The Starlets
by Lee Kelly; Jennifer Thorne
Pub DateNov 12 2024
Harper Muse
General Fiction \(Adult\)| Historical Fiction| Mystery & Thrillers


HarperMuse and Netgalley provided me with a copy of The Starlets for review:


A perfect island. There are two rivals. A star-studded cast.An all-star cast. Underneath the glitter, disaster looms.



The summer of 1958. As Helen of Troy in Apex Pictures' big-budget blockbuster, A Thousand Ships, Vivienne Rhodes thinks she has finally landed her break. When she arrives on the remote Italian island of Tavalli, she discovers she is cast as the secondary character Cassandra, while her nemesis Lottie Lawrence, America's supposed "sweetheart," is playing the leading role.



But when the ladies discover that members of the crew are using the production as a cover for something illegal-and that they are willing to kill to keep their dealings secret-the tension on set turns deadly. In an attempt to save both their lives and careers, Vivienne and Lottie frantically agree to work together on delivering the evidence to Interpol while on the run.



While fleeing corrupt cops and looming mobster gangs, the archrivals stay one step ahead of them. They visit Monaco's casinos, Grace Kelly's palace, travel through the Alps, even onto another film set before a final showdown back on Tavalli, where the lives of the entire cast and crew hang in the balance. Only if they can figure out how to share the spotlight can Vivienne and Lottie be real heroines, saving the day, the film, and maybe even each other.


I give The Starlets five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

In this intense and thrilling new historical fiction novel set amidst the glamor of 1950s Hollywood, readers meet actresses Vivienne Rhodes and Lottie Lawrence on the set of Apex Pictures’ A Thousand Ships epic about the Trojan War. The rival actresses, fighting over the role of Helen, see the production take a turn when they realize that members of the crew are using the production as a front and are willing to kill to keep this a secret. When they discover the proof needed to bring it down, Vivienne and Lottie end up on the run in a forced partnership across Europe to protect the cast and the rest of the crew. With high stakes and a fascinating plot with two complicated protagonists, readers will love the immersive world and incredible intensity in this new novel that blends thriller and historical fiction perfectly. Vivienne and Lottie’s developing relationship is particularly well done because of the different dynamics, tones, and stakes at play, and readers will love seeing them become something other than professional rivals. Full of incredible detail, great characters, and high stakes, readers will love this thrilling new historical fiction novel and the fascinating world of crime and celebrity it brings to life.

The Starlets are two actresses, Vivenne Rhodes and Lottie Lawrence, who regularly compete for the same roles in movies. Arriving on set for their current project, Vivenne finds that Lottie has been given the lead part she had thought was hers. This sets the stage for the antagonistic relationship between them.
Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne have set the stage in 1958, when movies were the ultimate entertainment and the actors were the top celebrities of the time. At the same time, any organization that generated as much money and celebrity as the movie studios was also home to the graft and general crime of the time.
Vivenne and Lottie will find evidence of crimes that will destroy the entire project, cast, crew, everything. Can they work together to get the evidence to the authorities? At this point, Kelly and Thorne throw several twists into the women's paths that make their journey much harder than they had thought or planned. This changes the tone of the story, making it much more enjoyable as the two women must set aside differences.....movie stars, remember?....to save the rest of the show.

3.5 stars. This was a fun story! I'm not a huge fan of Hollywood drama, but I liked this take on it -filming abroad, murder and intrigue... I liked that it wasn't predictable, except for the two women becoming friends. The "bad guy" is written well, but most of the minor characters are only moderately developed, so I would have liked more of that. It's a quick read, easy to follow, good for a palate cleanser between heavier books! I hadn't read anything by these authors before, but I would definitely try them again.

This one was so much fun! I loved our main gals, Lottie and Vivienne, and seeing how their friendship developed. The Old Hollywood setting was fantastic. The mystery and hijinks were a delightful ride. A fast, escapist read. Definitely recommend! I also liked the author's note at the end about how they blended historical fact with fiction to make this story.

For you if you love:
❤️found family
🎬golden-age movie stars
🐈‍⬛cat-and-mouse chase
💛loveable, unlikely heroines

The book had a promising start but faded in the middle but I finished it.
I liked the different locations the best.
I also like the classic Hollywood era depiction.

