Now you see a murder, now you don’t…

The Golden Age of Hollywood, 1938. It’s the annual Awards Banquet at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub, and Vivian Steele can’t wait for the star-studded event. She’s attending with her best friend, Carole Lombard, and several acclaimed actresses will be wearing her fashion designs. What she doesn’t expect is for the night to turn deadly.

During the awards ceremony, Carole finds an actress stabbed to death in the restroom. She quickly alerts the staff, but when they return, they can’t find a body. An hour later, another guest screams bloody murder that an actor drowned in the pool outside. Again, the body disappears.

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While the guests have a good laugh, Vivian is convinced the murders took place and reluctantly asks Preston Stone, Hollywood’s notorious playboy, for his help in proving her suspicions.

Together, they uncover a sinister killer who has mastered the art of illusion and set his sights on two Oscar-winning stars. Can Vivian and Preston stop the killer in time…and without revealing their well-kept secrets?

A Bloody Banquet is the second book in this exciting new 1930s Stone & Steele mystery series starring a great cast of characters ranging from the rich and famous to Bella and Boris, the canine costars, and a few other endearing folks. (A pretty clean read – series or standalone)

My Review

Our intrepid heroes are back in book two in the exciting new series – the Stone & Steele Mysteries. And of course Bella, the Boston Terrier, and her friend, Boris, the giant Saint Bernard are back too. They are part of the book’s attraction for me as a dog lover. Since reviewing book one I got a Jack Russell puppy, who is about the same size as Bella, so ALL her doggy friends are bigger than her, though not as big as Boris.

But I digress. Vivian is best friends with the film star Carole Lombard. They are at an awards ceremony at The Cocoanut Club, when Carole discovers a dead woman in the Ladies Restroom. But when they return to investigate the body has disappeared. Was it ever there or did Carole imagine it? But then another guest discovers a body floating in the swimming pool, which also mysteriously vanishes. No-one believes them of course, but Vivian is not so sure. It’s not like her friend to make things up.

One of the things I love about this series is the real life film stars that feature in the stories. Actors like Clark Gable, who was famously married to Carole Lombard until her premature death in 1942 in a plane crash (historical fact not a spoiler), Bette Davies and Spencer Tracy. Their involvement in the plot of course is entirely fictional.

Preston Stone and Vivian Steele still dislike each other, though we know they don’t really. Vivian is a dress designer to the stars, while Preston is a wealthy playboy. He’s everything she hates, but they still make a great team as he is always reminding her. And then there are Nick and Barney, who help Preston with his investigations. It’s a great series, full of excitement and intrigue and I look forward to book three.

Many thanks to @ZooloosBT  for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the Author

Award-winning author Gail Meath writes historical romance novels that will whisk you away to another time and place in history where you will meet fascinating characters, both fictional and real, who will capture your heart and soul. Meath loves writing about little or unknown people, places and events in history, rather than relying on the typical stories and settings.

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Book Links
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com
Purchase Link: www.amazon.co.uk