I’ve always loved old Hollywood stories. The unsolved starlet murders, illicit affairs etc so I was excited to read this book. The author does a good job building the atmosphere around the Lowe family & the people surrounding them. Salma is convinced that she knows who killed her sister but does she really know?

Honestly I kept wanting more from this story & felt that it got repetitive after a while. It’s a solid 3 star read. I enjoyed it and finished it fairly quickly but wanted just a bit more b

Former child star Salma Lowe has never recovered from finding the body of her older sister, Tawney, the bombshell actress nicknamed The Hurricane Blonde. She fell into addiction in the aftermath, and 19 years later is trying to rebuild her life and prove that Tawny's ex-fiancee, Cal, is the one who strangled her beside her pool. Salma's now working as a murder tour bus guide, which visits the sites of famous murdered Hollywood starlets (The Black Dahlia, Dominique Dunn, etc...) and ends in front of her sister's old home. Imagine her shock when one afternoon, she finds the body of another blonde woman floating dead in the pool. And the plot thickens when she finds out that this woman, named Ankine, was the star in Cal's newest film, which was about The Hurricane Blonde.

Salma can't help herself, she has to investigate, wanting to expose Cal and prove that he killed her sister years ago and has now done it again. I was hooked pretty early on. It was well written, and I enjoyed watching the mystery unfold and seeing the complicated relationship between Salma and her mom, along with the behind the scenes of the movie being filmed. There are a few flashback scenes which help flesh out the characters and explain what led Salma to this point. I enjoyed both mysteries - Tawny and Ankine - and was rooting for Salma as she did her sleuthing. There are a couple surprises near the end, one of which I suspected may be the case but still enjoyed seeing it play out. And there are several things that require the suspension of belief, but as always, I don't mind that in fiction. I look forward to reading more from Halley Sutton.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review, so a huge thanks to them and to Penguin/Putnam for approving my request.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I absolutely loved this book! The author is such a talented writer! It’s about a woman who works in LA, driving a tourist bus that follows the dead celebrites. The interesting part is that her sister is one of those dead celebrities 👀 AND while on the tour, another woman is found dead in the same spot her sister was!!
As she begins to dig deeper and deeper into her sister’s murder, the more danger comes 😳

Murdered starlets, a dangerous director, and a washed up actor has all the makings of an unputdownable thriller.

The Hurricane Blonde - or Tawney as she's better known to her family - has become a Hollywood legend in her death. Found murdered nearly two decades ago, her murder goes unsolved and everyone has seemingly moved on except her sister, Salma. Salma's own short-lived dabble with Hollywood fame came crashing down after Tawney's death when she coped by masking her sorrow with drugs and alcohol. Now, sober and trying to put her demons behind her, Salma is shoved back to those dark days when she finds yet another starlet dead...and in Tawney's former home. Salma is convinced Tawney's ex-fiance is to blame, but can she prove it?

There's quite a bit going on with this novel and I loved the intersection of fame, sobriety, family, and mystery that is woven through each page. We have the mystery of Tawney's murder on the one hand and on the other, we have Ankine's death, which may or may not be the accident it was determined to be. Our narrator Salma is portrayed as a bit of mess. She has been sober for years but is still grappling with the uncertainty surrounding Tawney's death and now the trauma of finding Ankine dead in Tawney's pool all these years later. It's hard to trust her intuition and I struggled with whether or not to count on her as a reliable narrator.

I also really enjoyed the inner look at Hollywood and what young stars will do for fame. The choking scene was disturbing and what hit even harder was all the onlookers standing by and doing nothing. Cal's set was riddled with humiliation, manipulation, and kowtowing, so again, it was hard to know who and what to trust. Was Cal the monster Salma thought he was, or was he just a mad genius doing whatever it takes to get and stay ahead?

There are good twists in this novel -- twists and secrets I really didn't even think to look for. As Salma learns more about the past, so much of her present makes more sense.

If you love a Hollywood novel that looks beneath all the glitz and glitter, this is definitely one for you. It releases on August 8th and is available for preorder now!

Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions, Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley for the copy.

OMG. What a friggin trip. I am so thankful to Putnam Books, Halley Sutton, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for the physical copy, digital access, and the audiobook before this twisted Hollywood thriller is projected to hit shelves on August 8, 2023.

Salma Lowe is a former child actress, a burnt-out one at that, who’s been hurt by the movie industry, and ridiculed especially after the brutal killing of her beloved sister, and watching that instance be produced into a book/movie. It’s a bit too much to handle.

When her late sister’s ex-boyfriend and director begins to regurgitate this sad tale into a new movie, Salma jumps onto the scene to keep her eyes on Cal and his misdoings. When a young actress who was casted as her younger sister shows up dead in the same way her sister did all those years ago, Salma is thrusted into a world of trauma and hurt like no other.

