This was a wonderful historical mystery! Vivian and Viola make the perfect investigating team. Vivian acts as the investigator and Viola comes in with unexpected genius to connect puzzle pieces together (that even surprises her twin sister). While this is a set of twins solving a mystery, make no mistake. Vivian is the main character. This is her story and Viola is just a side character that adds heart and exposition to the story. I’m hoping maybe the next book will allow the spotlight to shine on Viola, who seems to be constantly underestimated and seen as silly by Vivian. Vivian herself goes through great character development, going from a spoiled girl looking for entertainment in the beginning to someone who is empathetic and comes to care about those who are part of her investigation. This also has the makings of a slow burn romance, with Vivian trying her absolute hardest to not fall for the handsome Sergeant who is on the case. Highly recommend for those looking for a cozy historical mystery.

An interesting start to a new series!

I expected a Nancy Drew style book but this was very different and interesting in its own way. This was a cozy read for me.
The book is well written and the characters are very interesting!

Definitely looking forward to the next in series!

Note: This is the first book of the Canary House Mysteries, so it can be read as a standalone.
One needn't have read "The Scarlet Letter" to draw parallels/ to understand the flow - but if you have read it (please read 'Trigger Warnings' before delving) few references can be enjoyed better.

Received an ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Star Creek Press for access to an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Twin sisters Viola and Vivian Van der Beeck have grown up in New York City in their family home Canary House, and though their family had at more than one point in history been rather wealthy, a sort of misfortune clung to their lineage, manifesting in both odd, untimely deaths and in a less than stellar reputation with the rest of New York Society. Thusly, the girls' parents made the decision to take on boarders in the empty rooms of the house in order to afford the upkeep of the property and to pay their limited staff. This decision, of course, resulted in a grouping together of fascinating, odd, diverse, *interesting* characters who all become close in a sense with the Van der Beecks and with the twins especially.

Viola, the quiet, bookish, kind-hearted dreamer of the pair, was the keeper of the family diary that documented the lives and eventual deaths of each member of their family, while Vivian--more pragmatic and no-nonsense and certainly less emotionally inclined--was the daredevil and would be detective often dragging her twin along on her hunches. Life in Canary house was interesting but settled up until the day when the famous stage performer Babs Le Roy entered the picture and moved into the upstairs turret room after having been missing from the public eye for nearly a year.

The girls are instantly fascinated with Babs's story and what kept her away for so long, but the sudden disappearance of the starlet on the night of her big return to the stage causes mayhem both among the boarders of Canary House and throughout the streets of New York. With the help of each of their boarders and Inspector Flanagan and Sergeant Kowalski of the local police force--despite their insistence the girls stay out of the case at first--the girls hunt for clues to discover not only what has happened to Babs in the present, but what took her away from the stage and her life in the city in the first place, and how the two may or may not tie together to create a full picture of what is going on. Can they solve the mystery in time to bring Babs home safely? And why oh why does Viola keep likening everything in the case to The Starlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne?

Honestly, this book was a work of art. There's a sort of disclaimer at the beginning warning the reader that the narration isn't always cut and dry as to who it is coming from, as the third person perspective swaps constantly between the two twins, but as you read, you get to know the girls more and more, and in no time I was switching back and forth with no difficulty at all and laughing at the way the two girls perceived things differently and even how differently they saw themselves and each other. The writing was beautiful and made me feel like I was taking a fun journey back in time to see New York in the thirties, the characters were all funny and felt real and had believable backstories that made me smile and laugh and even tear up a few times, and the romance lingering throughout the story was so sweet and a delight to read.

Not to mention, Julie's control of the story and the mystery she was weaving throughout the narrative was *masterful*. Rather than skipping steps ahead of the characters in the solving of the mystery, I felt like I was learning and figuring things out right along with Viv and Lala, and watching the way each girl would pick apart different parts of the clues they found and what new ideas they both would come away with was so fun for me. Also, the references throughout the whole book to The Scarlet Letter? Immaculate. When I saw this book, I thought it be more like a retelling of the story, which already had me excited as a huge fan of The Scarlet Letter, and while that held true somewhat, the way she used Viola's love of the book itself to weave it into the story was so different and interesting, and honestly, I think I could gush about this book until the end of time. An easy five star read, and I can't wait for the rest of the Canary House Mysteries.

The Starlet Letter follows the Van der Beeck family, who lives on the Upper West Side of New York City in 1931. The family owns the Canary House, a boarding home, and the story follows the twins Vivian and Viola after one of the boarders, the famous Babs Le Roy, goes missing during one of her big shows, and they try to solve the mystery of her disappearance.

