4.25⭐
Fun mashup of mystery and historical fiction. Jacqueline Love, a Hollywood star of a certain age, finds her reputation of being difficult has dried up movie offers. Her agent convinced her to go on the Hollywood Victory Caravan which is a three week train trip with other industry notables to support the war effort. Unfortunately the onboard death of a former swashbuckling star may be murder. Jackie Love proves to be an interesting character who, like her actions on set prove, just doesn't appreciate incompetence or laziness. A full range of supporting characters enliven the story.

In 1942, Jackie (Jacqueline) Love fears that her acting career is over due to age and her reputation for being difficult. Her agent presses her to go on the Hollywood Victory Caravan to support the WWII war effort. Then one murder happens on the train the actors are traveling on, followed by another. Jackie teams up with a young female police officer to solve the mystery.

I wanted to read this book because I love historical fiction. Last Stop Union Station has several appealing aspects: old time Hollywood, a World War II setting, the Hollywood Victory Caravan, and train travel!

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I absolutely loved the WWII old Hollywood setting. I knew a bit about the stars' fundraising during the war, but I had no idea about espionage in the U.S. during WWII, and that was a fascinating aspect of the story. I loved the little Hollywood details with both named characters like Humphrey Bogart and fictional characters who resembled real life characters.

Jackie is a prickly, clever, and sharp tongued character - not terribly likable, but she grew on me a bit during the story, and I understood more, as I read on, about why she was sometimes difficult.

The mystery was well done and had some fun and surprising twists. I liked the way Jackie worked with Grace, the young police officer.

I recommend Last Stop Union Station for other fans of historical fiction, for mystery lovers, and for anyone who enjoys a World War II setting.

World War II historical fiction, old Hollywood, and a locked room twist makes this a 5 star read! I was drawn in quickly as aging starlet Jacqueline finds herself on the Hollywood Caravan in an attempt to save her career. When a fellow star dies on board, Jacqueline is determined to figure out what happened. I found the mystery to be unpredictable and thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Thanks for the opportunity to read!

🍹Book: Last Stop Union Station

💗Rate: 5 Stars!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

💋Praise: Old Hollywood and mysterious circumstances oh my! Yes please! First of all I love the main characters name! Jacqueline Love! I could definitely see, if she was a real actress, a bunch of autobiographies on her! We have this beautiful actress who as of late is it getting any callbacks or getting along with any big wigs! So she decides to take a detour on a movie star caravan to help raise money for the war effort with other people! And guess what??!! ....... there was a murder!! Everybody believes it's just a incident! But jacqueline, while teaming up with a female officer, definitely see something beneath the lines! What ensues after goes beyond what I truly thought was going to happen! And I loved every minute of it! The author has great skill and explaining details within the book that allowed it to come to life like an actual movie set!

❤️Extra: I definitely will be reading more books from this author and adding her great works to my shelf!

🎉Bravo!

The cover of this book is what really drew my attention to this book. The mystery was good but I had kinda figured it out before they did. I didn’t really care for Jackie too much. She was brash and just not likable, she did get better as the story goes on.

Interesting historical fiction that sees Jackie, an "aging" Hollywood "star" trying to save her career by joining the war effort and finding that she's pretty good at solving murders. The Hollywood Caravan should have been an easy thing for everyone as it's meant to bring the glamor of stars (such as they are) across the US. Someone however has other ideas and a death on the train turns out to be murder. Luckily, Grace, a police officer who has her own career struggles, agrees with Jackie that there's more to the story. Together they find the secrets, lies, and a Nazi plot that threaten not only those on the train but the larger community as well. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. This has good characters and fine storytelling- it's an enjoyable read.

This is an exciting book full of intrigue, suspense, murder, mayhem, and mystery. There are so many twists and turns. I was captivated by the story and I couldn't wait to read about what would happen next.

Jacqueline Love is everything you'd expect a Hollywood actress to be. She's passionate about her career. Her passion is often masked as being difficult and gets her into trouble. As she embarks on a new adventure riding on the Hollywood Victory Caravan, her new adventure might cost her more than she's willing to pay. Grace is my favorite! She's unremarkable in many ways. Her confidence in herself is low. She's determined, strong and smart.

There is a murder on the train and I'll admit that it took me a while to figure out the perpetrators. The author did a splendid job casting light on possible suspects! This is the first book that I've read by this author but it won't be the last!