I’m not sure whether I am supposed to take this book seriously, but it wasn’t funny or clever. So I am assuming that it is not intended as satire. It starts out as a snapshot of old Hollywood, with a snarky rivalry between 2 starlets on a movie filming in Italy. Then a murder occurs and the enemies have to join forces to bring down the evil doers on the movie location. They go on the run scampering around Europe in a farcical and totally unbelievable manner. At the end they wind up back in Italy and the book takes a darker, but still unbelievable, turn.

The first part of the book had some promise, although it wasn’t very original. The rest of the book was more original, because no one else has thought of a premise this ridiculous. I’m really surprised that I kept reading, and I doubt that I would try either of these authors again. 2.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

The description and cover are something im very interested in but the formatting of the eARC on my Kindle was completely unreadable.

The Starlets by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne is set in the late 1050’s and is the story of two rival American actresses of the silver screen Hollywood.
Vivienne Rhodes has always aspired to become a star of the Hollywood Film Industry and thinks she has finally made it in the lead role as Helen in the latest Apex Pictures biggest budget film about the epic ‘Troy”. ‘A Thousand Ships’ is the next blockbuster that all have waiting for and that will save the crippling failure of the film studio. Vivienne becomes upset that the role of Helen has been assigned to her Fiancée thief and arch enemy, Lottie Lawrence. Vivienne is instead is assigned the role of Cassandra.
The film production and the crew all arrive on the Italian island of Tavalli to begin filming this new adventure. Unbeknown to both Vivienne and Lottie that the tense atmosphere on set between them turns out dangerous, unpredictable and deadly. The crew on set are involved in secret illegal activities even murder and will do anything to prevent the release of the secret information.
Vivienne and Lottie then work together to solve this mystery delivering the proof they have to interpol in exchange for protection of their lives, family and careers. However, the mobsters, police and corruption follow the two women as they escape and run from the danger to new adventures in Monaco Casinos, Grace Kelly’s Palace, across to the Alps.

Will the lives of these two women and the rest of the film crew be safe.

Will the latest blockbuster film by Apex Pictures be a success or a flop, ultimately ruining the studio completely?

Will Vivienne and Lottie become friends again instead of rivals?

This story is full of secrets, mystery and twists and turns. A book that has been written so well. An enjoyable read that will keep you wanting to know what happens next.

Thank-you NetGalley and the publisher Harper Muse for this opportunity to read a quick paced unstoppable read in exchange for a honest review. I rate this book highly 5 stars.

A thoroughly entertaining read that I very much enjoyed. This well crafted novel was filled with very likable good guys and gals, along with rather dastardly bad guys.

The glamour and glitz of old Hollywood was well represented. I was thoroughly engaged as the mystery unfolded and the suspense thickened. Wild adventures and danger were balanced out with laugh out loud comedic moments.

My favorite storylines involved the tight and genuine friendships that developed. I loved the transformations of enemies and adversaries into loyal friends. So satisfying!

This book was so much fun and a joy to read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from AustenProse and Harper Muse through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

his title about two starlets who meet on a film set in 1950s Italy is, itself, cinematic. There is a lot of excitement and action in these pages along with main characters whom readers will enjoy getting to know.

The starlets are Vivienne and Lottie. A Thousand Ships, is being filmed on location where Vivienne is surprised to learn that Lottie, and not she, is cast in the lead. They begin as rivals but will come to be on the same side as they traverse Europe trying to stay ahead of mobsters and corrupt officials. In the course of the action, they even go to Grace Kelly’s Monaco.

This book offers a fun read. It is a story that offers escape and will be enjoyed by those who like stories with some intrigue and a “buddy film” vibe. It is very entertaining.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for this title. All opinions are my own.

This was another old hollywood story with characters that are unreal with lots of smoke and mirrors. I'm sad to say it didn't catch my interest so I did not finish it. But thank you to #netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I really enjoyed this book! It was neat to have a look back at the early days of film and acting and I marvel at the easy camaraderie between notable people. I understand this is a work of fiction, but from my knowledge of the times that’s still very accurate. The story had a good plot line that kept me hooked and was never boring. All the characters were well developed and there’s someone there for everyone to connect with. I think my favorite part was the newspaper and tabloid clippings thrown into the mix to show a different angle to what was taking place and also to make the story more relevant to real life. We often forget that what the media feeds us isn’t necessarily what actually goes on behind the scenes. Personally I struggled with the dates being included as some of the chapters were a little long and I’d forgotten what day it said it was by the time I got to the next listed date but that wasn’t crucial to the story and is more likely a me problem. Definitely recommend and would read again!