The mystery aligns with the events from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, as Viola likes to remind us (she recently read the story), where Babs is seemingly Hester Prynne, but with one less red A sewn into her wardrobe. Sometimes the references to The Scarlet Letter felt a little on the nose, and I understand that it was for those readers who haven’t read the classic, but it took me out of the story a lot of the time because I was more interested in Babs’ disappearance than I was the way this book emulated Hawthorne. But I did enjoy the antics of Vivian and Viola, and how sometimes their personalities meshed because they were twins, but also how when they didn't mesh, they felt like they held each other in balance, so that Vivian didn't get too carried away in her snooping and Viola became a little more a risk taker when her sister was around.

Overall, this was a lighthearted story that featured a fun cast of quirky characters, and a setting that felt ingrained in the 1930s and followed all the glitz and glamor of the 1920s. If you're searching for an upbeat mystery with twists and turns you weren’t expecting, overlapped with a classic retelling and a detective duo that sometimes share one brain, then you should check this book out.

I enjoy books with twins in them. This book is aimed towards young adults. There were quite a few characters to keep track of, which I had a hard time with. I enjoyed the historical setting. It was fun and a quick read.

I chose this book in Netgalley while on the quest for a light-hearted historical mystery. Due to the cover (and me reading the description way too fast), I was attracted by the period: the roaring 20s (well, the ones from the previous century, as our own 20s are crying on a different tune) are a very rich period and so I jumped on the chance to read this ARC! Turns out that the book is set in 1931, but it is as interesting a period to me. It was a fun and entertaining read and I did not regret choosing it.

The good things:
- the funny references to the Scarlet Letter. In truth, I hadn’t really paid attention to the pun in the title and it played a much more important role than expected
- the alternate point of view between the two main characters, two sisters from a previously wealthy family of Manhattan. Vivian (Viv) and Viola (Lala) have very different personalities and approaches to the mystery and events, so it was refreshing to switch between a slightly brash, definitely daring one and a more introverted, bookish and dreamy one.
- the New York setting
- lots of action (I mistakenly thought that the period meant a more Agatha Christie’s style with people in drawing rooms talking and having tea… not so here!)

The not so good things:
- Too many characters and back-story. I know that Mathison wants to build a whole world for a series, but that’s waaay too many details and people for my tired brain. We get to learn about Viv and Lala’s paying guests (a fun setting, but so many of them!) and intricate family relations.
- I didn’t care much for the romance subplot, which is way too predictable, but I guess that it will satisfy YA readers.
- Implausible plot points. I guess that the author aims at whimsical, but the mystery is convoluted.

Overall, I’m not really tempted to read the next one in the series, but I’m sure that many other (less distracted) readers will find it satisfying.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. I received a free copy of this book for review consideration.

While this started off interesting I found myself soon becoming a little disinterested. The writing felt a little too young for me to really enjoy this.
Meanwhile the twins felt a little flat and the overall plot just didn't gave enough suspense for me to care what happened to Babs.

This is the first in the Canary mysteries series by Julie Mathison. Set in 1931 in New York City, The Van Der Beek sisters, Viola and Vivian are sleuths who enjoy meddling in their borders affairs. The Van Der Beeks were once the riches and oldest family in New York City. Their weird eccentric family goes back 100s of years. Now as the depression era faces the city, the family is forced to take in borders to make ends meet. There are seven borders originally and then an Zigfeid folies star takes up residence. The sisters are trying to find a murder where there isn't one and then all of sudden there might actually be a mystery to solve.
This novel does an impressive job of bringing old writing style into YA so that younger readers will enjoy the mystery. This author writes as if she's written several bestsellrs. She is NO novice! The detail, scene description and character arcs were done to perfection. I loved how Viola was a book worm who tried to mind her own business but her sister Vivian was always getting her caught up in something. I'm not one to read this genre but this book worked so well, I barely noticed. I think a wide audience will love this.

My thanks to Starr Creek Press for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Starlet Letter’ by Julie Mathison.

This is the first book in the Canary House Mysteries, set New York City in 1931. It features seventeen-year-old identical twins Vivian and Viola Van der Beeck, who when presented with an intriguing mystery decide to undertake a spot of amateur sleuthing.

Their eccentric family have somewhat fallen on hard times and so have taken in borders at Canary House, their rambling Upper West Side mansion. At the opening of the novel there are six tenants. Then life for the twins becomes much more exciting when Babs Le Roy, a down-on-her-luck Ziegfeld Follies star, takes up residence in the turret room.

The twins are very interested in their new tenant, hardly able to mind their own business. Then when Babs goes missing, the twins are quickly on the case. After a ransom note is received by Mr. Ziegfeld, the police become involved. Yet the twins are still keen to continue their own investigation.

This was a great deal of fun chock full of whimsy as well as some genuine thrills. The twins were very appealing protagonists and there was a strong supporting cast.

