What a gem of a find. I have never heard of this author and saw net galley had the audiobook and it did not disappoint. I am so glad I got the opportunity to listen to this beautifully written historical mystery. It has mansions from the 1930s one of my favorite time eras. I love the detective work in this book and I was hooked from start to finish. I will be purchasing from this author and lets talk about how gorgeous this book is.

I don't believe there were many female PI's back in the 30's but Cora is determined to be one. Working on a case that can make or break her career, she is tasked with getting indisputable proof that a big wig in Hollywood is having an affair.

Jack Yates escaped from prison on Pelican Island when he was a teenager. He has spent his life trying to gain proof that he and his brother were set up and to clear their names.

Cora knows Jack from when her father was the prison warden on Pelican Island. As a child she met Jack and the formed a connection. It was Cora's information about the prison that helped Jack escape and lead to the death of one of her family friends. Cora has always blamed herself. Jack was always drawn to Cora, and now she is a woman. He feels bad that she thinks he only spoke to her to get information when deep down he really cared.

This is a beautifully spun mystery that delves into the haves and the have nots. The boredom of privilege and how the less fortunate are often left as patsy to pick up the broken pieces. Filled with the opulence and splendor of old Hollywood it is also a story of 2nd chances and things not always being what they seem.

If The Great Gatsby and Road to Perdition had a baby it would be this book, the opulence, the mystery, the mob involvement, decadent and dark in equal measure this book took my expectations and went so far past them.

Since I had the privilege of listening to an audio copy I have to take a moment to talk about the narrator, Jennifer Jill Araya, this is the first book I've listened to that she narrated but it won't be the last, her voice, the tone, it's just brilliantly done.

Now as for the story, it's young love, remorse, crime, redemption, everything I look for in a good book that will draw you in and keep you there, I will say I binged this in a day and will listen to it again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing a copy of this AudioBook, I have voluntarily listened to and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

A 1930s female PI and an escaped convict. Sounds like the perfect setup. Sadly, it wasn’t. When Cora and Jack first met, she was only 14 years old, and Jack was a convict doing time for a double murder. Cora’s father was next in line to be warden. The whole thing left me scratching my head, critical of her parents then and now and her logic and rational thinking abilities. The story just didn’t sell. And it was unfortunate.
The plot moves very slowly, overly slowly, throughout most of the book. The feel was inauthentic, as though Ms. Murphy did not do enough research into the time period.

The characters give the reader no reason to care. They were not particularly likable. The idea of “escaped convict strikes it big” and no one recognizes him except Cora, her father, and possibly the wife of their shared target? Not really believable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio ARC! I had such high hopes for this book and was excited by the premise and set up. Unfortunately, the story didn’t grip me and I found myself disengaged and having to rewind often. I’m fully aware that not every book is for every person and for whatever reason this one wasn’t for me. I can say that the premise and small twists were fun, but maybe not engaging enough for me, personally,

Filled with Old Hollywood glitz and mystery, Enchanted Hill follows two outsiders, an aspiring private investigator and an alleged thief/murderer, as they infiltrate the estate of Truman Byrd, newspaper owner and Hollywood producer. The story takes place during a week-long house party with a group of movie stars, political figures, and powerful “friends” all vying for fortune, prestige, and power. The estate is lovely and exotic and filled with hidden spaces and secret doors. The atmosphere is both sparkling and privileged and claustrophobic.

Cora, our PI, is running out of time to gather the evidence she needs when the last person she ever imagined seeing again shows up with a new name and dyed hair – Jack. Their history is complicated and the author does a good job dealing with the tensions and attractions between them. I went into the book expecting a historical mystery, which it is, but for me it felt more like a romance or romantic suspense. The slow-burn romance between Cora and Jack, along with their hesitations and worries, is really the focus. The mystery itself was rather predictable

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a wonderful job pulling me into the story. Even though it wasn’t what I was expecting, I thoroughly enjoyed Enchanted Hill, from the people with their public faces and private fears and secrets, to the sparkling drinks and delicious food, to the hidden codes and dangerous men. I just wish the mystery portion had been a bit stronger.

