Thank you Netgalley and Canongate Books for access to this arc.

I will admit when I saw this arc available and read “1924. After six months in Hollywood, young British widow …” I jumped to request it, not bothering to read more of the blurb than this. It was clearly going to be some kind of sequel to “Bride of the Rat God” and that’s all I needed to know. There was squealing and, yes it’s true, Kermit arm flailing in my house when I got the notification that I’d been approved. When I began to read it, I noticed immediately that something was slightly off. The names had (almost) all been changed and there wasn’t a trace of anything supernatural. Hmmm, okay. The characters were obviously the same as in “Bride” but … under new management? Well, I didn’t waste too much time on it but settled in to read.

Once again the Golden Age of Hollywood comes to life as dutiful Emma looks after her sister-in-law’s darling and pampered Pekes – Buttercreme, Chang Ming, and Black Jasmine. Along with that, Emma picks up after Kitty, helps rewrite scenes needed for the constant changes to the films Kitty stars in, has a budding romance with cameraman Zal Rokatansky, and still (at times) dreams of the life and family she lost in England due to the war and influenza. It’s not that Emma doesn’t love her sister-in-law (flighty and slightly self-centered though Kitty may be) and find Hollywood bizarrely fascinating but at times she desperately misses what she knew and feeling totally at home. She is still a bit of a stranger in a strange land.

When someone from Kitty’s past appears who could blackmail Kitty (after all, he knows how old Kitty really is) while the American public is voting for which actress will be named Screen Stories’ “Goddess of the Silver Screen,” Emma springs into damage control action but not quickly enough to avert what could be a public scandal. Oh wait, we’re talking about Hollywood where studio heads dole out massive bribes to dictate to the police what will be investigated and how.

Suddenly Emma is looking at everyone around Kitty with suspicion. Lots of people might have a reason they’d be happy to see Kitty – sorry, Miss Camille de la Rose – toppled as a fan favorite … or worse. As clues and suspects pile up, nothing quite fits together. Elaborate care was taken and much money spent to set some things up but then other clues left at a scene were unbelievably clumsy. Emma has managed to get her sister-in-law to stop using (ubiquitous in Hollywood) cocaine but Kitty still slings back bootlegged booze. Yet a well mannered, silk-suited (though clearly from his accent raised in the poorer section of Brooklyn) businessman who specializes in supplying imported liquor denies any reason to want Kitty arrested. And there’s something that Kitty refuses to disclose despite the fact that it involves the time frame during which the murder took place.

Emma is doing more investigative work than the LAPD and positive that there’s something just beyond the “sight line” (the cut off point on a film stage that the camera won’t cover) that she’s missing. She’s also wrestling with a sudden chance to regain some of what she lost in England. Is there enough in “Hollywood Babylon” to keep her there or could she turn her back on Kitty, not knowing who is behind a murder?

After finishing this book I would love to have seen Hollywood in its silent screen heyday. It’s not just the wild antics of the film stars who were paid enormous salaries but also under tremendous pressure that would be fun to watch. It’s also glimpsing the little pockets of suburbanization still surrounded by orange groves and bean fields which smell of dust and sage. I want to see the sleek Packards and Pierce Arrows, gorgeous beaded dresses, homes with telephone niches, trolley cars, and lunch counters with blue plate specials and wooden phone booths at the end.

Emma’s impeccable manners as well as her early training in the classics by her father stand her in good stead as she deals with gangsters and potential witnesses all while trying to slide all the puzzle pieces into place and make sense of what she knows. I was happy to see Emma’s grief for her past life and family gently blended into her character. Kitty might not be able to act her way out of a paper bag but there’s no denying she’s got “It” – that magical quality that lights up a screen – as well as a fine sense of which actresses in the film are after her job. But the dark places of Kitty’s past still haunt her at times. Zal is a quiet presence ready to set up camera angles as well as rush to Emma’s aid yet still not press her for more. Though a fantastic beta hero, I’d like to see him be a bit more assertive in the future. The pekes are – well they’re Pekinese and described to a “T” as to how they act, think (food!) and move. I was so glad that they, at least, retained their names.

The investigation proceeds in a mannered pace with clues being gathered and events taking place but nothing gets Pointed Out or Hammered Home. Everything needed to discover who dunnit and why is included but astute readers will have to pay close attention. I will freely admit that as the plot rounded the turn for home and began racing down the backstretch, I still hadn’t quite grasped the solution. Yet when Emma began to put it all together, I thought “Of course! It all makes sense.” And yay that there’s nothing Out of the Blue or any villain monologuing required to understand motives. Whew.