Despite everything going on with Babs, the twins have other challenges. Vivian is struggling with her crush on the handsome Sergeant Adam Kowalski, assistant to Detective Flanagan of the Major Case Squad. Both detectives are working on the official investigation into Babs disappearance.

Meanwhile, bookish Viola is reading ‘The Scarlet Letter’ and is finding many parallels between the novel and Babs controversial life. Of course, Viola’s current favourite novel provides the inspiration for the novel’s title.

Overall, I enjoyed ‘The Starlet Letter’ very much. It had a good balance between the light-hearted escapades of the Van der Beeck twins and it’s more serious aspects. In addition, Julie Mathison sets the stage for future books in this series of historical mysteries. It’s certainly a promising start.

. I was left a little wanting at the end and can't help but thinking it will go on because if not then things didn't resolve quite as nicely as I would like.

Otherwise this is a fun little historical mystery. It is considered ya but I didn't even notice ages till it specifically said the twins, the mcs, 18th birthday was during the investigation. Amateur sleuth in the 30s running around following dames, bootleggers, gangsters, theater people all in hopes of finding a down of her luck starlet.

Some of my favorite parts is the essentric and funny cast of characters that "help" during the investigation. The boarders and roommates that all live in the house with the twins. Women that are suppose to be chaperones, the parents, a funny little man who researches things.

The categories given do say it's a romantic mystery but really there's the bare minimum of romance....long glances and sorta unrequited love. Which is slightly disappointing when you think there's going to be more. Also I did not at all figure out who the bad guy was and the twist at the end was excellent!

Vivian and Viola Van der Beck are identical in appearance and polar opposites in character. Much preferring the world of facts and logic, Vivian often despairs at Violas whimsical romanticism. Especially when there is such a captivating mystery to solve. And although Viola would much rather spend her time with her nose buried deep in a book, she is bound by the twin code of honour to assist her sister in her newest object of intrigue.

When rising Hollywood star and tenant to the Van der Beeck household, Babs Le Roy, goes missing in the middle of her newest show, there is quite an intrigue to be had.

Set in 1931 New York, this exciting debut to the ‘Canary House Mysteries’ series takes us on quite the adventure, filled with quirky tenants, flamboyant stars, dubious criminals, sinful priests, handsome detectives, family mysteries and the witt and whimsy of the Van der Beeck twins.

Upon first opening this book it became immediately obvious that there would be references made to the work of US American classical literature ‘The Scarlet Letter’. With a heavy sigh I closed this book and picked up a copy of ‘The Scarlet Letter’, determined that I would understand all the references made in ‘The Starlet Letter’ when I began to read that (I am not American so I never had to read this classic as part of my school curriculum). Unfortunately for me, but fortunate for the readers to come, this arduous and sometimes painful task was not necessary. ‘The Starlet Letter’ does a brilliant job of explaining the quotes and references to the reader in such a way that no previous knowledge of ‘The Scarlet Letter’ is necessary.

When I finally picked up this book for the second time, I instantly fell in love with the authors style of writing. The humour and choice of words captivated me while the authors description of places and past events allowed me to sink deeply into the story itself in a way that very few other books have. I was highly intrigued by the way Julie Mathison meshes together the perspectives of Viola and Vivian, illustrating the closeness of their bond, while also making it immediately clear from whose perspective the story is being told, through the use of small quirks and sentence structures. I will most definitely be following along as the series continues, and look forward to reading some of Julie Mathisons other works in the mean time.

In the Starlet Letter, twins Vivian and Viola like to insert themselves in tenants’ business to pass the time in 1930s New York. When a new tenant goes missing, Vivian and Viola immediately begin to investigate to find out what happened and who took her.

While there was more mention of both twins towards the beginning, but the novel really focuses on Vivian and her curiosity into Babs’ disappearance. There’s also a little side romance that doesn’t really go anywhere. I think it would have been more interesting to focus on Vivian and Adam’s partnership in solving the crime!

The Starlet Letter introduces the Van der Beeck twins Vivian (Viv) and Viola (Lala), who in spite of being physically identical have quite different personalities.

The Van der Beecks are broke as a result of the Great Depression, but have kept themselves afloat with the help of six tenants (a pianist, a poet, an erstwhile diplomat, a psychiatrist, a bootlegger, and a philanthropist). The twins are usually very curious about their tenants lives, and the arrival of Babs Le Roy (a Ziegfeld Follies star) as a new tenant is no exception, they have actually done their homework and have done some research on Babs, but there seems to be more about her, what could that be? Babs seems to be hiding something and the twins need to know what that is.

Then, all of a sudden Babs goes missing. Could the secret Babs hide be the reason of her disappearance? Viv and Lala are determined to find out. They may only be a couple of curious teenagers, but their sleuth instinct might help them uncover just what they are looking for...or not.

This is the first book I read by Julie Mathison and I can hardly wait to read the missing installments of the Canary House mysteries.

