This book has such an unfortunate cover! I just have to get that out of the way haha. This is not a book I would pick up in a bookstore if I didn't know anything about it. Luckily I did read the synopsis though. Because as soon as I read that, I knew I wanted to read the book. I used to read quite a lot of historical fiction and lately I'm getting back into it. Murder mysteries are also a favorite genre and a combination of the two is even better!

In my opinion a historical fiction needs to give you a feeling for the time. Since we didn't live in this era, I like to be reminded what time were in. Otherwise you start to put things in a contemporary perspective, or at least I do. I thought Chasing Starlight did a pretty good job on the historical setting. We are in the 1930's Hollywood and I really believed this story was set there. 

The plot of Chasing Starlight mostly involves the murder mystery. I read the synopsis months ago so I somewhat forgot what was supposed to happen and the book managed to surprise me a bit in the first couple of chapters. That's always a good start of your reading experience. I really liked the mystery and Teri managed to keep me guessing until right before the reveal. One of the last clues was the one that helped me figure it out and I was not disappointed by the reveal at all!

The last couple chapters of the book were the weakest in my opinion unfortunately. While I really liked the reveal of the killer and the motivation I did think it was a bit rushed. With all the build-up I would've liked the ending to be drawn out a bit. And basically right after the reveal the book ended. We did get an epilogue but I think that could've been written a bit differently. 

Kate is the MC in this book and I'm still not completely sure how I feel about her haha. At times I really liked her character, she wants to study to become an astronomer, she is very organised and I appreciated that she showed clear signs of PTSD. Other moments she really annoyed me haha, and that might've been just because of the time she is put in. She cares a lot about certain social rules although she does let go of them more and more during this story. While writing this I think I'm leaning more towards liking her ;).

Some of the other important characters are Ollie (love love love him), Hugo, and Bonnie. There are a couple more interesting characters, like the other boarders and some of the people Kate starts to work with. I really liked how everyone fit the times, even though that made some of them pretty unlikeable (I'm looking at you Tad). Most of the characters had an interesting story themselves and were pretty well developed. 

I really enjoyed this murder mystery set in 1930's Hollywood. Teri writes interesting characters and really makes you feel like you are put in the era. I will definitely pick up her previous work and I'm already looking forward to whatever she writes next!

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I haven't read Teri's other book, Girl at the Grave, so I wasn't sure if her writing style was for me - but I have heard great things about her writing so I couldn't resist trying Chasing Starlight. Thankfully, I wasn't disappointed.

Teri's writing is easy to read and engaging. At no point did I feel like she over described a scene or fashion, nor did she leave everything to my imagination. I felt like I was Kate - although every once and a while I would forget it was the 1930s, but that's more because it's not an era I'm use to reading.

Kate is an interesting character. She suspects everyone, and yet no one. She is conflicted due to events in her past and that is something she struggles with during the entire book. I felt like she grew during this short time in this book and it felt realistic. There was no magic button that she hit and solved everything, but took logical paths based on information she's given. The rest of the cast was interesting and added some dimension to the story. Teri wrote the cast as suspicious, interesting, and realistic. I didn't find anyone character annoying or unnecessary.

Although I was able to guess the twist, I wasn't able to predict how we got there. I found this to be a cute, cozy mystery that was fun to breeze through. I loved how the story intertwined with Kate's past. I didn't like, however, how she was pushing others to go outside of their comfort zones (their trigger for anxiety), without considering how that person felt. She is always hyper aware of what causes her stress because of her past trauma, but not how others may have been affected by their past. This is one minor nitpick for me though.

I easily binged through this and now can't wait to pick up more from Teri. If you're wanting to pick up a cozy mystery this Fall, then I highly suggest this one!

Chasing Starlight is a novel that blends the aesthetics of Hollywood and mystery into one glorious novel. Written by Teri Bailey Black, this is one of those books that demands attention.

Set in 1938, this is a murder mystery like no other. Kate was recently forced to move to Hollywood, thanks to a letter she should have been more cautious about writing. Now she's living with her grandfather, in his rundown house full of tenants.

That's bad enough, throw in the fact that one of those tenants is about to be murdered, and suddenly it looks like Kate has bigger concerns than losing the life of luxury she had become so used to. Now she has to solve a crime, and fast.