I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from Source Books Landmark via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“Last Stop Union Station” is by Sarah James. This book is a historical fiction mystery based during WWII in the US. It’s about some movie stars (or Hollywood related people) who are hired to lift up the boys still at home during WWII. The main character, Jackie Love, is an older actress who is facing movie roles drying up between her age and her temperment. Long story short, someone on the train dies - possibly murdered - and another person on the train is attacked and put into the hospital. For a cross-country train, this one spends about a week in Chicago between police investigations and other things. I found Jackie an interesting character but she was a difficult one to actually like. I understood that she was prickly and her tongue sharper than Dorothy Parker’s on a good day. I thought having one of the characters being based upon Sonja Henie a bit interesting. There are a number of red herrings in this book, but if you weave through them, who did it wasn’t that difficult to determine (though the why was a bit of a mystery until the end). I thought this book was okay - the female detective, Grace, seemed a lot naive and hooking up with Jackie seemed as odd a pairing as the two comedians who joined the show later. While this book was based upon some books the author read, at times it felt a bit flat, though I recommend reading this Author’s Note after reading the book.

I would like to thank Net Galley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. It is a World War 2 Historical fiction with a twist. It is set in the United States and concerns a group of actors and actresses who, for a variety of reasons, are on a train caravan across the US, putting on shows to raise money for the War Effort. Jacqueline Love is one of those on the train. She is having difficulty getting parts, she is over 35, and has a reputation for being "difficult".Her agent convinces her to join the touring group, to be pleasant and it will repair her reputation. Ralph Holmes is also on the train. His reputation is also in need of repair, but for a more serious reason, he was accused of working with a German American group to sabotage the American War Effort. At first all goes well, but then one star is murdered and another is attacked. Everyone is a suspect. Jacquline Love joins forces with Grace , one of the police officers who are investigating the crimes, and together they make quite a team.It is an interesting storyline. The characters are well written and engaging. As I said, it is a different twist on WW2, and I like it. The book has the feel, though, as it is part of a series. I haven't seen that written anywhere, just a feel. Overall it is a good read.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC of Last Stop Union Station.

Jacqueline Love, an actress seemingly past her prime in Hollywood terms, takes a spot on the Victory Caravan in hopes of revamping her career. When one of her co-stars dies on the train, Jacqueline begins to suspect that the death was not accidental. With the help of Officer Grace Sullivan, Jacqueline begins to uncover what’s truly going on.

Sarah James weaves an engaging tale of intrigue and espionage in Last Stop Union Station. The cast of characters on the Victory Caravan are a hodge podge of B and C-list stars with differing reasons for being a part of this traveling show. Oftentimes full of themselves, the cast doesn’t completely get along with each other, and they certainly have mixed feelings about the “difficult” Jacqueline Love.

James’s characterization of these cast members leads us to wonder which one of them might be a murderer. And just when you think you might have it all figured out, something else is revealed that will have you questioning everything.

A murder mystery full of twists and turns, Last Stop Union Station, will keep you scratching your head until the very end.

"Murder, movie stars, and mystery await those who climb aboard this cross-country train, inspired by the real-life history of the Hollywood Victory Caravan.

Hollywood, 1942. Jacqueline Love's acting career is flailing. Suddenly on the wrong side of 40, parts are drying up, directors are calling her "difficult," and Humphrey Bogart has definitely stopped taking her calls. Desperate to cling to stardom, Jackie takes the only gig that will have her: the Hollywood Victory Caravan, a train full of movie stars crossing the country to fundraise for the war effort. Jackie wouldn't call herself patriotic, but with her life's work on the line, she'll do anything.

When a fellow star dies on board, everyone assumes the death was a tragic accident - but Jackie isn't so sure. Stuck in Chicago's Union Station, Jackie enlists the help of Grace, one of the few women in the police force, to investigate. But "difficult" outside of a movie set is dangerous, and when the pair fall into a homegrown Nazi scheme, Jackie must ask herself what's more important: her career, or her country?"

I love the old fashioned elegance of a train station. Union Station in Chicago is a favorite of mine.

I really enjoyed this book! It is different from a lot of the books I’ve read recently. It was an engaging mystery but it also made me laugh. Jackie Love is hilarious and relatable and definitely one of a kind!

