*Thank You to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review *

Historical fiction mixed with murder mystery; how could you not be curious? I haven’t read many of those, but I have read a few. It was mostly the title that had captured my attention and the cover. I’m so glad that I decided to check this book out. Last Night At Hollywood Canteen had everything I love about historical fiction and mysteries. There was a slow start initially, but turning the pages didn’t take long, making me wonder what would happen next. Like everyone else, I asked who was behind the murder of Fiona and their reason behind it; what was their motive? I wondered if Fiona’s friends from the Ambassador’s Club could be responsible for her murder. Every page made it harder for me to put the book back down. I would have read all night if it wasn’t for work the following day.

I enjoyed reading about most characters, but Annie was my favorite. In my opinion, she had the most character development throughout the book. Sometimes, I thought that Annie was the only one who wanted to know what happened to Fiona. Others seemed to want to believe what the cops said when Fiona was first discovered. I wondered if someone would get angry, Annie, to be different in this case. I was afraid that there was a chance that Annie might be next. There was another part of me why Annie wanted to figure out what happened that badly, considering what she said about her. I did feel that Annie got close to Fiona’s friend too fast. The Ambassador’s Club had known each other for years, and Annie just met them, and they all acted as if they had been best friends for years.

I loved the descriptions of old Hollywood. I was always fascinated with how different Hollywood was from what it is now. I had also wondered how the writing behind shows and plays was during those days. I felt as if I was transformed into Hollywood along with Annie and all her friends. Most of the time, I couldn’t pull away from the books; I fell in love with the characters and the plot. This was the first book I have read by Sarah James , and now I wonder what adventures await us next.

Hollywood. 1943. Glamourous Club. Murder Mystery.

You could tell me those few words and I already know I'll enjoy it, but Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen blew my expectations out of the water! Annie, a mystery playwriter, teams up with the self-titled Ambassador's Club (read as: a group of cynics unhappy with their careers), to solve the mystery of film-critic, Fiona Ferris' murder.

Coming off of historical fiction reads like Evelyn Hugo and Kitty Karr, I was looking forward to reading Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen and it did NOT disappoint!

This has two of my favorite elements--a historical fiction with a taste of thriller.

Meet Annie, a screenwriter. After dealing with a breakup and closing of the theatre, Annie moves to Los Angeles to renew her career. The year was 1941 when the world was at war. She meets Fiona, who is a critic and who seem to criticize on each and every one of the movies and plays. At the Hollywood Canteen one night, Fiona was found murdered and someone was responsible for the murder. Annie along with few others, calling themselves as Ambassador's Club set off to find the murderer as they know that LAPD are incompetent to find the culprit.

I actually enjoyed reading this thriller. This was a fast paced thriller, there were some twists and turns along the way and the story is mainly told from Annie's POV. Reading this book gave me the feeling of being in the 1940's and got a glimpse of what the life was like back in the early 1940's. Of course, there's weren't any DNA testing or forensics at the time so the story was set realistic as possible. The author must have done some research on what the life was like in Hollywood during the 1940's during the war period. Overall, this was to me an enjoyable read although there were some parts in the book where it kind of dragged a bit, which lowered my rating overall to a four star reading. Overall this book worth four stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Souce Landmark for the ARC. The book is based on my honest opinion only.

Murder Mystery play write Annie Lawrence is new to Hollywood. It’s 1943 and the place to be each night is The Hollywood Canteen - a night club filled with servicemen letting off some steam and staffed exclusively by the stars. It’s the place where Annie finds herself a new group of friends. Before long one of those friends, ruthless movie critic Fiona Farris is found dead in the kitchen of the Canteen. Everyone at the club that night is a suspect, particularly Annie and her new friends as they each have a motive to want Fiona to stop writing rumours about them.

This one started out a bit slow but by halfway it had really drawn me in to the mystery and I was hanging out to find out who the killer, or killers were. I liked the historical setting of WWII Hollywood and the ins and outs of the movie industry really added an exciting backdrop the the story. Annie’s group of friends were all interesting with their own quirks and flaws. This is a character driven mystery and while there were a fair few side characters to keep track of it didn’t feel like too many. Overall this was an entertaining read and one for people looking for a murder mystery with some flare and pizzazz.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for my digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"Perhaps the best place in 1943 Hollywood to see the stars is the Hollywood Canteen, a club for servicemen staffed exclusively by those in show business. Murder mystery playwright Annie Laurence, new in town after a devastating breakup, definitely hopes to rub elbows with the right stars. Maybe then she can get her movie made.