Cora McCavanagh is posing as a maid at Enchanted Hill in hopes of catching an illicit photograph of newspaper magnate Truman Byrd and his mistress Clementine. Mabel, Truman’s wife, wants out, but not without half the fortune she believes she deserves. She hires Cora, an aspiring PI to get the evidence she needs. Cora’s upbringing is an unorthodox one. She was raised on Pelican Island, home to the country’s supposedly most secure prison. Cora, whose father was a prison guard, grew up surrounded by criminals and having to ferry to the mainland for school. It comes as no surprise she had a bit of an isolated childhood. Now, time is running out on Mabel’s clock for Cora. She has to get the evidence she needs to get her payout so she can start her career. She is shocked that help comes in the form of former prisoner Jack Yates, part of the only group to escape the prison. He was believed to have died in the waters surrounding Pelican Island, but Cora knows her eyes are not deceiving her. Jack, not much older than her, was one of the only prisoners who didn’t scare her, who in fact was nice to her when she had so few friends, and now he has shown up in her life again.

Jack Yates was never supposed to even be near the museum and the paintings that he supposedly stole. Despite their being no evidence of his having the priceless art, he and his brother are sentenced to the notorious prison on Pelican Island. Together they bide their time to plan an escape, with a little help from a young girl on the island, since it is clear they were framed. Jack is not foolish enough to think anyone will listen to him, when it is obvious someone with far more power than him made sure he will never be released. A patient man, Jack spent years trying to figure out who framed him and where the art ended up. Working on a lead, he ends up with a coveted invite to one of Truman Byrd’s famous parties, and is shocked to see the young girl he left behind on that dreaded island years ago. Worried she will blow his cover, they make a pact to work together to help each get what they need to move forward.

Enchanted Hill is a fun historical mystery filled with lots of twists and the main characters, though flawed, will have you rooting for their success. Truman’s estate and his parties are reminiscent of Jay Gatsby and Pelican Island is an obvious nod to Alcatraz. The author does an outstanding job of illustrating the excess of the time period when the rich did as they pleased regardless of who they hurt in process.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and the author Emily Bain Murphy for the advanced copy of the audiobook. Enchanted Hill is out now. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Cora McCavanagh is a private detective posing as a maid at newspaper/movie magnate Truman Byrd's legendary estate (made me think of Hearst Castle). She is trying to get dirt on Truman so his wife can get a divorce. While undercover, Cora runs into someone she knew as a teen that had a huge negative impact on her family.

I enjoyed the narration by Jennifer Jill Araya.

Enchanted Hill
Emily Bain Murphy
Cora was raised on Pelican Island. The island was beautiful however, it was home to the worse type of inmates. The island was famous for its security, no one ever escaped from Pelican Island, until that fatal night. Cora’s father was a guard, one more year and he hoped to be promoted to warden. There were two brothers convicted of murder and imprisoned on the island; they swore they were innocent. Jack Yates befriended Cora. He was a handsome young man and he was kind to her; he would tie flowers on the fence for her. She would sneak taffy to him. She found herself falling in love with him. She trusted him and believed him. Until the night the brothers escaped, a guard was killed/murdered. It was believed the two brothers drowned but their bodies were never found. Cora lived with guilt.
It was 1930 and Cora McCavanagh is a female PI. She is posing as a maid at Enchanted Hill, hoping to find the information her employer wants. She is shocked and thrown off when she sees Jack Yates walk into the mansion. She thought he was dead. Why is Jack Yates here on Enchanted Island? What is he after? Will he blow her cover? Eventually Cora and Jack decide to work together.
This is a well written mystery love story. Cora carried a large load of guilt although I doubt it was her fault. This book is slow moving. This book has great potential and would make a great Lifetime movie.

In 1930, Cora goes undercover as a maid in a Hollywood magnate's lavish estate to find evidence for a client. There she encounters Jack, a mysterious man from her past. The two form a tentative alliance, unraveling sinister secrets.

This is a brilliant and engrossing mystery with a romance subplot that kept me guessing until the end. It immerses the reader in the Hollywood glamour of the time. The characters are well-developed and intriguing. The audio narration added to the enjoyment of the book.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

2.5 stars

This book was a bit too slow for me and it took way too long to get going. The set up was very drawn out and I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters.