Determined to find the killer at the base of all this madness, Salma contributes her time and effort into helping these young actresses to steer clear of the abuse and drama before someone else falls dead.

I'm not sure what to think about this book. It was a quick fast paced start that just tanked about halfway in. It was ok for a quick summer read but not a favorite.

I LOVED THIS ONE!!

I love Hollywood glamour and drama, and this had a ton of that. It also had secrets and murder and lies. And combined it was amazing!

Salma Lowe's parents were considered Hollywood royalty. Her older sister, Tawney, was and up and coming star in her own right when she was murdered. Her death sent an already wild teenage Salma spiraling out of control. After a couple stints in rehab, she is now working doing bus tours for Stars Six Feet Under, which is exactly what it wounds like. Tawney's home, which was the scene of her murder, is a stop on the tour.

Tawney’s murder have never been solved and this haunts Salma still. Salma believes Tawney's former fiance, Cal, is the murderer, but can't prove it. When she finds Cal is making a movie about her sister's death, Salma finagles her way into a job working on the film.

Will Salma be able to find the killer? Is it Cal? What family secrets will be uncovered along the way? Well, you'll have to read it to find out!

I flew through this one and highly recommend!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam and Thriller Book Lover Promotions for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group for this ARC.
Pub Date- August 8, 2023

“The sun will come out tomorrow, kiddo. It almost always does.”

⭐️ Hollywood whodunnit
⭐️Current and Past Timelines
⭐️Murder Cold Case
⭐️Celebrity Family Secrets
⭐️Twists and Turns

Salma is an ex child actress and who comes from Hollywood royalty. She now is a tour bus guide for Stars Six Feet Under. One of her stops is at her sisters old house. She was murdered by the pool and her killer was never caught. They call her The Hurricane Blonde. One day at this stop, there is a dead body floating in the pool of a young blonde woman. It was ruled an accident but Salma is convinced it is a murder and has something to do with her sisters cold case. She is haunted by these murders and will not stop until she gets justice for the victims. We get taken on a wild ride to through Hollywood sets where we learn how dark it can really get.

Halley Sutton is such a strong, compelling writer. I'll be interviewing her for Writers on Writing and will broadcast in August 2023.

The Hurricane Blonde is Hollywood glamour mixed with the seedy, behind the scenes, messed up world that actresses live in. Tawny was found dead by her sister and her murder had gone unsolved for years. Now Salma finds another dead actress, right where she found her sister. As Salma struggles to stay clean while finding answers to what happened to these two people, we get to see how hard it is on her. Salma is an easy character to feel bad for. She is flawed but has come by her flaws through trauma. I appreciated her stubbornness and determination. Sleep while reading this? Sorry, don’t know her.

🌊THE HURRICANE BLONDE by Halley Sutton🌊

📆PUB DATE: August 8, 2023
➡️Swipe for synopsis
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: E-book
Read if you like:
🎥Books set in Hollywood
2️⃣Dual timeline
🕵️‍♀️Cold case mysteries

The Hurricane Blonde was a page turning, dual timeline, Hollywood murder mystery that left me wanting a little more in the end. Salma Lowe grew up in Hollywood with famous parents and a starlet sister. When her sister was found murdered at her home many years ago, the fiancé is the number one suspect. Her sisters fiancé happens to be a prolific Hollywood director who is never charged with the murder. Many years later, Salma discovers the body of an up and coming actress who is working on her sister’s fiancé’s new film.

The premise was great and I loved the Hollywood setting. I always enjoy a classic who-done-it book and that’s exactly what this was. I didn’t like Salma’s character or really any other character in the book, but I think this was intentional on the author’s part. Salma was very determined to get the answers she wanted, but she went to lengths that didn’t seem sensible. The ending left too many questions unanswered. I would recommend this if you really like books set in Hollywood and a who-done-it mystery, but skip if you need endings perfectly wrapped up or likeaboe characters.

Thank you @putnambooks and @netgalley for the gifted copy of The Hurricane Blonde in exchange for an honest review! Pick this up when it comes out on August 8.

Salma Lowe is a former child actress, the daughter of two Hollywood legends, and the sister of a dead starlet: Tawney Lowe aka the “Hurricane Blonde,” who was murdered at her home 20 years before, her killer never found. Salma has always suspected her former fiancé, Cal, a notorious director, whose star has only risen since Tawney’s death. But with little evidence, in Hollywood, where dead, pretty girls are a commodity, Tawney’s killer still roams free. Salma, who now gives tours of infamous Hollywood murder scenes, happens upon a dead body in her sisters’ pool eerily reminiscent of her sisters’ death AND she finds out the girl was set to star in Carl’s latest movie, she decides she can no longer let things go. She decides to figure out what happened to Tawney once and for all. But what she discovers may lead her down a path darker than she ever imagined - and this from a girl who thought she hit rock bottom a long time ago.