But Hollywood proves to be more than tinsel and glamour. When despised film critic Fiona Farris is found dead in the Canteen kitchen, Annie realizes any one of the Canteen's luminous volunteers could be guilty of the crime. To catch the killer, Annie falls in with Fiona's friends, a bitter and cynical group - each as uniquely unhappy in their life and career as Annie is in hers - that call themselves the Ambassador's Club.

Solving a murder in real life, it turns out, is a lot harder than writing one for the stage. And by involving herself in the secrets and lies of the Ambassador's Club, Annie just might have put a target on her own back."

A real showstopping Hollywood mystery!

While I love stories written during this time period, and I appreciate who dunit storylines, this one was only okay. The story line was drug out, with a short resolution and a predictable plot twist. The ending was vague. I do appreciate the opportunity to read this book ahead of the public release and to some readers, it may be really enjoyable, but I found it to be average.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a complimentary copy of this novel! This novel is based off of the real location of the Hollywood Canteen that hosted servicemen for a bite to eat, a drink, dancing, and entertainment free of charge. The novel takes place in 1943. It is about Annie Laurence, a playwright who ends up moving to Hollywood to write for Pacific Pictures. She had just come out of a long term relationship. There, Annie meets film critic Fiona Farris, whose reviews can make or break a person's career. Fiona invites Annie to their club, the Ambassador's Club. Outward appearances would seem the group gets along fine, but in actuality there are secrets among them; and at one point or another, Fiona had written not so good reviews on them. One night, while the group is volunteering and working at the Hollywood Canteen, Fiona Farris is found dead of an apparent suicide. But soon, Annie becomes a suspect because Fiona died the exact same way a character in her written play died. However, all members of the Ambassador's Club had motive to kill Fiona. Now Annie must try and find out who and why before the killer strikes again, and it's too late for Annie.

Annie is a playwright who writes murder mysteries and is in a secret three way relationship with her lead actors. When her lovers desert her for a better job opportunity and the critic who knew about their relationship is found dead by the same poison that features in her play, all fingers point in her direction.

I have no notes for this one. I loved the cast of characters and their dynamics, I loved learning about the Hollywood Canteen, and the murder side of the plot wasn't predictable as it usually happens in the genre.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

nnie Laurence has written murder mysteries for the stage, but solving one in real life proves to be much more difficult.

Hollywood, 1943. Playwright Annie Laurence moves from New York City to Los Angeles after she's offered a job writing for the film studio, Pacific Pictures. After a recent break-up and bout of depression, Annie hopes her move to L.A. will prove lucrative for her career and help her reconcile with her exes, a pair of married actors she'd been having a polyamorous relationship with. Unfortunately, her exes want nothing to do with her, and Pacific Pictures doesn't want her to write murder mysteries, but trite movie musicals Annie doesn't feel passionate about.

Annie's life changes when she attends Pacific Night at the Hollywood Canteen, a club where film's hottest stars offer entertainment, dancing, and food to servicemen about to be shipped overseas. There, Annie meets Fiona Farris, the acerbic film critic who previously reviewed Annie's play. Annie falls in with Fiona and her friends, a group of cynical stars who call themselves the Ambassador's Club, after the hotel where they drink and commiserate. The group includes:

Jack, an alcoholic comedian who wishes to become a serious novelist.

Victor, a failed composer with a turbulent love life.

June, a Chinese-American actress who's sick of being treated like a sex symbol instead of a talented performer.

And Terry, a film producer with a failed marriage who often tries to keep the group in line.

Annie feels like perhaps her life is turning around, but when Fiona is discovered dead at the Hollywood Canteen - dead of the same poison Annie wrote about in her play - she takes it upon herself to figure out the truth. Who killed Fiona, and what secrets was she about to expose?

