This was such a quick, fun, witty read! Similar to Serious Moonlight and You’d Be Mine, this book felt like a love letter. One written to those who still swoon and squeal while looking at movies from the Golden Age of Hollywood. (Me!)

The mystery took a backseat to the unglamorous lives of our leading actors. A ragtag bunch of misfits who find homes and families in each other and who I grew to love so very quickly! Teri Bailey Black did a great job displaying the chaos of Hollywood life; the lip service the industry pay one another to get their work done; and the talent that goes unnoticed, except for those lucky enough to witness it off screen.

The mystery itself was quite simple and I did find myself at times wishing there hadn’t been a murder, as I was far more interested in Ollie’s borders kitchen sink dramas then finding out who the killer was. But it did make for some rather enjoyable subplots.

I would heartily recommend this book to anyone who adores the Golden Age of Hollywood and stories about the families you make yourself.

My thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Netgalley and Teri Bailey Black for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a hidden gem! I adored Kate as a heroine; the supporting cast was lovely (I want an Aurelio!); the mystery sucked me in and kept me guessing; and I adored the seedy glamor of the Old Hollywood setting. There was just enough soapy drama to keep me hungry for more but also a lot of substance: Kate’s guilt and implied PTSD, as well as her grandfather’s; 1930s film studios’ treatment of women and people of color; and the dark side of fame and fortune in the Golden Age of Hollywood. An excellent read that I highly recommend.

(One caveat: that cover did it a disservice.)

4.5 stars!!!
This book almost has it all! A kick-ass female main character, a lovely, sweet and interesting love interest, a house full of weirdos, a nice aesthetic, interesting family dynamics, a loving grandpa-granddaughter relationship that made me tear up, a murder mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat!
The only negative thing I really have to say is that it a little too straight and too white. Queer people have existed in the 1930s, I wish there was just one queer side character, that'd make this book PERFECT! But I'm reclaiming Stella Nixon and she's totally a lesbian, you can't convince me otherwise.

#ChasingStarlight
#Macmilliam
#MustReadYAmystery
#NetGalley
I really enjoyed this noir genre mystery for young adults. Personally, I would love to see more young adult mysteries in the coming years. I like Veronica Mars and Nancy Drew mysteries. I think many will enjoy the slow burn of this one. Old school Hollywood didn't hurt as a backdrop either.

For the Turner Classic Movie/Veronica Mars/YA interested gal, this book ended up being an absolute delight!

The author has connection to Hollywood (since the forward mentions her grandfather being involved with MGM), which gave me a strong reason to hope that this book would be a solid read.

The writing is smooth, fluid, and the characters all have their own personalities and quirks. Kate/Katherine has been sent to live with her estranged grandfather who once used to be a famous silent movie star. Now, living in his rambled house with three other Hollywood hopefuls, she comes to learn the reasons why he was estranged and why Hollywood is no longer knocking on his door.

The movie is a love letter to classic noir and movies like Sunset Boulevard and Who Framed Rodger Rabbit by showing us the making of a film behind the scenes. It also gives nod to teen sluth novels like Encyclopedia Brown, Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew.

The motive/mystery/suspense was on point and I truly had no idea who was the killer until the last 10% of the book. Which, goes to show you, that's some good writing.

I think the author has a solid book here and if she wishes to explore more within this world I wouldn't mind. She has the knack for giving us a good mystery story and the fact it takes place in Hollywood, well, even better!

I most certainly recommend this book. I look forward to seeing the reviews come time for release.