Okay so I started this book a couple times and kept putting it back down. I couldn’t really figure out why I kept putting it back down but it just felt very heavy and after finishing up several heavy WWII books I had to take breaks with this one.
The backdrop of Hollywood in the 1950s is what makes the book so hard to move through. Every time I read a book of how awful that era was for women in Hollywood, I wonder why any of them kept going.
This book follows Stella, Maggie and Ginny with differing timeline and pov chapters. None of the characters drew me in particularly so I wasn’t super invested in them or their outcomes. The twist was well done and the threads were nicely tied at the end.
Overall a good read for fans of historical fiction/mystery books.
I received an ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.

Initially, I found the book somewhat confusing, but once I grasped the concepts, I became completely engrossed.

It took me a long time to get into this book, and I had to restart reading it several times. Set in Hollywood in the 1950s, and later moving to London, it tells the story of how the young starlets looking for fame were treated by the men who at that time ruled the industry. Would the men always win, or would someone eventually stand up for them? Not a great read but give it a go.
My thanks to Net Galley and the author for an ARC

After the breakdown of her marriage, Hollywood star Stella Hope is now working for Ealing Studios in London. An accident involving her soon-to-be-ex husband meant the studio backing him. She starts working with Maggie, a talented make-up artist with her own secrets. A young actress starts an affair with a married star that leads to tragedy, a woman is confined to an asylum not knowing her own name and a blackmail threat is pulling Stella back to LA.
Kyriacou is developing into an excellent writer of historical fiction that looks beyond the obvious. Her overarching themes are those of displacement and women developing an independent voice and here it really shows in the lives of four women on both sides of the Atlantic. In the notes at the end Kyriacou mentions that a lot of background tales in the narrative are based on true life and the scandals that were hushed up in the Golden Age of Hollywood which just adds credence to her fiction. It's a great read.

set in the 1950s follows a dual timeline mystery with lots of twists. really enjoyed the perspective of forgotten stars of history, those who didn't make it in the industry

This is exceptional storytelling!

Eleni Kyriacou is fast becoming my go-to woman for outstanding historical fiction based on true life experiences. She champions these forgotten women and tells the world a story that would otherwise be lost.

‘A Beautiful Way to Die’ is set in 1950s Hollywood , a world where male studio executives and actors call the shots. The men free to try it on with any woman who cross their path, safe in the knowledge that their position is assured and any complaints will be brushed aside.

English actress Ginny has won a competition that’s brought her to Hollywood and a chance to be seen by casting directors. As soon as she’s seen, she’s told that her name, her face, her body, her voice must change and only then might be considered for a role.

She accepts what she’s told, unable to push back against it, aware that there are 100s of girls who would love to take her place.

Ginny (now called Virginia) meets male movie star Max Whitman at a party; Max is very taken with the beautiful new actress and the two start a secret relationship. Max is already married to film star Stella Hope but she’s not on the scene.

There’s a second plot line starring Stella, who has now moved to London for a fresh start. She befriends makeup artist Maggie and the two become close. As Stella, Maggie and Ginny’s worlds move closer and closer together, all we can do is watch and wait for the fallout.

Honestly I cannot recommend this book highly enough, it is clever, challenging and so insightful. I wish we could say that things have changed for female actors today, but I think we all know that isn’t true that this is a story that will continue to be told and told.

The glamour of 1950’s Hollywood comes through in bucket loads with the superb storytelling but it’s the story of the darker side where this book really shines.

With different perspectives and timelines, the pace and thrills never let up and A Beautiful Way To Die really is a fascinating story told extremely well.

From the stunning cover to the heartbreaking true stories in the Author’s Note at the end, this was one incredibly outstanding book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the eARC of this book.

Interesting and well plotted mystery set in 1950s Hollywood. On one hand, there's Stella Hope, a star and until recently half of a glamorous power couple. On the other, a young English actress grappling to gain a foothold and a career. The author has done her research, make sure to read her comments at the end. The message behind story isn't a new one, but the author makes it fresh and full of unexpected twists. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

A beautifully haunting story of the reality and beauty of 1950s Hollywood. Not everything is what it seems, so be careful who you trust and what you find yourself getting into.

A Beautiful Way To Die is a slow burn Hollywood Noir mystery with the emphasis heavily lying on the characters - their backstories, their struggles to ‘make it’ in a cutthroat industry and the gradual unraveling of their lives. It reminded me very much of a Hitchcock thriller or other films of that time, with serious Bette Davis/Joan Crawford vibes. It felt very authentic and I was completely transported into the darker side of Hollywood - the stars, the parties, the blockbuster films and everything else that is going on behind closed doors.