The book flashes between the current day and certain scenes from the past between Salma, Tawney, and their parents.

The two mysteries of this book: what happened to Tawney and what happened to the girl in the pool, are really good - just when you think you gave a handle on things, there’s a wrench thrown in there to keep you guessing. Plus, there’s the “Hollywood” factor, in which the rich and powerful are protected, and the little has-been like Salma are told to keep out of the way and threatened. It’s really interesting to see how it all plays out as Salma investigates everything.

And along the way - wow! - are there some great twists in there. Nothing is as it appears in this book and that makes things even more complex. But somehow it all comes together in the end to create the complete picture of what happened. It’s messy and a bit confusing at times, but if that’s not reminiscent of an Oscar-winning film, I don’t know what is!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves mystery books with great twists and deep storylines. You won’t be disappointed!

I loved everything about this emotional, character driven, twisty Hollywood thriller!

Salma Lowe hasn’t moved on from her sister Tawney’s mysterious death decades ago, and is working a celebrity death tour when another girl who looks like Tawney drowns in the same pool. Salma’s obsession with finding out who killed her sister is reignited, and her investigation takes her into the murky underbelly of Hollywood’s hotshots.

I loved the nuanced portrayal of grief Sutton threads throughout this suspenseful story, as well as the biting commentary on class, gender and power in Hollywood.

Who killed my sister?

Thank you SO much to @thrillerbookloverspromotions / @halleysutton25 / @penguinpublications for this ARC!

➡️Swipe for synopsis👉🏼

MY REVIEW:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hollywood isn't always all glitz and glamour. Sometimes it's full of secrets, betrayal, and murder.

This book definitely highlights the internal struggles of Hollywood that "normal" people don't see.
ALOT gets swept under the rug, and ALOT is kept secret so reputations are never tarnished, no matter how criminal the secret.
This story is twisty, relentless, and sad, but it ultimately shows the ugly truth of Hollywood and how far some will go to stay in the lime light - no matter who they hurt.

It was a good read, some parts were a little over explained for me, but overall, I did enjoy this book!

QOTD❓️⁉️❓️Who is your favorite celebrity and why?!

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The Hurricane Blonde is a unique thriller set in Hollywood that dives into the beautiful but dangerous lives of those living there. I had really wanted to like this book; however, there were quite a few things that were just off for me. First, for a thriller, it was very predictable. I knew who the main "villains" were from the start. Second, the pacing was all over the place; it'd go from short and fast chapters to long scenes with unnecessary details that slowed the entire book down. Finally, none of the characters were likable. I get that that may have been a part of what the author was going for; however, I do, at least, like to care about a character enough to want to finish the book. Overall, The Hurricane Blonde was not for me.

This was my first by this author and I loved it. It had a little bit of everything in it to keep you entertained. Highly recommend!

What a fun read! I l found the pace of this one to be a bit slow, the story seemed to be drawn out , I did find the characters to be quite likeable , the story was well written, I did think that it could have been shortened or additional events could have made the pace a bit quicker.

3 stars

I did like the this title, it had both new and old Hollywood vibe which is why I choose this book. It had some twists that I didn’t see coming. The main character despite her messiness was likable,. It felt like a genre mashup of. family drama, historical fiction, crime and thriller, Although the story kept me engaged I felt that is was drawn out and could have been edited more. There are many trigger warnings in this book around sexual abuse which some readers might find disturbing.

Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the copy of The Hurricane Blonde by Halley Sutton. I was enthralled from the start and I liked the exploration of powerful men and how women are affected by them. The characters were interesting, but none of them was very likable except maybe for Emerald, a Black woman trying to make it in Hollywood. If you’re looking for a well-written beach/vacation book this is it! Murder, Hollywood and movies are a great combination and this book delivers.

With a title like The Hurricane Blonde and a novel that centers on a former child star, and the murder of her movie star sister, in Hollywood, you might expect this book to be vapid. It was anything but—it’s a well-researched read that feels very real and is well-plotted and deeply emotional.

For me, it was also a satisfying read with an ending that truly felt right, and I loved protagonist Salma’s character development.

The Hurricane Blonde is a thoroughly enjoyable, excellent modern noir novel that goes beyond the glitter of Tinseltown to shine a light on the flawed people at the heart of the industry. Although the main characters in this novel were fictional, their story felt incredibly authentic, a testament to the author’s deep research and stellar writing. Highly recommend!