I really enjoyed this one. This book centers on a family that is Hollywood royalty because of generations involved in the film industry in various ways and the tragedy that befell them when a young starlet (and the main character’s sister) was murdered tragically when her star was just rising. This book touches on the theme of Hollywood starlet deaths (and touches on our obsession with these beautiful, young women whose lives were tragically cut short).

This book kept me gripped from start to finish as we followed Salma, the younger sister of Tawney, the actress taken too young, and how this tragedy really comes to consume her life and keep her stuck in a period of time that was a nightmare for her and her family. She soon comes to see that she isn’t the only one stuck in the past, and her picture perfect family might be hiding more than she ever imagined. This book was full of secrets, many of which were so tragic and angering, and I felt all of the emotions alongside Salma as she uncovered more and more. With Salma being a complex character with an addictive past full of many screwups, it definitely made her a more relatable character. It was also moving to watch her realize she wasn’t the biggest screwup in her family as the secrets slowly come undone.

This is just a fast-paced and enjoyable story. If you are fascinated by the darker side of Hollywood, then this one is definitely for you!

Summary
Salma is the daughter of Hollywood royalty and former child-actor. Now she leads a 'dead girls' tour that visits famous spots in Hollywood that are related to the untimely deaths of actresses, including her older sister, Tawney Lowe. One day, twenty years later, when ending a tour at Tawney's old house, Salma discovers a body in the pool, another dead girl. This one was set to play Tawney in the upcoming movie directed by Cal, Tawney's ex-fiance', and who Salma believes is responsible for her sister's unsolved murder. Seeing the parallels between Tawney and this newest death, Salma jumps right back in to investigating what may have happened to her sister, determined to solve it once and for all.

Review
This book is dark and suspenseful and tense, from beginning to end. Salma, as the first-person narrator, added to that suspense because as a former party girl who struggled with addiction, she isn't necessarily the most reliable narrator. She is fixated on Cal to the point as a reader you have to question... is the evidence skewed based on Salma's perspective? It was a sad story, with stories of corruption and loneliness and how things aren't always what they seem.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for a copy of this book in exchange for feedback.

I honestly don’t know how to feel about this book. There were elements that I really liked and some I didn’t. I think the beginning of the book was very strong but towards the end after secret after secret after secret was revealed it just fell apart.

2.5-3 stars

Thanks to GP Putnam for the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. - but this book was a bit of a miss for me. I've been reading very slowly lately, so that might be part of it, but I predicted almost every twist in this mystery read. I guess I’m over reading about men behaving badly for years and years and getting away with it, while also leaving women either dead or traumatized by their actions. I expected more.
Things I liked:
*Hollywood setting
*Former actress from an acting family #nepobaby
*Family secrets
*FMC obsessed with her sister’s graphic death
I am going to give the author another chance - I’ve added her 2020 release The Lady Upstairs to my TBR!

Salma Lowe, ex-child actress and current driver on the Dead Girls Hollywood bus tour finishing at the site of the Hurricane Blonde's death site...the pool where her sister was murdered. The murder that was never closed even though Salma whole-heartedly believes was committed by Cal, the ex-boyfriend auteur director. Even her parents being Hollywood royalty could not save her from the tabloid headlines, of her nickname Sloppy Salma, as her addiction consumed her. Now a decade plus later, she's sober, but there's another female body floating dead in that same pool. Riveting, and full of insider gossip and knowledge, it's a quick compelling read.

The cover drew me in, but the plot kept me going. This was a great summer reader, and I couldn't put it down after I got started.

Halley Sutton immerses readers in a scorching and suspenseful world of fame, family, and the chilling underbelly of Hollywood in "The Hurricane Blonde." Set against the backdrop of the glamorous yet treacherous entertainment industry, this gripping thriller delves into the deadly repercussions of both celebrity and familial ties.

Salma Lowe, once a child starlet herself, now navigates the twisted streets of Hollywood as a guide for the Stars Six Feet Under tour bus. She leads tourists through the glittering avenues, regaling them with tales of the tragic ends that have befallen actresses in the pursuit of stardom. Sutton expertly captures the dichotomy of Hollywood—a place where glitz and glamour often conceal the darkness that lurks beneath the surface.

Salma's own history is marred by tragedy, with her sister Tawney, the "Hurricane Blonde," meeting a gruesome end years ago. Salma's past has driven her away from acting and into the shadows, away from the allure of fame. However, when a real corpse is discovered on her tour, at the same location where Tawney once lived, Salma is thrust back into the heart of the industry she thought she had left behind.

Sutton crafts a narrative that is equal parts suspenseful and atmospheric, drawing readers into a world where appearances can be deceiving and secrets fester beneath the surface. The discovery that the dead woman bears an uncanny resemblance to Tawney and wears her distinctive hair clip is the catalyst that propels Salma on a quest for answers. The police investigation yielding little results, Salma embarks on her own dangerous journey to unearth the truth—a journey that takes her deep into the dark heart of Hollywood's past and present.