“And so we see, in the luminosity of stars, the diversity of souls. This one bright, the one fading, this one reflecting the light of another.”

Chasing Starlight was a truly enchanting novel. The aesthetics of the time period were perfection, and made the story that much more enjoyable. I've read plenty of mysteries and thrillers in my time, but nothing quite like this.

I picked up Chasing Starlight in hopes of having a relaxing evening reading a good (and distracting) book. I got that, but I also got so much more. This story surpassed my expectations, resulting in a perfect night all around.

Kate is one of those characters that starts off predictable, but thanks to some brilliant character development she becomes so much more before the end. It's one of the many reasons why I enjoyed this book as much as I did.

That same subplot turned what could have been a simple murder mystery (with great aesthetics) into a coming of age story as well. It was a surprising touch, but it honestly fits perfectly, both with the plot and the theme.

On the whole, Chasing Starlight was a fast-paced read, one that pulled in a lot of great elements. The combination of Hollywood themes, the time period, and a cozy mystery really made for something great – and memorable – here.

This book is perfect if you're looking for a read that will allow you to escape from the real world, even if only for a little bit. It'll bring you to a different time, and while it is without a doubt a murder mystery, it lacks the heaviness that can make them a downer. Throw in those amazing elements I've already gushed about, and it really is the perfect escape.

This was set in the 1930's which was evident in the beliefs about how women should act, what it would take for a girl to get ahead in Hollywood, and the innocent relationships. I liked the slow build of the mystery, which gave it an old-timey noir feel - like old Humphrey Bogart movies. I really did not know "who done it" until towards the end, when all the pieces start falling into place. I liked the character of Kate, but would have liked to know more than just surface details of her background and her parents. I could easily see this being a series as there were a lot of interesting side characters who could be developed. I will watch for more by Teri Bailey Black.

A Young Adult book set in hollywood? Sign me up. Or so I thought. I had a hard time getting into this as it started off super slow for me. But the real star of this book is Kate who is a strong female character with lots of gumption. She really is what kept me reading for so long. But I wanted to know the other characters more deeply also and that is where i think it fell a little flat for me.

Chasing Starlight was an enchanting pleasant surprise. Full of old Hollywood charm and a classical tone, the story is set in Los Angeles during the 1930's. I had no problems envisioning this vivid story or hearing the cultural language of the time period. I even envisioned it in mostly black and white like the old Hollywood movies. Except, of course, for Kate's hair. And then all I could envision was Lucille Ball's glorious red hair. So the cover is a perfect portrayal of the book.

I really like that Chasing Starlight showed what it was like for women and POC trying to work in the business during Hollywood's Golden Age and didn't shy away or glance over some of the ugliness of it's reality. The murder mystery wasn't super exciting but was sprinkled throughout the story enough that it kept my attention. I had narrowed it down to two culprits and one or them was correct. It was still fun to try and figure it out along with the characters. It reminded me of Truly Devious.

There's tons of irl references for any Hollywood and Film History buffs, too. Unfortunately, I wasn't familiar with a lot of them.

I'm not sure if Catching Starlight will have an audiobook but I certainly hope it does. I don't understand why this book isn't being more hyped. It deserves all stars, famous or not.

I found Chasing Starlight to be a very enjoyable read. When Kate Hildebrand travels to Hollywood to come and live with her grandfather, former silent film star Oliver Banks, the last thing she expects is to be thrust into the spotlight as she had been when she was kidnapped as a child in a scandal that resulted in the deaths by murder-suicide of her parents. But when she finds one of the boarders at Ollie's home stabbed to death on the kitchen floor, everyone around her becomes a suspect. As Kate grapples with the fact that she may be living with a murderer, she manages to get a job as a production assistant on a film at Falcon Studios, Kate comes face to face with real life in Hollywood and must decide on what sort of future she wishes to have. But in order for her to have any future at all., Kate must figure out who she can trust and get to the bottom of the murder in her grandfather's home, before the killer finds her first.
Chasing Starlight was a really fascinating read. A good historical fiction novel can transport you back in time and enthrall you with the details, and that is just what Black did. I loved how all of the glitz and glamuor of early 20th century Hollywood was displayed as was the truth behind the flashing lights that was the reality of so many actors and workers during the Great Depression. Black was able to bring out the duality of the time period very nicely and all its complexities. I also really liked Kate's character. She's a sensible and feminist character, but she is also very much haunted by her past, and I loved seeing her work through all of that and getting to the bottom of this mystery. The murder mystery at this book's core really kept me guessing until the very end. Sometimes I thought I knew, and then I suddenly didn't--and the answers I got at the end of the book was a really unexpected surprise. This unpredictability really made me love the book as much as it did. Chasing Starlight is a story of glimmering Hollywood lights filled with romance, betrayals, and murder, a story about moving on from past traumas and learning to love and trust anew.

