Why a Booktrail?
1953. 1954: Are you willing to play their game?
A Beautiful Way to Die
What you need to know before your trail
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.
DO WHAT THEY SAY
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.
OR THEY’LL BURY YOU
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.
Locations
Reset- England - London
- A: Ealing studios
- B: Camden
- C: Soho - Great Portland St
- America/USA - California -Los Angeles
- D: Hollywood Sign
- E: Hollywood - The Beverly Hills Hotel
- F: 220 Laurel Ave
- G: Sunset Tower
Travel Guide
Hollywood
This is the dark side of old Hollywood. Despite the glamour and the fifties fashion, there are dark deeds afoot and Star Studios which is fictional is so representative of studios back then it would seen. How far have female actors been welcomed into Hollywood since? Hard to tell but something tells us that sadly, not enough has changed.
There are a few hotels featured in the novel and the glamour of the Hollywood scene is very powerful. That iconic sign bears witness to it all.
London
A dark contrast with the famous Ealing studios and the hub of Soho an alternative universe to the golden glamour of Hollywood.
Booktrailer Review
Set in the world of old style Hollywood, this is the story that sadly could be transported into a present day storyline. A woman wants to break into Hollywood and is prepared for the trial and tribulations she will have to get through to get there. What she doesn’t expect or even imagine is the sheer depravity of some powerful men who have control over what these ‘ young starlets’ will have to do to get anywhere.
The tone of the writing and the POV of Ginny was very powerful writing. I was totally immersed into the storyline and couldn’t help think of the Me Too Movement and what has been in the news with Harvey Weinstein and others.
Bleak reading when you realise this is all true in various ways. It’s going to be great for bookclubs and for bringing issues to the fore in such a powerful way.
BookTrail Boarding Pass: A Beautiful Way to Die
Destination/location: Hollywood, London Author/guide: Eleni Kyriacou Departure Time: 1953, 1954
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