As Salma unravels the layers of deception and delves into her family's hidden secrets, the narrative gains momentum, building tension and intrigue with every revelation. Sutton's vivid descriptions bring the glitzy and gritty sides of Hollywood to life, immersing readers in a world where the pursuit of fame comes at a cost.

The enjoyed the premise of this novel, but the execution was a bit lacking for me. I had a hard time connecting with any characters in this book, I understand the author was probably intentional, but hell they all sucked. I would have preferred a ending that tied things up a bit, I felt like it supported the theme of the book which seemed unlikely for Salma. Also, if I never read the word "Jacaranda" I won't be sad about it! Although, it may sound like I hated this novel, I really didn't, I thought it was pretty good. If you enjoy seedy Hollywood stories with loose endings, this one might work for you.

This book absolutely fascinated me from start to finish. I was hooked early on and I kept engaged throughout the whole book. I really love reading about Hollywood drama lately, so that was a major plus! There was some real good plot twists in this story! I definitely did not guess the killer!

The book is told from the perspective of Salma Lowe, her parents were both movie stars and so was her sister Tawney.
Tawney is murdered in the mid 90's in her early 20's. Salma finds her body. The murder is unsolved. Salma is out of control in the news with drinking and partying. Fast forward 20 vears and Salma is working on a Hollywood bus tour. She finds yet another murdered woman, Ankine, in her sisters old pool similar to the way her sister died. Ankine is also a young Hollywood actress starting in a movie about Tawny's murder directed by Tawny's ex fiancee! It sends her spiraling trying to figure out what happened to Tawney and Ankine! I absolutely loved Salma's character, her sense of truth and justice and love for her sister made her so likable. If you are looking for a quick, engaging thriller, pick up this book!

Thanks to Putnam, Penguin Group, Halley Sutton and NetGalley for my copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was quite the story! I really enjoyed being thrown back in time and the mystery of “whodunit”. The characters were all quite difficult to get a good grasp on which added to the plot but even with all the twists and turns I did guess the big reveal very early. Still, it was a great setting that tapped into old Hollywood with emphasis on workplace anxiety and potential killers around every corner.

If you enjoy true crime themes this fictional accounting of an unsolved Hollywood starlets murder will be right up your alley!

Thank you putnam books for the arc via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


#thehurricaneblonde #halleysutton #bookreview #mystery #thriller #truecrime #hollywoodactress #putnam #netgalley

Salma Lowe, a former child star and daughter of Hollywood’s elite, is still grappling with the tragic loss of her sister Tawney, and learning to deal with the aftermath that saw her dealing with addiction and several rehab stints. Another very famous actress and nicknamed the “Hurricane Blonde” for her antics on and off camera, Tawney was murdered almost 20 years ago with the case still remaining unsolved with no leads. One day, Salma discovers the body of a young woman on the property where her sister once lived. And to top it off, this mysterious young woman found dead looks exactly like her sister. With family secrets threatening to boil over and the police investigation underway, Salma has no choice but to find out once and for all who her sister’s killer is, and if there’s a connection to this other mysterious woman.

First of all, I thought this was such an amazing and thrilling page-turner of a book with so many twists and turns you don’t see coming. I absolutely loved the Hollywood setting to the point where it felt like you were on these movie sets with the characters, and I especially loved the dual timelines that brought you back to the past to figure out more clues about Tawney’s murder and then easily brought you back to the present to put all of the pieces of the puzzle together. I would definitely say that this was such a frustrating and heartbreaking book to read due to the hard subject matters and dialogue presented in this book, especially with Cal’s toxicity and mentally abusive behavior towards certain characters. While you’re trying to solve this mystery of who murdered these two women, you’re also hit with all of these emotions and feelings that come with discussing these hard topics and feeling sad and angry for the characters who are involved. There’s also a lot of gaslighting that goes on with a lot of the female characters and making them out to be the problem, while the men are seen as the “golden boys” in the Hollywood industry.

I thought that this was such a powerful but really fun book to read, and I absolutely loved the plot of this story and solving the mystery to the point where I never knew what was going to happen. And let’s just say that the ending was SHOCKING!!

Thank you again to Putnam, Penguin Random House, NetGalley, and Halley Sutton for my advanced copy of The Hurricane Blonde!

You can find the link to my review of this book on Goodreads below 👇🏼:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5409279231

I feel like many people would love this novel. It portrays the negative impacts of Hollywood and includes a murder mystery. I didn’t love this book. I had a hard time wanting to reach to read this one and was not fully invested in the characters. I can see why lots of people love this one though! Unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me.

Really enjoyed this murder mystery, set in Hollywood with all the glitz and glamour you would expect. But, this one also delves into the seedier side behind the scenes. The story follows Salma as she tries to solve the drowning death of her famous actress sister, Tawney, "The Hurricane Blonde" While running a tour bus of famous Hollywood death scenes, she discovers another dead body in the same pool who looks just like her sister. The fast paced plot unfolds from there with secrets and lies with a very satisfying ending.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for this ARC that will be released August 8, 2023!

Thanks to the publisher for this advanced copy of the book in exchange for a review.