I do hope that there will be further adventures for Emma, Zal, Kitty, and the Pekes – among others as I had a blast revisiting them (despite the new names) and this fascinating era of silent movie making when actors could say anything while filming since title cards conveyed what was (supposedly) being said. There are also several wonderful new characters such as Madge Burdon, the director of Kitty’s current picture “Temptress of Babylon” who gives on point stage directions to her actors. Given the hedonism abounding and opportunities for Emma to discover more than a corrupt police force can, I have my fingers crossed. B+

Thanks to Severn House Publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review. Scandal in Babylon by Barbara Hambly is set in 1924 Hollywood. Young British widow Emma Blackstone, whose husband died in the war and parents in the flu epidemic, is rescued by her husband’s sister, Kitty Flint, from a deplorable situation and brought to California. Kitty is a silent film star and she hires Emma to pay her bills and take care of her three prized Pekingese dogs. The academically minded Emma was raised as an assistant to her father, an archaeologist and authority on ancient history, and soon finds herself asked to rewrite scenes from Kitty’s movies, and is dismayed at the historical inaccuracies. But against all expectations she finds herself liking her glamorous and scatterbrained employer very much. When one of Kitty’s ex-husbands shows up unexpectedly and is murdered in her dressing room, Kitty finds herself the lead suspect. All of the evidence points to Kitty, but seems so obviously a setup, that Emma wonders what the real reason behind the murder could be. Could it be one of Kitty’s jealous lovers, or perhaps one of her rivals in a movie magazine’s search for the top screen goddess, a title worth it’s weight in gold in the highly competitive movie business. Filled with well drawn and likable characters the mystery also provides an interesting look at the early film industry. I highly recommend it.

The year is 1924. Emma Blackstone was barely married to her husband when he was shipped off to war and was killed. Followed by her brother and more tragedy with her parents' deaths. So young for so much death.

Emma is a curious and scholarly sort. She cringes at the inaccuracies in the Roman piece they are filming.

While Emma is getting an education in America and Hollywood in particular, she has nothing to go back to in England. And things could be worse.

Such as Kitty’s first husband, Rex showing up unexpectedly in her dressing room with a bullet through the head. Kitty may be flighty and naughty but a killer she is not.

This being the twenties in Hollywood, there are gangsters, slick movie producers, shady cops, and insane competition for the title of IT girl. Is that what this is about? A frame? Or has Kitty dallied with the wrong man?

I loved all of the old Hollywood gossip and petty jealousy. These women were so young and vulnerable. They worked hard hours and partied the rest of the time.

I enjoy Hollywood Historical Fiction. I liked Emma, although there was a bit too much quoting of Latin phrases. And I just didn’t feel we really knew her. I am sure she will grow and entertain us as the series goes on.

NetGalley/ September 7th, 2021 by Severn House Publishers

A flimsy murder mystery encased into a dazzling piece of historical fiction, a marvellous portrait of the motion picture industry at the beginning of the Roaring Twenties, a terrific Hollywoodian tapestry full of fat & greedy producers, beautiful but often lethal actresses, hysterical directors, sleek mobsters turned bootleggers and lots of verbal pyrotechnics. I just simply loved this richly detailed whodunit redolent with the smells of outrageous opulence and the boozy devil-may-care attitudes forever attached to the Los Angeles of the Silent Era.
A fabulous fictional treat that should be enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Canongate/Severn for this wonderful ARC

The start to an exciting new series by the ultra prolific Barbara Hambly. In this series, an academically oriented widow needs to uncover the plot to frame her employer -- and rescuing angel sister-in-law in a 1920s Hollywood setting. It's hard to beat Benjamin January as a main character, but Emma Gladstone is worth a second look!

The author clearly loves this period and the book demonstrates the depth of her research, while not letting it over power the crime story. Full of old Hollywood glamour, and perfect for fans of Agent Carter!