In the golden age of Hollywood where sweeping epics are all the Viv Rhodes is about to star in the singular film that will save Apex pictures and make her a legend. She just didn’t expect her boyfriend stealing nemesis to be on set along with said ex-boyfriend. However she discovers there is a lot more to this film than just personal drama and when she and nemesis Lottie Lawrence end up on a “Thelma and Louise” road trip dealing with gangsters, smugglers, murderers, and interpol detectives they just might find that true friendship makes for a perfect happily ever after!

Rating: 3 ⭐️
Pub Date: November 12, 2024
How I Read It: 🎧 📱

Synopsis
Vivienne Rhodes thinks she’s finally landed her big break playing Helen of Troy in Apex Pictures A Thousand Ships, but, she’s devastated when she arrives to Italy and finds out she was cast as the secondary character. To make matters worse, Lottie Lawrence, who stole Vivienne’s finance, is playing the lead role.

My Thoughts
The opening of this book has you thinking you’re going to be reading a book about two fame-hungry jealous Hollywood actresses, but the tides quickly turn when one of them is in the middle of a murder, while the other one watches from afar. You then go on a cross countries journey with these two women who need to figure out how to work together to escape a killer, even with all of the competitiveness between the two women.

This book will have you on the edge of your seat at times with its action packed scenes, laughing at other times, and pull on your heartstrings. It’s got a little bit of everything mixed in, which makes for a really interesting story. I also loved the location the book was set in, Italy and other parts of Europe, with a fun and crazy casino scene mixed in. There was a lot going on in this book, but it was nice to see how the women’s friendship unfolded as they ran from villains.

❗️Of Note
I switched back and forth and read this book in both digital form and on audio, and if you love audio books, I highly suggest the audio version. The narrator was amazing!

Themes
Movies
Murder
Europe

Ratings
Characters: 4 ⭐️
Pace: 3 ⭐️
Enjoyability: 3.5 ⭐️

Thank you HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

This is the historical fiction I needed in my life.
The fun I had reading this! What a ride; charming, funny, fast paced, endearing and very, very entertaining.
I loved all of the characters; including the villain, who was very well written.
The plot was BONKERS in the best way possible, and the twists and turns were relatively believable but still engaging and surprising.
This is one of my favorite 2024 reads. I am now interested in reading Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne’s backlists.
I also strongly suggest listening to the audio; it really captured the characters and the vibe of the era. 10/10.

The Starlets was a disappointment. The themes are the same as every other Hollywood story including studio created relationships and hidden homosexual relations. The female lead is a seasoned veteran but is too stupid to understand the manufactured relationship created for her and somehow never notices her partner is homosexual. She is shocked when her “beau”, appears with his newest co-star on the red carpet and casts the young starlet as a man-stealing tramp.

The women are cast in a movie together and where tension should take center stage, the childish behavior of both characters over-shadows the scene. What follows is a series of over the top antics, with a gangster studio head who has everyone from board members to police, on his payroll.

As if it isn't bad enough that Lottie Lawrence stole her fiance, Vivienne Rhodes arrives on set to learn she's also stolen her leading role! Can it get any worse?

Actually, it can. Both women stumble upon secret activities and find themselves on the run, dependent on each other for survival. As the two make a madcap journey through Europe, trying to stay one step ahead of their pursuers, they learn a lot about each other and themselves.

This was a fun mystery with an absolutely fabulous setting and memorable characters. Don't let the beginning worry you--it's much more than a story about petty jealousies. #TheStarlets #NetGalley

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Muse for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
I enjoyed this story about old Hollywood. Actresses Vivienne Rhodes and Lottie Lawrence have been employed to star in a big, budged Troy epic. It would be ok; except they do not like each other. When they discover some illegal activities on the movie set, the fun begins. They soon join together to figure out what is going on and how to catch the criminals. I liked the time and setting of this book-it takes place in 1958. I liked the name dropping of other movie stars. The story got more exciting as it went on. Recommend if you like mysteries about Hollywood, gangsters and casinos.

This read turned out to be more exciting than I expected. Vivienne and Lottie were the typical conceited stars. Both want to be the big star, not only will one be second fiddle but they both find themselves wrapped up in a crime drama. They are going to have to work together to stop the mobsters and get out alive.