The last 15% is when the boom actually got intriguing and the puzzles were pretty interesting, but by that time, I was already kind of over reading this book.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

This was a great read and my 1st by Emily Bain Murphy, but most def not my last! I am adding all of her books to my TBR! I love all the old Hollywood details and that Jack & Cora came to a truce and helped each other. But seriously, zebras? The rich are super weird.

#EnchantedHill
#NetGalley

This was a very sad but good book. Reconnecting with a first love that ruined your trust is awful but so interesting. The reveals and the two different things that had to be solved during the movie are so awesome. The ending made me so happy, although one aspect did make me sad for the main female character.

As far as mysteries go, Enchanted Hill was pretty light. I can be kind of judgy about heroines of the story making unrealistic or poor choices, so there were plenty of times where I was tempted to scream at Cora in this novel. The romance was a little too hokey for me. However, for my Netgalleys, I do try to keep in mind what the general audience will think when they read this book. I am often much pickier about what I love than the average reader of romances, cozy mysteries, or historical fiction, all three being genres Enchanted Hill falls into. That said, I believe that anyone who is a fan of historical romances or historical mysteries will likely enjoy this book. I enjoyed trying to figure out how all the players in the book were going to come together. The setting of old Hollywood glamour and an American estate was lovely and fun. Come for the setting. Stay for the light story that follows.

I loved how unique this book was and it kept me intrigued the whole time! It had major Great Gatsby, mafia and Alcatraz vibes. Cora is a private investigator who is hired to figure out what is really going on at Truman Byrd’s estate, Enchanted Hill. While she’s posing as a maid, she unexpectedly runs into someone from her past that changes everything. This mystery keeps you guessing and has the perfect amount of romance. I definitely recommend it!

I thought this was an interesting mystery that kept me wanting to read. I enjoyed the setting with the glitsy Hollywood and sort of noir feel to it. The amtosphere was perfect for a mystery.

I liked both Jack and Cora's points of views and I was rooting for them to suceed. Plus, I'm a sucker for a story about a potentially wrongfully convicted person.

It wasn't the best mystery I've ever read but I would definitely read more by this author.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook. I thought this book was great! The narrator was amazing!! I thought her voice was very clear and helped make the book come alive. The book was good, I thought the beginning was a great set up for the rest of it.

High Society, a sprawling estate with secret rooms and secret codes, a mystery, characters haunted by their interconnected pasts, secret identities and so much intrigue, oh and a classic friends to enemies to lovers story…. Enchanted Hill has it all, in a stylish package dressed in 1930s style. The main characters have depth and complicated backstories, and the action keeps the story moving forward in this fun read.

Jennifer Jill Araya did an excellent job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Emily Bain Murphy, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for providing this ALC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a wonderful historical mystery set in the era of the Great Depression. Cora McCavanagh is an aspiring private investigator (PI) who is posing as a maid at a legendary estate trying to get evidence for her Hollywood client. But one of the guests is tied to her past in a unforgettable way. As the deadline looms, Cora has to determine if she can trust a figure from her past to secure her future in the field. It’s a little Great Gatsby and a little Agatha Christie.

I thought this was a magnetic story. The characters are intriguing and as the story unfolds, Emily Bain Murphy does a compelling job of developing the individual characters along with the relationships throughout. It was a suspenseful yet thoughtful mystery that exceeded my expectations of a historical mystery. I loved the story itself, too. There were snippets of romance, which isn’t usually my thing, but fit with the overall theme of the story. We are introduced to a lot of characters that have their own drama attached, but it still worked into a cohesive ending. I think this is a solid Old Hollywood story that made we want to be in the sprawling mansion searching for clues right alongside Cora.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Emily Bain Murphy for the advanced audiobook of Enchanted Hill in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date for Enchanted Hill by Emily Bain Murphy was 07 November 2023.

This will be a short review!

The book has a fun setting and definitely gives off The Great Gatsby vibes. I really enjoyed that aspect of the story and it kept me intrigued throughout.

Cora is a PI that grew up on an island that was a prison with her father being a guard. I thought it was cool that through her experiences as a child she found a career. I don’t know if I could ever do what she did as I am more oblivious to things, haha. Jack Yates was a good character and had a past that we learn about. They both grew up differently and had different experiences because of it but through that they come together.

The book was a bit on the slower side and it definitely was the reason I couldn’t get into as much as I had wanted.

Overall, this was good and I thought the narrator did a good job.