A historical mystery if you will, with a sprinkle of Hollywood drama included here and there. I really enjoyed this one, as I do anything by Susan Meissner.

As Melanie Cole has been tied to Communism her life has come to a standstill. The “Red Scare” in Hollywood had affected countless people in the film industry, and this included Melanie. The once busy life of the vivacious Hollywood starlet is no longer. It is 1950s Malibu and Melanie is now blacklisted. This is is no easy existence for her.

Melanie finds it difficult to keep to herself is not easy, and she wouldn’t mind getting to know her neighbor Elwood better. But with him being agoraphobic, just chatting - with occasional shouting - through an open window was the extent of their friendship. What once was frequent chats between Melanie and Elwood have completely stopped, leaving Melanie really concerned about his welfare.

Elwood has a caretaker, his sister-in-law June. Not only will she not answer any of Melanie’s probing questions, Melanie had recently seen her digging in and around Elwood’s beloved rose garden. Determined to discover what has suddenly happened to Elwood, and with what Melanie suspects as June’s suspicious behavior, Melanie puts her own worries aside, determined to find answers.

June has been caring for Elwood since he had been incapacitated due to a bad accident, working as his full-time caretaker. June has been hiding more than one secret for years. Then there is Eva, Melanie’s European housekeeper, an immigrant with a disturbing past. Three women, each with a distinct life path, find their lives intertwined. Through healing, they grow and recover, their journeys becoming intricately woven together.

Elwood’s disappearance is just one intriguing aspect of this well-crafted story. Residents in and around Malibu are in the direct path of a wildfire that could destroy everything in its path. This dramatic element, coupled with the mystery at hand, creates a compelling read by Susan Meissner.

Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This historical fiction book reminds the reader of a time that is not talked about much; this book puts a face on what it wa like to live through this disgraceful time. But the book is much more than just a documentary of the Black List, it is also a story of love, friendship, and becoming oneself, as well as shining a light on agoraphobia and the crippling effect it can have. I also thought Eva's storyline was well told, Ms.. Meissner did not dwell on the hardships of the displaced person camps, that we can imagine, but moves her story along and deals more with how she ended up where she is because of her experience with her employer's (and friend's) husband. There is a lot of conversation in this book as the three women form a bond among themselves and at the end of the book the reader finds an satisfying (if maybe a little too contrived) ending to the story.

Melanie Cole was a budding starlet with a hit movie and a handsome movie star boyfriend. Then the boyfriend was accused of being a communist by the House UnAmerican Activities Committee (McCarthy) and Melanie is blacklisted - guilty by association. She's now ensconced in a Malibu beach house (courtesy of said boyfriend) until the uproar blows over. Luckily she befriends the reclusive next door neighbor. Then he disappears. What happened to him? Did his live-in caretaker kill him?

While I really enjoyed the setting and premise of this book, it seemed to be lacking something. Meissner definitely puts the reader soundly in the time and place of 1950s Malibu and the Red Scare that captivated the entire US. Melanie is a bit of a whiner, but I could certainly understand why since the trajectory of her career plummeted overnight with no real hope of improvement, and she clearly doesn't want to go back home to small town Midwest. The disappearance of the neighbor has a bit of a "Rear Window" feel, but everything seems to just work out a little too easily in the end. Adding in the mystery surrounding the housekeeper's past and a tragic, but seemingly too convenient, fire and there's a lot going on in this book. I couldn't put it down, but it still left me feeling a bit ambivalent. Not a bad book, just not great.

Enjoyed the historical aspect of the 1950s A bit
Melodramatic. Historical fiction and mystery/ suspense mix.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of A Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner.
A Map to Paradise is a historical fiction taking place in the 1950s during the Cold War. The story centers around three women that are each affected by circumstances in the 50s. From women's rights to fears of Russian spies. From isolation to friendship. This book connects the dots and shows life during a turbulent time. The three plot lines were easy to follow, each character created in depth. At times the book dragged and I found my attention waning, but overall the book was well written.

This is the third book I've read by Susan Meissner. Each one has involved a different era, but always features interesting female characters.

A Map to Paradise is set during the Red Scare of the 1950s and one of the lead characters is a young actress who has been blacklisted though she has no communist ties. She just had the unfortunate happenstance to star alongside a male actor who did have some possible communist ties. Back then (actually, probably still happens), studios liked for it to seem like their lead actress and actor were a real-life couple. While Melanie is hiding out in Malibu, she meets a reclusive screenwriter and his sister-in-law/caretaker.

June seems like your typical 1950s housewife, but she is a lot more than that. She was married to Elwood's brother, but was in love with Elwood the entire time. After Elwood's car accident that made him a recluse, June and her husband moved in with Elwood. It is basically the only home she has known as an adult.

The third female character is Ava. She is a displaced refugee. She is of German descent but was born and lived in Russia (in an annexed region that had once been part of Germany). When WWII broke out, she became stateless as the Germans viewed her family as Russian and the Russians viewed them as German.