This is a cute and quirky, convoluted little tale. I look forward to seeing how more of this large cast of characters fully evolve. I love the varied voices of the twins and the general ethereal quality of their thoughts. Altogether a fun read!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great mystery. I enjoyed it a lot!

A fun YA mystery that’s good for adults too…

I hadn’t realized that The Starlet Letter was a young adult mystery when I requested a review copy. But that didn’t really matter too much – it was still a fun mystery with an engaging pair of protagonists, and a really nicely developed historical background. Vivian (Viv) and Viola (Lala) are twin daughters on the last remaining branch of the Van der Beeck family tree – a family that has always had a bit of an odd kick in their gallop. Not for the Van der Beeck family a sedate mansion on the Upper East Side – instead they have Canary House, at 63 Central Park West, and, even worse, it’s been turned into a rooming house due to the Great Crash of 1929.

Which is all well-and-good until their newest boarder, former Ziegfeld Follies dancer Babs Le Roy, disappears, and Viv and Lala decide to take a role in the investigations. Although Viv and Lala are identical in appearance, they are far from the same in personality. Lala is the bookish one, constantly viewing the case as a riff on one of her favorite books, The Scarlet Letter, while Viv is regarded by Lala as the outgoing one who knows everything. But luckily, their skills seem to mesh, and although it’s a close-run thing at the end, they figure out what happened and why.

All-in-all, this is a fun YA mystery, and is actually not a bad cozy mystery for anyone, young adult or not. And, as I mentioned way back at the beginning, the author, Julie Mathison, has done a fine job of the historical background too, with a nicely drawn portrait of the not-quite-yet-post-Depression era. I try to keep star-flation in check a little bit and only give five stars to really top reads – books that I will go back and re-read, and re-read again. And The Starlet Letter isn’t quite that. But it is a great read, so it gets four stars - which in my schema is still a strong recommendation to read the book, especially if you’re in the mood for a light-hearted, clean, cozy mystery. And it definitely was enjoyable enough that I’ll also be keeping an eye out for the next in the series, which hopefully is on the way, since there are a few little hooks left that need resolving! And finally, my thanks to Starr Creek Press for the advance review copy!

Thank you, Starr Creek Press and NetGalley for the chance to settle in with this ARC!

Adjectives that came to mind immediately, as I read this novel: delightful, frothy and quirky! I loved the premise of “The Starlet Letter.”. I look forward to sharing more adventures with the twins in future installments! It’s off to such a compelling start.

Also? The Art Deco-inspired cover art! “The Scarlet Letter” references? Fabulous, indeed.

I would shelve this alongside the “Her Royal Spyness” series by Rhys Bowen, as they feel like cozy, mysterious 1930s counterparts featuring clever leading ladies!

The Starlet Letter captured the essence of an older mystery. Set during the 1930’s, teen twin sister socialites have fallen on hard times after the financial collapse. Their family home in New York City is turned into a boarding house. A starlet from the Ziegfeld Follies makes her way into one of their rooms where the twins are fascinated with the starlet’s past and her current visitors. When she disappears, the twins set out to solve the mystery. I found the book a bit slow, but I enjoyed the interplay between the twins, the police, and the potential villains. The author captured the setting and time period very well. Thank you, Net Galley, for providing an advanced review copy.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this. It was not really for me though. I had a hard time getting into it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Julie Mathison for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Starlet Letter coming out June 6, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

When a former Ziegfeld Follies star goes missing, can the Van der Beeck twins crack the case without losing their necks?

It’s 1931, and the once grand, always eccentric Van der Beecks have opened up a boarding house to stay afloat. Canary House, their rambling Upper West Side mansion, boasts six tenants: a pianist, a poet, an erstwhile diplomat, a psychiatrist, a bootlegger, and a philanthropist who is always short on cash. Life has never been more fascinating until a seventh guest checks into the turret room. Babs Le Roy is an old Ziegfeld Follies star with more than one secret in her cluttered closet.

Nearly eighteen, the twins only look like angels. Vivian has a nose for trouble and Viola has her nose in a book, but between the two of them, the villain doesn’t stand a chance – if only they can find one to spice things up. Then Babs goes missing, and one ransom note, two gangsters, and a handful of red herrings later, the twins find themselves confronted with more criminals than they bargained for. Throw in a detective, a handsome sergeant, and a houseful of tenants graced with more whimsical personalities and you have the makings of a mad-cap mystery that will keep you guessing till the end.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I loved the mystery and time period! I enjoyed the references to the Scarlet Letter. The twins were a little hard to tell apart at times. I think their personalities were similar at times, but I thought the book was fast paced and fun. The dialogue was really fun. They were definitely eccentric characters. I’d love to check out more books in the series.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys old Broadway vibes and 1930s mysteries!