Around hours four through seven, the book splits its attention between the murder investigation, Kate's work on the film set, and the love interest, and none of those threads moves fast enough to carry the weight alone. It's an 11-hour listen, and honestly, this story probably needed to be about nine. There's a tighter, meaner thriller hiding inside all that period atmosphere.
The resolution, though? Solid. Black pulls off a reveal that I didn't fully see coming, which is saying something after 25 years of threat assessment work. (Okay, different kind of threat assessment, but still - I notice patterns.)
Suzy Jackson Behind the Mic
Suzy Jackson handles the narration competently. She doesn't blow you away, but she doesn't get in the way either - and sometimes that's exactly what you need. Her pacing fits the era, with a slightly breathy quality that evokes old Hollywood without tipping into caricature. I didn't find myself annoyed by any character voices, which for a book with this many suspects is a win. Nothing here that made me speed past 1.25x, nothing that made me slow down to catch something I missed.
If I'm being honest, a narrator with more range could've elevated this. The male characters blend together vocally more than they should, given how important it is to tell the boarders apart. When you're trying to figure out which one of five guys is a killer, distinct voices matter.
Who's This Mission For?
If you've got a teenager interested in history or mystery - especially a daughter or granddaughter - this is a smart pick. It respects its audience without dumbing things down. Slightly Dangerous operates in a similar register - period setting, smart writing, romance that doesn't insult your intelligence - and it landed even better with me. Adults who enjoy period mysteries will find enough here to justify the listen, but go in knowing the romance is YA-level and the violence is present but not graphic.
If you need constant action or hard-boiled noir, this isn't your book. It's more silk gloves than brass knuckles.
Ranger slept through most of this one, which I take as a sign it didn't get his hackles up. Fair assessment, buddy.
Worth Your Time? Here's the Debrief
A well-researched YA mystery that uses its 1938 Hollywood setting with genuine care. Loses momentum in the middle but sticks the landing. Not my typical fare, but I don't regret the listen - and I might not tell Linda that.
