‘Enchanted Hill’ is an interesting mystery, well told. The glamour world of the 1930s elite is vivid and a very fun setting for criminal shenanigans.

Premise - A PI, Cora, and an escaped convict, Jack, have to team up to get evidence against a very bad guy, Truman. Cora and Jack have history, along with burgeoning romantic feelings for each other. Can they trust each other?

This atmospheric mystery, glittering with old Hollywood glamour, has:

✨ gorgeous imagery
✨ well-developed characters
✨ fine art thievery
✨ split timeline storytelling
✨ a slow-burn romance (friends to enemies to lovers) that feels earned
✨ excellent pacing

Historical fiction isn’t usually my genre, but I do love old Hollywood and this mystery didn’t disappoint. There were some truly lovely turns of phrase, as well! I would read more from this author.

Thanks, NetGalley and Union Square, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was really good!!
Historical fiction genre.

Takes place mainly in the 1930’s, which would be the ‘current’ slot…but also reverts back and forth throughout the book to the 1915’s. The main characters are Cora, who in the current spot, is a private eye.
And Jack, in the current spot is a very wealthy gambling man!

BUT…Going back in time, their lives were very different. She was growing up on an isolated island that housed a jail. Her father was a prison guard and her Mom, well, was her Mom!

All is well and good, but then one day she meets the prisoner, Jack. And she finds herself forming a bond with him… and she’s happy. And she learns all about him and his little brother, who is also in jail…. And they spend a lot of time talking…

And then, it all changes and he’s gone!

Fast forward to 1930, and Cora is trying to build up her investigative side! She takes on a case that brings her smack in the middle of wealth and politics and greed, and two-timing men…and she needs to be right there!! Caught up in all that’s going on. And she is, but not as you’d imagine!

And then the surprises really begin!!
And we find ourselves in the midst of turn after turn after turn…so that you’ll never guess what happens next! I know I had no idea!!
And then she slowly weaves the pieces of the puzzle back together…one little piece at a time! And the results will blow your mind away!!

Lots of characters! Lots of Hollywood glitz! Lots of little stories going on inside the main one! Terrific characters that you will want to fall in love with, and some that you’ll want to kill! 😮

Thanks to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for an ARC of the audiobook which released today, November 7th.

#EnchantedHill by #EmilyBainMurphy.

Check out all my upcoming reviews on Instagram at #BookReviews_with_emsr

Happy Reading!! 📖📚

Enchanted Hill✨
By Emily Bain Murphy👀

Review 🔍

The main character is a female private investigator in the 1930s. It gave off James Bond vibes while I was reading it. Everyone is double-crossing everyone, and you don’t know whose side anyone is on. Did I feel like I was sipping champagne at a party while reading this? Yes! Lots of mystery and a bit of romance sprinkle in.

Mystery⁉️
Historical fiction📚
Betrayal🔪
Secrets🤫
Lies🤥

3 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

"The year is 1930, and Cora McCavanagh is posing as a maid at Hollywood magnate Truman Byrd’s legendary estate. She’s closing in on the damning evidence she needs for a high-profile client.

An aspiring PI, Cora was trained by her father, a former prison guard at the notorious Pelican Island, where she grew up surrounded by hardened criminals.

And that's why she recognizes Jack Yates as soon as he walks through the door. The last time she saw him was on an ill-fated night that changed the course of her life and still haunts her more than a decade later. Cora never expected to see Jack again—and now a single misstep could cause both their secret identities to come crashing down.

They strike a tentative truce to help each other during a week of parties overflowing with champagne and caviar. But there are puzzles hidden in every corner of Truman Byrd’s labyrinthine estate, and if Cora is to finally learn the truth about Jack Yates, she must unravel a sinister history that the rich and powerful will do anything to keep concealed.

Filled with intrigue and Old Hollywood glamour, Enchanted Hill is an unforgettable, sweepingly romantic novel set in a world you won’t want to leave."

This story was not at all what I was expecting. I went in blind to this one and for some reason, I was expecting something with magical aspects. It was definitely not that, but I still really enjoyed it! I enjoyed the feel of the early-mid 1900s. I also really enjoyed Jack & Cora's stories, both past and present. I was rooting on their relationship pretty hard, so I'm glad that worked out.

Part of the "whodunit" is very easily predictable, but their is a 2nd part that I did not anticipate.

Not the best book I've read this year, but it was a solid 4-star read that I am happy to recommend.

Brimming with Old Hollywood glitz and mystery, Enchanted Hill follows two outsiders, an aspiring PI and an alleged thief and murderer, as they infiltrate a Gatsby-esque compound and a group of social climbing guests all vying for their piece of fortune, prestige, information, and political power. The atmosphere was superb and the audiobook was particularly immersive, drawing the reader into this sparkling world where everything on the surface shines, but danger is lurking behind hidden doors and in secret rooms.

Very much like a game of Clue, each guest arrives with an agenda, alliances will be formed, threats made, and trust inevitably broken. While there were some stereotypical characters, I was uncertain how the story would play out for Cora and Jack and am glad Emily kept me guessing.

Lighter on the thrilling aspects and grit, this was a more entertaining mystery full of puzzles and ultimately a story of second chances and justice. Emily’s attention to detail in crafting this world and story was exceptional, but there were times when the puzzles and details slowed the story down a smidge in the middle. That being said, the final 20% really delivered and I couldn’t stop listening. For me, the audiobook was fantastic and is the format I’d recommend to consume this story.