Salma Lowe was once considered Hollywood royalty, with her famous actor parents and sister. But when her sister, the Hurricane Blonde, is mysteriously murdered at her home, Salma goes off the rails and struggles with life. 20 years later she has managed to rebuild herself a stable life, but then she finds another dead girl in the same pool where her sister was found all of those years again. Why are girls dying at this house again?

This was a fun thriller by Halley Sutton. I really enjoyed the writing and felt like I really got to know the main character Salma as she works to uncover the mystery of her sister's unsolved death. There are many good suspects and I was surprised by the final reveal! I look forward to reading other novels by Halley Sutton.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for an e-ARC of The Hurricane Blonde, available everywhere now.

Despite being a nepo-baby, Salma Lowe has no interest in following her family's footsteps to the silver screen. But that doesn't mean she can't hover around celebrities, even if they're dead. Salma works for Stars Six Feet Under, a company that leads tourists around areas where female stars met their untimely demises. After all, there's nothing the public loves more than rehashing the murder of white women. In a gruesome twist, the last stop on the tour focuses on Tawney, Salma's sister, whose murder continues to go unsolved until this day. For years, Salma has insisted that Tawney's fiance, Cal, murdered her but without any proof to support her claim, he's been able to walk free all these years. When a dead body that's identical to her sister is discovered on the property, Salma seizes her chance to make sure Cal doesn't get away with murder twice. As her investigation deepens, the identity of her sister's murderer isn't the only thing that gets revealed.

Once I picked up this novel, it was difficult to put down. Salma was a messy and flawed character; I could envision her partying it up with the It girls of the 90's and early 2000's. It was a relief that the author didn't make her into an unreliable narrator as well. It's hard to explain why but I felt deeply on edge while reading it. The author did a really good job of writing about the underbelly of Hollywood, and the lengths that people will go to succeed in it. I wasn't surprised by the twists the novel took but that didn't stop me from enjoying it.

Salma Lowe is the daughter of famous director and a famous actress. She grew up as Hollywood royalty and was a child actor along with her older sister Tawney, who was breaking out into stardom when she was found murdered by her swimming pool. Tawney's murder was never solved but Salma was always sure she knew the culprit, Tawney's ex-fiancé Cal. After Tawney's death, Salma went through a difficult time and ended up in rehab twice before becoming sober and started working on a Hollywood murder bus tour. On one of the tours she discovers another body, in the same house her sister was murdered in, and this time Salma is determined to investigate. This leads her back to Cal, now a famous director, who is filming a biopic about Tawney. As she tries to get Cal to tell the truth, she also finds out more about her own family and the secrets they've been keeping her whole life. Overall, a suspenseful mystery about a dysfunctional Hollywood family that's been keeping secrets and how those secrets led to murder.

There were a lot of really enticing things about this book (besides that incredible cover). The book explores how much media loves a dead girl- from Salma's true crime inspired Hollywood tour to the movie being made about her sister Tawney, whose murder has never been solved. This is very insider Hollywood-y, the grit and glamour, the cover ups and secret deals. There was a lot of middle to this story that made it feel a bit too long- the first 1/4 and the last 1/4 of the book are significantly more engaging.

3.5 - I had some high hopes here but ultimately several very descriptive, disturbing scenes held this one back for me from being rated higher. Salma is a recovering alcoholic/former child star that is still grappling with the death/murder of her sister. When she stumbles upon another body at her sister’s former home that looks just like her sister, she is drawn back into the dredges of Hollywood. If you thoroughly enjoy very dysfunctional Hollywood families, you may love this one more than I did. Thank you to NetGalley and G. P. Putnam’s Sons for an early e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion. Hurricane Blonde is now available.

You guys, this is a perfect poolside popcorn thriller! I listened to it over the weekend while out on the lake and I couldn’t get enough! Full of twists, deception, Hollywood drama, and long-buried secrets - I was completely invested the entire time. @therealnatashasoudek narrates and totally nailed it! There are so many personalities in this book and she captured each one flawlessly!

A director with a penchant for perfection is has written a top-secret manuscript in which every young starlet is itching to be cast. Salma Lowe, daughter of Hollywood royalty and tour guide for Stars Six Feet Under, discovers a dead body floating in the same pool where her sister was found decades earlier. What do these two events have in common? Salma seems to think her sister’s killer has struck again but the police have ruled both deaths as accidental. Conducting her own investigation, Salma begins to uncover information she never expected - information that could change her life forever and alter everything she’s ever known.

There are so many great titles publishing today and sometimes it’s so hard to choose which ones to purchase. I absolutely recommend adding this one to your physical or audio collection if you’re looking for a fast-paced and twisty thriller to finish out your summer!

I loved Halley Sutton's debut, The Lady Upstairs, and her sophomore novel, The Hurricane Blonde, is equally as fabulous. The grit of Hollywood combined with the glamour and style make for an entertaining thriller with carefully plotted details for maximum suspense. I already can't wait to see what Halley is working on next!

Thanks for the opportunity to review!