The main theme of the book is displacement and what is "home". Each woman deals with her displacement (or potential displacement) differently, but each method comes at a cost.

It is interesting that there are very few male characters in this book. Actually, there are very few characters outside of the three women. It is a very tightly focused story, though it is expanded as we get each woman's backstory.

It took me a little bit to warm up to the characters. As their stories unfolded, I became more attached to them. I think this novel was more subtle and nuanced than Meissner's previous novels that I've read. It is an enjoyable read.

This would be another great book to read while relaxing. There is just a touch of tension as we worry whether the women's secrets will be found out, but it isn't like a thriller.

This would be a great book to read with your girlfriends or a book club.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Saturday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2025/07/2-historical-fiction-books-you-might.html

I'm a big fan of Susan Meissner. I hope to read everything she writes. This is one of my favorites so far. Evocative of the old Hollywood/McCarthy era.

I have read many of Susan's books but this one just fell flat for me. I really tried to understand this main character but I just couldn't sympathize with her. The one good thing I can say is that her research is always on point and I did learn a lot about the McCarthy era.

1956 in Hollywood at the height of the Cold War. Neighbors spot another neighbor with a new garden and the disappearance of another. This has all the flavor of the 50’s in America. It was great.

In 1956, the Red Scare is cooling off, but not quickly enough to save film star Melanie Cole from being blacklisted when her paramour is accused of being a communist. Hiding out in a rented Malibu home while she waits for the scandal to pass, Melanie’s only friends are her hired maid, Eva Kruse, and her shut-in neighbor, screenwriter Elwood Blankenship.

Eva is hiding too. Having immigrated to the United States four years earlier as a Displaced Person from Poland, she’s terrified that if the feds start looking into Melanie, they’ll discover her secret as well—which would end badly for both her and the star. But when Elwood stops coming to his window to talk to Melanie, the ladies worry that his sister-in-law, June, is abusing or harming him in some way. Melanie sends Eva over to the Blankenship home to check things out, and Eva uncovers much more than either she or Melanie could have possibly expected.

Once again, Meissner has delivered a tale of unexpected friendships and female strength in a male-dominated world. Seen through the eyes of Melanie, Eva, and June, the story casts a critical eye on the paranoia that sparks panics like the Red Scare. In a rare stumble, though, Meissner muddles the message by excusing a drunken-driving accident as unintentional, arguing that the driver wasn’t responsible for his passenger’s death because he hadn’t deliberately pulled a trigger. Meissner’s fans will likely forgive the blunder, but readers new to Meissner’s work might want to start with one of her older titles.

Susan Meissner never fails to get me excited about historical fiction. She always picks periods in history that are lesser known, and I always end up learning a lot. In A Map to Paradise, she takes us into the 1950s, at the beginning of the Cold War when the Red Scare was causing a panic among Americans. I loved each of the women’s stories and how they all intersected. The characterization of Ava, June, and Melanie was thorough, and even the side characters had fully fleshed out personalities. I would have liked a little more closure about Alex to round out what happened to him, but overall, I found everything wrapped up in such a perfect way. Another easy five star read for the queen of hisfic, Susan Meissner!

I haven't met a Susan Meissner book I didn't like, and her latest, A Map to Paradise, is no exception!

This story has a different feel from her past few novels, but also shows what a diverse writer she is. It has some of the feel of Stars Over Sunset Boulevard, which was my intro to her writing many years ago. It also reminds me of the TV series Why Women Kill. Although it takes place in the 1950s, it has a lot of relevance to present times. Especially with Melanie's situation of being blacklisted in Hollywood because she was associated with someone people believed to be a Communist. I felt really bad for her in her situation. Not only couldn't she get a job, but she was also being bullied and had to hide away in order to get any semblance of peace and privacy. And then her closest friend suddenly stops contacting her or responding to her outreach and she doesn't know why.

Eva also had an interesting situation, but I don't want to say much about it to avoid spoilers. Let's just say she's hiding something about herself that could impact Melanie even further if people found out.

At first, I didn't like June, but then I came to appreciate her more as the story went on and I cared about what she was going through too.

Overall, the story is well-told and flows well. It held my interest the entire time. I feel like the intensity level isn't as strong as it was in Susan's previous couple of novels, but the element of mystery carried things along. It's perfect for fans of The Chelsea Girls by Fiona Davis (who I think would pair up well with Susan if she were to ever write a book with someone).

I recommend checking it out, whether you are a long time fan of Susan Meissner or whether this is your first time reading her books. Either way, it will keep you turning the pages!

(Trigger warnings below.)

Movie casting suggestions:
Melanie: Rose Williams
Eva: Jeanne Goursand
June: Rosamund Pike
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TW: Domestic violence. Suicide. Agoraphobia. Death of spouse.

This was my first read by Susan Meissner and it definitely won’t be my last! I have always heard great things about her books and now I can see why. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and it is so refreshing to read about a time in history that isn’t often depicted. It’s clear Susan Meissner did her research, making the story very interesting. I really loved seeing how the lives of the three main characters are intertwined and the progression of their friendships.

Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner is an interesting read with many twists and turns. Three women have formed an alliance with each other even though they suspect each other of various crimes or situations. The book is set in the 1950s during the era of blacklists in Hollywood. People were not trusting each other and were selling out each other to avoid being in trouble with the government for being a ‘communist’ .

Melanie Cole is one of the blacklisted people, all because she went to a party with her boyfriend. She has a maid coming in daily, Eva. Eva is an immigrant from Europe who was displaced by WWII. She is obviously hiding something and it loath to put herself in the limelight. Really Melanie’s house doesn’t need that much attention, but it is job and she is safe. Next door to Melanie is a famous writer in Hollywood, Elwood, a recluse. Melanie is positive Elwood would help her if she could just get past his sister in law June, who is almost his gatekeeper. It is interesting that June is digging around Elwood’s roses. The three women help each other while attempting to keep their secrets their own. Different happenings make each one suspicious of the other one. Yet the world is a dangerous place in Hollywood.

The book is not a turn the page every minute to discover what is happening, as much as it is a slow reveal of the characters, their motivations and secrets. The ending does tie everything up nicely revealing a number of truths and reminding them the world is a dangerous place for them. Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner is an interesting read.

The writing is strong as usual, but I thought that three POV characters were too many to really get an in depth emotional connection to all of them. Still totally worth reading.

Melanie Cole is a Hollywood actress in the 1950s who has been put on the blacklist due to her ties with a supposed communist. She is biding her time in a house by herself waiting for it to pass so she can go back to work. Her only companions are her housekeeper Eva, reportedly from Poland, her reclusive agoraphobic neighbor, screenwriter Ellwood, and his widowed sister-in-law June. Each of the characters is holding onto secrets from their pasts, and when events of the present draw them together in unusual ways, they forge a unique bond with each other.

I wasn't the biggest fan of Melanie's character. Maybe it was because I was listening to the audiobook for most of it, but she comes across as hysterical and not level-headed at all. After a while it got better, but I thought it took a bit too long for her to cue in on the fact that she was not the center of the universe and that people might have reasons for doing what they do.

Although I thought there were too many characters and too much jumping back and forth in time with those characters, the overall story is mostly engaging and interesting. I love reading books set in this time period, I found the plot to be fascinating as it explores what it was like to be a woman during that era vs. being a man, and captures everyone's fear of the Soviets at that time.

Although this wasn't my favorite book by this author, I will still read more of her books and always look forward to an intriguing novel with interesting characters.

In 1956 Malibu, starlet Melanie Cole is effected by the Hollywood blacklist. When her reclusive neighbor, a screenwriter, goes missing, she becomes involved in an unexpected mystery.

I wanted to read A Map to Paradise because I love historical fiction and am interested in old time Hollywood. I've never read a novel about the Hollywood blacklist before!

This was a fascinating read. I loved the combination of historical storytelling and mystery. The characters in the book are memorable, and their interactions added a great deal of depth to the story. I enthusiastically recommend A Map to Paradise for other historical fiction fans, and especially for anyone interested in old time Hollywood.

3.5 TY to Net Galley and Berkley for the ARC. What I loved: the setting. I love books set in Cali and Malibu is a favorite. I was also drawn to the old Hollywood/movie industry theme. What I didn't love: I didn't get nearly enough of either one. The story had too many themes, one of which was WWII, for which I was not prepared nor enjoyed.

Thank you UpLitReads & Berkley Pub, #partner, for the finished copy of A Map to Paradise in exchange for my honest review. I borrowed the audiobook from the library.

I have been a fan of Susan Meissner’s books for quite some time and this latest one did not disappoint. A slow-burn mystery that takes us to the 1950s during the height of the McCarthy Era and the Red Scare, I found myself totally transported. This is at the beginning of the decline of Old Hollywood and we see actors & actresses being blacklisted, tensions high and everyone afraid. ⁣
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I loved how Meissner brought this piece of history to life but more importantly, I loved the female friendships she develops as she tells her story. This has always been such a strong part of her storytelling and it really shines here.

In her new novel A Map to Paradise (Berkley, 2025), Susan Meissner’s three protagonists each have reasons for avoiding unwanted attention. It’s late 1956 in Malibu, California. Melanie Cole, a 25-year-old film starlet, has isolated herself in a house rented by her lover and former co-star, an actor who landed on the Hollywood blacklist. Her presence in his life has deemed her guilty by association, and she despairs about her future career. One of the few people she sees is Eva Kruse, her housekeeper, who’s keeping her own secrets: she isn’t the displaced war refugee from Poland she claimed on her immigration papers.

Melanie had used to enjoy chatting with her agoraphobic next-door neighbor, Elwood Blankenship, a talented screenwriter who was in a terrible car accident years earlier. When Melanie and Eva glimpse his sister-in-law, June, digging up his rose garden, with Elwood nowhere to be found, they know something’s wrong.

See full author interview at: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/secrets-and-solidarity-susan-meissners-a-map-to-paradise/