Teri Bailey Black's Chasing Starlight is her sophomore follow-up to Girl at the Grave. This story is a 1930's era historical murder mystery set in old Hollywood featuring 17-year old Kate Hildebrand. Kate has burned all of her bridges. Her parents are dead. She lived with her aunt Lorna who needed money badly and thus rushes into a marriage to someone Kate doesn't care a whip about and said so in a letter trying to stop a huge mistake from happening. Kate has only one other place she can go. Pasadena.

Pasadena is where her grandfather Oliver Banks lives. Oliver saw his once bright career fade into obscurity with the advent of color pictures. Nobody watches black and white movies any longer. But, things don't exactly start out well for Kate. When she arrives, Kate finds Ollie living in a dilapidated mansion with a motley crew of house boarders. She witnesses a strange scene between her grandfather, and his boarders Hugo Quick, Aurelio Dios, Reuben Feigenbaun, and Lemmy. Oliver's boarders are a strange sort.

Hugo admits that he's a communist which history buffs should immediately understand. Reuben, who was a bookkeeper for a very bad man, has been in hiding for months. Aurelio is struggling to find work as an actor or dancer but because of his Spanish heritage, he's expected to play only those roles. *Aurelio is a really, really good dancer folks.* Lemmy is likely a stooge for Moe Kravitz who everyone seems to owe money. Oliver, who is clearly broke and broken, hasn't left the house in years. After all, if you were suddenly famous thanks to your black and white movies and the next day you were ignored because color pictures have arrived, you'd likely hide away in your house and become a hermit.

Kate who has always wanted to be an astronomer, (she was the first girl ever to become her astronomy clubs President) quickly decides that she's had enough and doesn't plan on staying all that long. But, without money, and her aunt on a cruise with her new husband, she's kind stuck between a rock and a hard place. Now we need to really discuss who Kate is. You see, Kate is rather famous. Everyone knows who Kate is. She can't go anywhere without someone pointing to her or recognizing her face that was plastered in the newspapers for weeks. When she was (13), she made national headlines after she was kidnapped and held for a week which led to all sorts of twisted revelations and her parents deaths.

When she shows up in Hollywood, the directors and producers immediately see a cash cow they can manage and use. After all, morbid curiosity makes people spend lots of money. Kate then finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery when she discovers Lemmy dead on the kitchen floor. Right where she found her grandfather and the others when she arrived. Who dun it? Well, that's what Kate intends to find out. Kate gets a job working for Falcon Pictures as an assistant. This is where Kate learns the ins and outs of the movie business and becomes friends with Bonnie Fairchild, a wannabe child star, and her overbearing mother.

The author isn't afraid of showing the realism of Hollyweird. She does a good job displaying the chaos of Hollywood life; the lip service the industry pays one another to get their work done; and the talent that goes unnoticed, except for those lucky enough to witness it off screen. The story appealed to me because I love early Hollywood movies especially from Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Mary Pickford and many others. Things seemed more sophisticated and the scandals were even juicier than we all could have imagined.

Take the Black Dahlia (Elizabeth Short) who was brutally murdered and her killer was never found. In this story, Kate begins to question Oliver and his boarders as to who murdered Lemmy who wasn't really a good person. Kate then starts to think the worst about the boy she's falling in love with, and whether he can truly be a cold blooded killer. The mystery itself was makes for some rather enjoyable subplot. After all, Kate literally is surrounded on a daily basis by those she could consider to be the murderer. Kate's guilt as to what really happened 4 years ago and her implied PTSD is well covered. Kate's relationship with her grandfather doesn't start off well, but it gradually becomes clear that Kate loves Oliver as only family can love their own.