1924 Widow Emma Blackstone is working for her sister-in-laws, actress Kitty Flint aka Camille de la Rose in Hollywood. When the man Kitty married at 15 arrives on set. But not for long as he is found shot. Emma decides to investigate, and continually show off her intelligence.
A cozy historical mystery
The story was not really for me, as I found the characters unlikeable and not a style of writing I enjoyed reading.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Very easy read! This was pretty fun, but think of it as all style and no substance. The characters were certain interesting and I look forward to getting to know them better in future books, but a lot of info was missing; you learn Emma was previously married, but besides the husband’s name, you don’t get much else. It’s very much a guessing game as to how everyone connects to each other. I do hope things will be clearer as the series progresses. Also, don’t except the historical portion to be written seriously; it very much seemed like it was a hodgepodge of what they thought. And, they seemed pretty fixated on Chinese things; Pekingese dogs, Chinese food, and the Chinese servants. Complete with bound feet; I could have done without that.

This is a solid mystery novel that involves 1920s Hollywood and the silver screen. I found the book to be very well written and rich in historic detail. Characters are well developed and relatable. The mystery itself is a classic whodunit that contained many twists and turns and kept me guessing until the very end. I look forward to reading more from this author and highly recommend this novel!

Emma Blackstone finds herself in California after a string of family tragedies. Her husband dies in WWI after only weeks of marriage, her brother dies after suffering injuries in the same conflict, and her parents die of influenza shortly after the war. Having lived in Oxford, with her academic father, financial issues led her to have to take a post as a companion and so she is grateful to her sister in law, Kitty Flint, stage name Camille de la Rose, who offered her a position as secretary and general helper.

Kitty is acting in the, "Temptress of Babylon," while Emma does her best to avert her eyes from the historical inaccuracies and smooth her sister in law's path. When Rex Festraw, Kitty's first husband, turns up out of the blue, she immediately hustles him into her dressing room and sets out in search of her - when they make it back, it is to find Rex shot dead and Kitty as the suspect.

With Emma's beloved Aunt Estelle, who has just heard of Emma's difficulties, planning to swoop down and carry her back to Oxford, she finds herself torn between her old life and the new. Along with cameraman Zal, Emma sets out to find out who murdered Rex and rescue her sister in law from suspicion.

This is a fairly gentle mystery, with gangsters, bootleggers, contracts and religious fundamentalists all involved, as Emma tries to untangle the truth. It was an enjoyable, if undemanding read, but I did find that there was little real feeling for the historical period. Although it was set in early Hollywood, the characters themselves seemed fairly modern and as though they had simply been transplanted there. However, a fun read, which I received from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review. Rated 3.5.

Tuned To Perfection…
Murder mystery, 1920’s set Hollywood, the world of the silver screen. Emma Blackstone, a British widow working for actress and sister-in-law the flighty Kitty Flint, finds herself not only amidst a murder investigation but also desperate to clear Kitty’s name. Nicely written and tuned to perfection with a wholly credible cast of characters, a well described backdrop and an atmospheric, solid sense of place. Engaging, escapist and entertaining reading.

Barbara Hambly has been a favorite author of mine for many, many years, and I am happy to say Scandal in Babylon is typical of her excellent writing and plotting skills.

The main character of Scandal in Babylon is Emma Blackstone, the British-born widow of an American military officer. Emma was raised in the rarified atmosphere of pre-WW I Oxford by her archaeologist father. Emma had anticipated in following his footsteps, continuing to live and study in Oxford, assisting other Etruscan/ancient Rome archaeologists piece together and decipher the detritus of those ancient civilizations. Then she met Jim Blackstone who asked her to help him pick out a present for his sister back in America. Now the war has ended, Jim is dead and her father, mother, and brother died of the Spanish Flu, leaving her impoverished and homeless. Then her sister-in-law, an American movie star, sweeps Emma away from the misery of being an underpaid, overworked governess to live with her in Hollywood.

Emma's sister-in-law works hard, parties hard, and is up on every scandal that ever was or will be in the hot house atmosphere of the silent movie world. Emma settles in to tidy up behind this fire cracker and care for her three Pekinese dogs, all the while dreaming of returning someday to Oxford to resume her former life. But in the middle of an extremely important movie shoot, her sister-in-law's thought-to-be-divorced, long forgotten ex-husband is murdered in her dressing room. The police seem to not look any further than the woman in whose dressing room the man was murdered. Drawing upon the skills she developed while working with her father, Emma sets off to clear her sister-in-law.

Emma and the rest of the cast of Scandal in Babylon are well developed characters. Even the minor, minor characters are given quick descriptions that make them more than cardboard cutouts. Hambly skillfully exploits the Hollywood of the 1920s and many of the real people who inhabited it, making them a fun and interesting part of the story. The mystery is nicely twisty with a couple of surprises along the way. An excellent beach read, something lighthearted to pass away a few pleasant hours.