In the background, World War II is raging on, though to call Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen a World War II mystery might be a bit of a misnomer. The war is referenced occasionally, and the Hollywood Canteen provides a setting for the main mystery, but World War II politics play no part in the plot. Perhaps that's why I liked this book when I usually detest World War II-era stories. I would classify this as an Old Hollywood mystery, rather than a World War II one.

I enjoyed this murderous tour through classic Hollywood and how it explored the control studios used to have over their talent's lives. Actors had to follow strict "morality clauses." Stars would be forced into elaborate publicity stunts or enter an arranged marriage to hide their queer identities. These were things that were known to or rumored to have happened. Imagine if nowadays two actors appeared in a movie together and the studio asked them to get married! This kind of control is absolutely wild to think about.

As for the main characters, the members of the Ambassador's Club all have a cynical worldview, and the barbs they exchange with each other can come across as incredibly harsh. However, author Sarah James wrote their clever dialogue in such a way that - even though I'm not sure I'd ever want to hang out with this crew in real life - I enjoyed reading about them. (It is unrealistic that Annie becomes besties with the group and wants to avenge Fiona after knowing them for one week, but well, suspension of disbelief and all that.)

My biggest complaint about this book is I wanted a bit more from the ending. The resolution to the mystery made perfect sense, but the murderer(s) weren't as developed as I would've liked. I didn't genuinely fear them, and while their motive made sense, it wasn't surprising. I wish there had been more of a 'wow' moment at the end to take the book to the next level.

Overall, 4 stars. 🌟 I would read from this author again.

Whilst a murder mystery is not my usual choice of genre, the glamorous Hollywood backdrop of this book left me thinking I wanted to give it a go. This part of the novel I enjoyed, along with the references to real life people who were famous at the time. The whodunnit flowed well and the book was an easy read….I certainly didn’t have all of the twists worked out and was still left surprised by the end. My main criticism of the book is how unlikable all of the characters were which sort of left you feeling you didn’t really care who killed one of them. Give this a go if you like a murder mystery.

After a break up, Annie moves to Hollywood to pursue her dreams of being a writer.

Not long after she comes to town a notorious reviewer (who left her a less than positive review) is found dead.

The characters were fun and quirky but I found the throuple storyline a bit random, it was a quick read and i’d recommend if you like stories set in old Hollywood as a few real life famous faces make a cameo.

I’ve always enjoyed historical novels about old Hollywood. Throw in a cozy murder mystery and jackpot!

Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen by Sarah James was lot of fun. In 1943, we follow Annie, a playwright from New York City. After going through a miserable breakup, she’s offered a job at Pacific Pictures and a move to Hollywood. She finds herself volunteering at the Hollywood Canteen, a club for servicemen run fully by volunteers from the film industry. She meets a group of friends, including critic Fiona Farris, who had skewered her play back in NYC and quickly befriends them, joining their inner circle. After Fiona is found dead a few days later, Annie takes matters into her own hands to investigate the murder, leaving her to wonder who exactly she befriended with this group and if one of them may have committed the murder themselves.

Despite this book being a murder mystery, it wasn’t overly dark. It was fun to learn that the Hollywood Canteen was a real place and the idea of it fascinated me. James does a great job setting the scene and the characters in this story and that made it a breeze to read. It does delve into a bit of ridiculousness by the end, with an ending you probably won’t see coming, but it didn’t bother me at all.

It’s definitely a fun way to spend an afternoon!

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen explores the seedier side of 1940s Hollywood. On the surface is glitz and glamour but underneath is a more sinister and toxic atmosphere. When New York playwright Annie Laurence moves to Hollywood after the end of her seven year relationship and her current play, her life changes forever. She befriends the creatives of the Ambassador’s Club and learns quickly that it is much harder to solve a murder in real life than writing one, when one of its members, hated columnist/critic Fiona Farris, is found dead in the Canteen’s kitchen.

What I liked:
-the 1943 Hollywood setting particularly the Canteen and movie studio
-the placement of real celebrities interspersed throughout the novel especially Bette Davis
-the snide and witty Ambassador’s Club members
-a glimpse of a B movie studio and the pressure of it’s various workers to continue the show must go on’ mentality
-satisfying ending

What I disliked:
-the pacing was a little slow and at times repetitive
- Annie irritated me as well as the other characters, I could not relate to their hedonistic ways

My rating: 3 out of 5

Trigger warning: drug and excessive alcohol use

My final takeaway: Read this book if you are a fan of historical mysteries and the world of Old Hollywood.

Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this eARC that will be published November 7 2023.

This story has some excellent writing. People who love to hate/love each other. A character who writes within this book and she's a firecracker.. The shenanigans she gets into are funny and sometimes a tinge of being scared and excited.
You need to get to know her. Read this - you won't regret it.

This book by Sarah James was delightfully entertaining. Set in Hollywood - nothing was overly believable which added to the charm. Loved that the main character was a mystery writer and trying to solve a mystery. While it was a lighter read, my main criticism was the amount of references to extreme alcohol and drug use! I didn't think I was a "prude" about this but in today's era of opioid addiction and substance abuse the numerous mentions really stuck out to me - to the point where I thought it might need a "trigger warning" for readers and I am NOT a fan of trigger warnings generally. That aside - the book was a great read and I'd definitely look for the next offering from Sarah James.

Thank you to the publisher for my copy, all opinions are my own.

When I say I LOVED this book........

I honestly picked this one up at random when I was travelling, and I had no idea what I was even getting into on the plot. Tossed right into the 1940's Hollywood scene, where the movie studios host entertainment nights for servicemen, and hosted by a motely crew of movie stars, writers and directors who spend their nights alternating between being the talent and drowning away their own demons. Culminating with a very dead body on the premise and a limited suspect list - this was the perfect, vibrant, glamorous, darkly humorous combination that had me actually obsessed from start to finish. While I had planned to maybe read a couple of chapters, I instead devoured the whole book in one sitting. I just couldn't set it down.

It has a very old-school Agatha Christie style, locked door mystery vibe on the whodunnit of the killer in their midst, while splashing in the perfect amount of character drama, light hearted fun between this unlikely group of "friends", and the snazzy razz of them trying to create movies at the time, for a less than stellar studio, and while navigating the ever stringent societal norms. The characters are dynamic, messy, dramatic, and flamboyantly fun, the mystery has the perfect amount of twists and turns, and in the end, it is one of the most satisfyingly delicious conclusions to a book that I've read all year.

Truly, this one shouldn't be missed. If historical mysteries were a thing, this one would take the cake.

Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen is different from other historical fiction of the era, which I always enjoy. Instead of a story surrounding a person or persons, James' novel explores a place in history. The plot is fair and the story is well told, but I did not learn about the Hollywood Canteen until I read the notes.

I was given an advanced reader copy of this title by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Loved getting lost in the world of Hollywood glamour 1940s and the connections to real celebrities. Solving the murder was a great ride!

Sarah James transports you to New York 1943, where we meet Annie Laurence, playwright. Annie is in a complicated relationship of seven years. When a newspaper critic who reviews movies and plays, Fiona Farris, reviews Annie’s latest work. The review of the play wasn’t bad but one of Fiona’s comments hits a little close to home nearly outing Annie’s home situation. When a movie offer comes in for the Cook’s, Annie’s partners, they take it and move to Hollywood leaving Annie hurt and cast adrift in New York. Annie has trouble finding a way forward.

Four months later, Annie receives an offer from Paradise Pictures to become a Hollywood screenwriter. Annie jumps at the offer and possibility of reconnecting with the Cook’s. Part of her new contract is volunteering at the Hollywood Canteen with other movie studio stars and employees. The volunteers entertain and serve the GIs getting ready to ship out during WWII. At the Canteen, Annie runs into Fiona Farris and her group of friends, the Adventure’s Club. Annie realizes they are kindred souls and quickly forgives Fiona’s review of her play.

When Fiona is murdered a short time later, Annie wants the find the murderer because she knows that she is a likely suspect. Can the mystery writing playwrite solve a real murder?

A historical novel that lifts the curtain on the seedy side of WWII era Hollywood with a fantastic cast of unruly characters. I would love to have an old-fashioned with the Adventurer’s Club sometime.

Fun book about an unusual threesome who take on Hollywood. I felt the author captured the atmosphere beautifully