This book was not for me. I did not particularly like it and ended up DNFing it thus won't be able to provide a detailed review.

We think of the glitz, glamorous mega-stars, and classic movies when we think of the Golden Age of Hollywood, but that’s not the Hollywood that Kate Hildebrand walks into when she’s sent to live in Hollywood with her grandfather. She sees the real Hollywood–the working class Hollywood, I’d say. Her grandfather has retired from acting after his failure to do well in talkies, most of his boarders are struggling actors who can’t find work, and the film Kate comes to participate in is a corny musical that’s being rushed through production to make as much money from as little as possible.

Then the boarder with mob connections is murdered in the kitchen with her grandfather’s own keepsake sword. But only people who lived there would know it was a real sword and that means one of them must be the killer, right? So begins this impressive little 1930s whodunnit caper.

Kate has had it rough and I feel for this girl. Her father ran a massive Ponzi scheme, one of his victims kidnapped Kate for a million-dollar ransom, police shot the kidnapper dead during the ransom exchange, and while police desperately tried to find out where Kate was hidden, her dad’s crimes came to light. He shot’s Kate mother dead, then himself, and Kate was hours away from death herself when police finally found her. Kate woke up in the hospital with a new fear of the dark and without her parents. Much to her dismay, she’s also a media sensation.

This society girl is anxious to get out of Hollywood and away from her grandfather Ollie’s broken down home, but everything starts to grow on her. The chaotic film set she’s working on as a production assistant, her friendship with neighbor and teen actor Bonnie, her blossoming attraction to wannabe actor Hugo Quick, and her increasing closeness with Ollie all convince her to stay. (Plus she needs to solve Lenny the mob guy’s murder so Ollie doesn’t get blamed for it and thrown in jail.)

Her character arc is impressive and her inability to quit jumping to conclusions does a good job of obscuring the killer’s identity, though it gets tiring after a bit. I swear, she told herself at one point “I’ve got to quit jumping to conclusions and accusing this one guy of murder” only for her to keep doing so and accuse him of murder again another time or two. Just for good measure. If you step outside of Kate’s head for a few minutes and consider the evidence, you have a good chance of figuring out the killer’s identity early like I did.

Chasing Starlight offers a a unique, memorable setting in 1930s Hollywood and doesn’t whitewash the setting either literally or figuratively. People of color have always been hard at work in Hollywood even though media depictions have made many of us think of that specific time and place as very white. Neither does the book shy away from the types of racism and sexism specific to that period in Hollywood. Latino actor Aurelio faces his entire history being rewritten to make him a heavily accented immigrant who was lucky enough to be brought to Hollywood by a producer.

This kind of oppression has always been in Hollywood and still is to this day, but it presents and works in different ways depending on the era. For instance: A new Latino actor in Hollywood isn’t going to have a racist backstory forced on them by a studio these days, but they’ll still be typecast into specific roles based on their skin color and accent. Women directing films was incredibly common until men commercialized the industry and pushed them out, as one character remarks in the book. Oppression through the ages in Hollywood is fascinating stuff to look into when you feel like it.

The character of Reuben Feigenbaum, another boarder in Ollie’s home, troubles me somewhat. His surname tells me he’s German and strongly implies he’s Jewish, as I’ve seen it’s a common surname in some Jewish communities. He’s also a communist and in hiding after being the unwilling bookkeeper to a mobster. Him being a Jewish communist who works with money seems a bit close to stereotypes, but to emphasize this: I am not Jewish and am not the authority on this whatsoever.

His character may well be a quiet show of how centuries of anti-Semitic rhetoric and action forced Jewish people into roles they’ve now been stereotyped with, like handling money for a living. Or it might not be that deep and he just trends toward anti-Semitic tropes. I did not ask any of my Jewish friends for their opinions because they have better things to do than be bothered with this just for my sake. I implore you to look for reviews of this book by Jewish people and see what they have to say.