The structure worked really well with the story switching backwards and forwards in time. The bulk of the story, set in the 1950’s, was based around the actors and actresses on the books of Stan Fisher at Star Studios in Hollywood (and at another studio in Ealing, London). However, every now and then, the storyline is interrupted with an account of an unknown person who is obviously being held in a psychiatric unit. We don’t know who it is or what happened for them to have ended up there. As a reader you are constantly looking for clues trying to work out who it could be.

The pacing was also spot on - I would say that the first half of the book was very much setting the scene and learning about the industry and how the individual characters dealt with the pressures of constant rejection. The intensity and the tension seriously ramped up in the second half. It was gripping and frustrating as well as being informative - we're told in the acknowledgments that certain incidents in the book were based on real-life investigations and it's clear that the book has been extensively researched. There was a moment where the story took a turn and I saw things starting to slot into place - from this point on the more typical thriller aspects started to push through.

I loved this book - it was vibrant and nostalgic and full of suspense - a totally captivating historical mystery thriller!

If you made it, the rewards were so high. And if you didn’t, well it was a beautiful way to die.

I adored The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou so have been eagerly awaiting the new book from Eleni Kyricaou. And whilst very different, A Beautiful Way To Die proved to be if anything even better - there is no doubt Eleni knows how to tell a story!

The reader is transported to the heart of 1950s Hollywood and centres on two actresses at different stages of their career. Stella Hope has been a leading actress and one half of a power couple, but following their split has been exiled to London to work on low budget films. Ginny is a Brit who has recently moved to Hollywood in search of stardom - but it’s a harsh world trying to make it aa an actress. What links them is Stella’s ex husband Max Whitman - who Ginny falls for and who promises he can propel her career.

The book is very cleverly structured, set over two timelines a year apart, adding to the tension as the story unfolds. There are also chapters told from the point of view by an unnamed woman that hint at the mystery at the heart of the book.

This is a book that takes you deep into 1950s Hollywood, beyond the glitz and the glamour and into the underbelly - a world of powerful male studio executives and fixers where women were often treated appallingly.

It is an intoxicating combination - well researched and based on many real life stories, and sadly not so different from recent times - and an element of mystery thrown in as the twists keep coming. Stella and Ginny are both very much brought to life, flawed but likeable and with an inner steel, supported by some important female friendships.

It’s clever, it’s compelling, it’s thought provoking - and it is just a really good read. I loved it a lot!

3.75 ⭐️

This story is about greed and power of men in Hollywood in the 1950s. It’s told from a couple female viewpoints. One of them is a strong-willed, well established actress. And one is from the perspective of a young actress that moves to Hollywood from London in hopes of catching her break.

It pulls pieces from true crime cases and tells a dark thriller of a story.

While it took me a little while to settle into the story, I ultimately really enjoyed how everything plays out. It pulls on emotions. There were times I felt my blood boil and I even audibly gasped at one of the plot points.

I also really appreciated the friendships that develop in each part of the story. I love the reminder that something so special can come from difficult situations.

If historical fiction, thrillers, and a 50s Hollywood setting appeal to you, check it out.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before it’s available.

A fun thriller set in the era of Hollywood glamour, but with a central core of the treatment of women who were often seen as disposable commodities. Sadly very little seems to have changed over the years which is perhaps why this book, although well written and pacy, seemed a little unoriginal al at times. I found the case histories at the end powerful and was pleased the author included them.
Thank you to netgalley and Head of Zeus for an advance copy of this book.

This book is a powerful exploration of female agency — or the lack thereof — in the glittering but toxic worlds of 1950s Hollywood and British cinema. Through the lives of Ginny Watkins and Stella Hope, the novel explores themes of exploitation, power imbalance, and survival in an industry where image is everything and women are often collateral.

The writing is well paced and immersive. While some of the settings and character dynamics feel familiar there is a twist that genuinely shocked me..

Although the novel doesn’t break entirely new ground in its depiction of the era, it is a compelling story with tension, atmosphere, and strong female perspectives at its heart. Fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo will love this book.

I thought this was a fun historical fiction thriller that kept me interested but didn't completely blow me away despite having some well-timed reveals/twists. I was grateful for the writer's note on at the end about the true crime inspirations for the book and reading about all the research she did makes the book feel more impressive and reflective of the era. The writing and story are easy to follow and it does a great job at immersing you in the 1950s Hollywood atmosphere, including all the dark topics which can be hard to read. The female characters have to endure some terrible treatment but the overall ending was satisfying.