Sarah James delivers a captivating blend of classic-Hollywood glamour and suspense in Last Stop Union Station. Jacqueline Love is at her wit's end—her acting career sinking faster than the Titanic—and when she seizes the chance to join the Hollywood Victory Caravan, it feels like her last shot at stardom. But as the train rattles across the country during wartime, things take a dark turn. The death of a fellow star onboard feels suspicious from the get-go, and Jacqueline’s instincts tell her there's more than just coincidence at play. Enter Grace, a savvy woman in the police force, who quickly becomes an unlikely ally in unraveling a sinister Nazi plot lurking in the shadows of Union Station. Their partnership sparks some delightful banter amidst the tension—a perfect balance for this wartime whodunit. James captures the glitz and grit of 1942 Hollywood while weaving a tense, well-paced mystery that kept me guessing until the very end. Jackie’s inner struggle about her career versus patriotism adds depth to the story, elevating it beyond just another wartime adventure. If you love historical mysteries mixed with Hollywood charm and a dash of espionage, Last Stop Union Station is a must-read. An entertaining ride with plenty of twists—and a reminder that sometimes, the biggest stars are the ones fighting behind the scenes.

1940's Hollywood was known for there exciting pictures during the second world war to help their audience with a short time escape. However, for some people the environment of those who work there isn't cracked up to be. However, will a. life changing experience for one woman help her change her mind.
Actress Jackie Love is going through a mid life crisis when it comes to her career and although her agent works patiently to help her our nothing seems to work. Jackie reluctantly decides to join a Hollywood Caravan show that is traveling across the country to raise money for the war effort. It's a great time until one of the stars is found dead in his room which is ruled to be an accident. However Jackie thinks there is more to it and decides to team up with female police officer Grace to figure out what evil lurks in this case.
Overall I was quite impressed with this novel. While some might view. Jackie as a snob she's actually great character who is honest about her feelings. There is also some magnificent history when it comes to the war and to the lifestyle to those involved with the golden era of Hollywood.
I received this as an ARC copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.

Summary: It is 1942 in Hollywood, California. War is raging on the other side of the Atlantic. Jacqueline Love is a movie star who sees roles dry up in her mid-forties, although she insists she is 35. In an effort to boost her flagging career, Jackie reluctantly accepts a spot on the Hollywood Victory Caravan at her agent’s urging. The Caravan is a special train carrying movie stars that is travelling across the country to raise money for the war effort. When one of the performers dies onboard, the train is halted in Chicago. While the police perform a perfunctory investigation, Jackie enlists the assistance of the only female police officer she encounters. The unlikely duo team up to investigate, uncovering traces of a Nazi plot on home soil.

Thoughts: When I saw that Sarah James wrote this, I grabbed it so quickly! Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen is one of my favourite historical fiction novels and I knew there was a good chance I would love this one too. Like the previous book, Last Stop is also set in Hollywood during the Golden Age of film. James really does her homework and the authenticity rings true. Jackie Love is a wonderful character. She passed the Hollywood ‘best before’ date and she knows it. In a last-ditch effort to hold on to her career and the sparkle of fame, she agrees to join the caravan. Love is tough – with a razor-sharp humour and tongue – and a reputation for being “difficult”. (Translation: a woman who has opinions and won’t do as she is told.) Her determination and persistence lead her to crack the case.

Given current events in the United States, the novel has uncanny timing and relevance to current politics. Actual quotes from WWII-era writers about the presence of fascism in the US will give you chills. I commend Sarah James on an entertaining and timely novel. Sincere thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing a digital copy to read.

I wanted to like this book but unfortunately it didn’t really work for me. I found the main character so unlikable that I just couldn’t rally behind her. I actually tend to like an unlikable main character but Jackie was so shallow and self absorbed and didn’t grow at all throughout the novel. Even with her big “epiphany” in the end, her motivations were still completely self-serving.

As for the plot, it was a very different take on a WWII novel and I enjoyed that. I liked diving a bit into the underground Nazi network in the US in the early 40s. But there were a few too many characters for me and I found myself pausing regularly to try and remember who was who, especially among the performers.

So not a favorite for me, but I would be willing to give the author another try in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. This story focuses on Jackie Love a Hollywood actress in her late thirties who is perceived to be difficult and as a result job opportunities are drying up, her agent suggests a Hollywood Train Canteen trip ( this story takes place during World War II) as a way to “ restart “ her career. Jackie goes reluctantly and ultimately gets mixed up in a murder mystery helping a young female rookie detective. I am not a real mystery reader, or perhaps my state of mind while reading this book, it was a so-so book for me.