Chasing Starlight is a glitzy whodunnit caper that will learn you a thing or two while you’re enjoying yourself. Would I get a copy of the book for myself when it releases? Yeah. Would I reread it given the chance? Definitely!

Chasing Starlight was a very enjoyable book. The author set a murder mystery in old Hollywood at the time of big studios and glamorous stars. Our heroine, Kate (aka Kitty) has experienced an incomprehensible amount of loss in her young life. As fate would have it, the marriage of her aunt leads her to California to meet her estranged grandfather. What Kate finds isn't even close to what she expected. She is soon caught up in the mysterious events surrounding her grandfather and the various gentlemen who are living in his home. Kate finds things aren't as they seem and she has a difficult trusting anything she can't physically see or touch. Having faith in people and their intentions is her downfall because she's been let down so many times in her life.

As the story evolves, Kate matures and gains added confidence. She refuses intimidated by those who don't truly understand her history. There was definitely some interesting character development in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Chasing Starlight by Teri Bailey Black is a young adult mystery thriller romance that is sure to keep you turning pages as fast as you can read them! I love the old Hollywood setting. The characters are well-written and mysterious with creative backstories. Bringing in the film aspects made for an amazing change of pace and sometimes made me forget about the mystery altogether. Chasing Starlight is a lovely young adult romance.

What drew me to this book was the synopsis - a murder mystery set in the Golden Age of Hollywood.

What kept me reading wasn't necessarily the mystery - I kind of guessed whodunnit early on though the author managed to have me doubt myself, so kudos - but the characters and their relationships, the dynamic between them and the way the author managed to capture those times.

Oh, she also happened to mention some of my favorite actors, so there is that.

Our female lead, Kate, has to go move in with an estranged grandfather and a few strangers he lived in. She wanted out of that house, however - it felt like a museum, since her grandfather used to be the biggest silent movie actor, so he had many memorabilia from the past - and back with her aunt.

But things happened and it didn't exactly go her way.

I loved the characters, the drama, the love story and the relationships between the characters. I also loved the certain feel the story had. Either way, I recommend this book.

I voluntarily agreed to read an early copy via Netgalley and my rating is 4 stars.

This was such a great read! I enjoyed the old Hollywood setting and theme along with the heartfelt yet exciting storyline. This book was glamorous and descriptive. Kate gave me Nancy Drew vibes and she was such a badass along with the other characters! I'd love to see more YA novels set in The Golden Age of Hollywood. Bravo to the author for doing such a great job.

I'm not normally drawn to mysteries, but whenever I read them I end up really enjoying myself. Chasing Starlight was no exception- it had me at Old Hollywood. There is something so romantic about this setting and time period. The mix of glamour and magic with a darker underlying seediness makes such a fantastic atmosphere for a story and it works really well for a murder mystery. The writing style was fairly modern for a historical fiction novel, but it didn't bother me as it made it a very quick and easy read. I really liked the main character, Kate, who was a strong and smart woman in a time when women were just supposed to be beautiful. She moves in with her estranged ex-movie star grandfather and his male boarders at his house in Hollywood when her aunt, who was her guardian after a tragedy killed both her parents, gets remarried. While moving in, Kate walks into a murder scene and the adventure begins. The cast of boarders made a great ensemble, each one of them with a unique personality and endearing qualities. Hugo Quick, the young, rugged, struggling actor, was my favorite, and I loved watching his relationship with Kate grow. They had great chemistry and their fire added a deeper layer to the story. The plot was fast-paced and had a lot of twists and turns, leading me astray with its many clues, but still giving me enough to put them together to find the murderer myself. The final confrontation was a satisfying ending and wrapped everything up really nicely. If you enjoy historical fiction, Old Hollywood, and murder mysteries, Chasing Starlight should be the next book on your list.

This was a really fun book! The author does such a great job immersing you in the late 1930's Hollywood! The real highlight for me was Kate as a protagonist. While she does suffer from a childhood trauma, she still wants to be an astronomer and I love that she speaks her mind. Her observations on the toxicity and other bad things in Hollywood were fantastic and still apply today. I liked how she fought for what was right and even though she was scared, especially of the dark, she ended up having a great character arc. This book has such an honest heart with fun characters and a decent plot. While it was a little too slow burn for me as far as the mystery, this was still really good. Anyone looking for an old fashioned setting and murder mystery should really like this!