This was like true crime meets historical fiction and whoa baby it was right up my alley!

A dual timeline mystery dealing with two actresses, one up and coming (Ginny) and one “veteran” (Stella), surrounding one fateful night and all coming down to one man (of course 😑)

The DRAMA here was simply edible and I could not get enough. I didn’t guess all of the twists either! Each storyline was written differently enough that I never found myself wondering who I was reading about. I find myself really enjoying fiction involving Hollywood/celebrities, probably just because of the drama you know will be involved lol. I did think it was a touch long, but I also ate it up in 2 days, so I’ll give that a wash.

A darker side to “Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” without the present day timeline- I’d def recommend this one!

Thank you to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the eARC!

Interesting tale of life in Hollywood in the 1950s and the different ways actors and actresses were treated. Making use of true horror stories of the lack of respect for women by their male stars and by agents this is not easy reading. Some of the action is in England at the Ealing Studios and it seems there is not much difference - the casting couch was/and still is to some extent very much a reality.
Three and a half stars for me, rounded up.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Eleni Kyriacou/Head of Zeus for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Hollywood, 1953. Young actress Ginny Watkins is turning heads. Even the legendary – and married – actor Max Whitman can't resist the allure of the hottest new starlet. He promises Ginny the world, in return for the right favour.
London, 1954. Stella Hope, once the most famous actress in Hollywood, has been ousted to Ealing Studios after her divorce from the powerful Max. Just as she accepts her fate, she receives a letter, blackmailing her for a mistake she made many years ago.
Two women on either side of stardom find themselves in the orbit of the same beguiling man. And one night, in the shadows of a glamorous Oscars afterparty, their lives are changed forever…

Inspired by true Hollywood crimes and scandals, and set in the 1950s golden era of movie making in the big studios, A Beautiful Way To Die forcefully reminds us that "not all that is gold".

Behind the magic of Tinseltown, with its fairy dust and celluloid stories offering escapism; the allure of its glamour, glitz, wealth and celebrity, Eleni Kyriacou lifts the curtain on a world where the men reign supreme and unchallenged, both in front of, and behind, the camera, and women exist merely make them look better.

It's a realm where women are "remodelled" and "improved", manufactured, and controlled, exploited, drugged, and abused.

Where they endure rampant discrimination, and the humiliation of the casting couch in order to get half a chance, and, when they do get a start in the industry, they have to cope with sexually predatorial actors and studio staff on a daily basis, facing groping or innuendo at best, and sexual molestation, or rape at worst.

A world where "badly behaved" women are only loved on screen, and are branded as "difficult" if they dare to stand up for themselves, finding they are dropped like hot potatoes with their contracts terminated.

And a world where "fixers" make every problem, indiscretion and illegal act disappear as if by magic.

It's all to be found between the covers of this novel, and it's an absolutely compelling, page-turner of a read. I was completely and utterly hooked by this dark and gripping historical fiction cum mystery, and its cast of brilliantly realised characters.

Set in the past it may be, but reading it, you can't help but wonder exactly how much has changed, all these years later, when you think about Harvey Weinstein, Roman Polanski et al, and the countless stories and scandals that continue to emerge from the world of film.

This evocative story keeps you guessing throughout, and it spectacularly pulls the rug from under you with a twist that's worthy of any Hollywood blockbuster! And speaking of, it would make a great film or TV mini series.

It's a great read and I absolutely loved it. If you enjoyed The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I think you'll definitely want to read this one. Highly recommended.
Thank you to the publisher Bloomsbury/Head of Zeus, for an advance reading copy via Netgalley. This is my honest and unbiased review.

I absolutely love the cover of this book! I was instantly intrigued upon seeing it. I don’t usually read books that take place that far in the past, but because it takes place in old Hollywood, I was very interested. This book reminded me a lot of The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which is one of my favorite books. I highly recommend reading this book!

Straightaway the cover alone reels you in. A beautiful, old school type actress, the hollywood sign in the background, but the dark colours with red highlights hint at the dark, underbelly that exists in hollywood. Set in the 1950's, Ginny is a new actress in hollywood, whilst in london Stella is a seasoned actress. The story follows the two women navigating their carers in an industry dominated by beauty but also by individuals who have a more dark, sinister side, however the 2 women's story's are kept separate until the very end for a very surprising twist the connects the 2
of them.
Thank you to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.