Since I found out about Chasing Starlight I have been excited about this book, and I was correct to be excited. This historical mystery is just what I was hoping for.
It has a feisty before her time, a very glamorous setting, and a pretty decent mystery. It was set in the 1930s in Hollywood and while a lot of the book focused on the moving making aspects of the time, I really enjoyed learning about it. Living in Southern California myself it was fun being able to recognize the place. Especially when the clue that cracked the whole case was located in the very city I live in. I will admit that at times the mystery took a backseat to the movie-making and character interaction, but I didn’t mind that at all. For me the mystery wasn’t the main attraction, rather the characters were!
I loved Kate. As I mentioned she was very ahead of her time wanting to blaze her own trial in a time when most women were happy being housewives. I loved her grandfather, Ollie, seeing him grow was probably my favorite part of the story. And of course, Hugo was a wonderful hero. I loved these characters so much, that I am hoping that perhaps this could somehow become a series.
If you love mystery and old Hollywood you will love Chasing Starlight.

An absolutely stunning Hollywood whodunnit! Black's writing pulled me in right away and didn't let me go until he very last page. A must-read for any YA or historical fan, especially if you have a sweet spot for old Hollywood like me.

A solid 4 stars from me!

This book has some of my favorite things in books:
A Hollywood setting that highlights the realities of the industry
Found Family
A very intriguing cheesy mystery.

Characters: The only solid character to me was Kate and Ollie. Whilst Ruben, Aurelio, and Bonnie were all intriguing they did not feel as real as those three. Kate felt like an Austen heroine in a way and her backstory and trauma were so intriguing and the PTSD felt realistic though I can't speak on that.

If you loved the world of Evelyn Hugo you will adore this. It's mostly on a movie set and in a very old mansion. If you loved the 2007 Nancy Drew movie this is perfect for you!

I flew through this in a day and a half and I think this is the perfect read for casual mystery fans and people who are film lovers.

I will say the criminal was very predictable towards the end and the resolution felt a little unrealistic but to me, it added to the cheese so I found that enjoyable but I know others don't feel the same

Charming, fun, and fast-paced. Cannot recommend it enough

For fans of classical Hollywood cinema, Chasing Starlight will be a fun ride. While it took me a few chapters to get lost into the story, as soon as it picked up I found the tone of it incredibly reminiscent of the same feeling I get whenever I see a film from the 30s or 40s. It was delightfully authentic.

The plot, centered around the death of one of lead Kate's grandfather's house boarders, takes us through the story from one exciting event to the next without much of a break. As the novel progresses, and despite the constant action, the author takes advantage of moments between the characters to not just connect but to grow into themselves and outwardly alongside others. The friendships and bonds between Kate, Ollie and Hugo are especially pronounced. And the romance between the latter and Kate is sweet, with enough of a discreet spark to belong in the big screen during the Golden Age of films.

Kate herself, as the character driving the plot, is fairly easy to get to know and connect with. While her back and forth belief/disbelief/accusations of Hugo as the killer and antagonist in the story comes across as rash, it's not difficult to understand why she has such a tough time believing in others given her traumatic past. Nonetheless, she's fierce in her attempts to protect and help others, and seeing her save the day was rather satisfying alongside her grandfather—Ollie's—help. Ollie himself is a dear, and one of the most precious grandpas that I've had the opportunity to read in a tale with his own struggles to face.

Every character in this story has something that they're dealing with, whether physically or emotionally, and none do so easily. They're all a believable cast, helping the reader become further immersed. And borrowing from historical facts from the day, the author makes mention of not just movies that threw Hollywood into stronger popularity with the masses, but she also touches on political points, gender equality/inequality and racial beliefs that were as unpleasant as they were (sadly) factual back in the day.

While I figured out who the culprit truly was fairly soon after Kate finds the dead body in Ollie's kitchen, it was still an entertaining trail to follow. Teri Bailey Black keeps you on the edge of your seat and pulls you in faster and faster as the race reaches the finish line during the last few chapters. Chasing Starlight is a feel good cozy mystery with enough heart to become a choice read.