A Perilous Premiere is my first book by Gail Meath, but I plan to look at her other books, including the next in this new series. It is set' in the 1930's Las Angeles with many references to actors and others in the filming industry. Vivian Steele, an up-and-coming fashion designer and shop owner, is dealing with the murder of her husband and is searching for his killer. Preston Stone is a wealthy guy who used to date Vivian's sister, and she doesn't care for him, but he keeps showing up wherever she is. Eventually they decide to work together to see who is behind some strange events including them both. This story shows corruption, greed, murder, cheating, and many surprises in the interesting mystery with twists and turns that moved along a quick pace and kept my attention. I really enjoyed the relationship between Vivian and Preston and liked them. I can't wait to read the next book to see where their investigation may take them. Both of the two have a backstory not yet revealed and I hope to get answers in the next book.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.

In 1938 Hollywood, fashion designer Vivian’s husband is murdered. She soon becomes entangled with playboy nemesis Preston in a deadly game involving a missing coin collection and a killer targeting them both.

This has the feel of a hard-boiled detective mystery. I enjoyed the characters and the story.

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

A Perilous Premiere is the first of a new Historical Mystery Series starring Vivian Steele and Preston Stone. Vivian owns a boutique in Beverly Hills and is a friend of Carole Lombard. Her husband, George, is a successful banker who gets murdered.

Vivian gets a call and is told to go to hotel room where she finds the body of a dead actress. Also present in the room is Preston Stone, handsome playboy and Vivian's nemesis. They go their separate ways and somehow end up at the movies a few days later and it becomes clear they are now targets.

The book is plot driven and moves quickly with twists and turns and secrets to be revealed along the way. The dialogue is humorous and well written. I look forward to book 2, hoping for more character development. The cutest characters are Bella, a Boston Terrier, and, Boris, a Saint Bernard. All in all, a great start to a new series!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Cranberry Pond Publishing, for an ARC. The review is my own.

A Perilous Premiere by Gail Meath is a fast paced mystery that grabs your attention and doesn't let go in the short 200 pages that make up a very well structured and written book that primarily focuses its pages on explaining and solving the murders that have occurred in the story. Even though it is not a character driven book, there is potential and chemistry to be explored. I will definitely be waiting for the next book in this series to continue the adventures of our characters.This book is set in Hollywood 1930 and I can appreciate the research into the history and important landmarks of that time - all of which provided us with a very cosy historical fiction book.

This book is set in Hollywood in 1930 and I can appreciate the research into the history and important landmarks of the time - all of which provided us with a very cosy historical fiction book.

Fun start to a new cozy series. Set in 1930s Hollywood, this fast-paced adventure introduces Vivian Steele whose husband is gunned down. Friends with Carole Lombard and beset by man-about-town, Preston Stone, Vivian has her hands full with figuring out whether her husband’s death was a case of ‘wrong place, wrong time’ or something more sinister. Add in two adorable dogs and you’ve got a strong first book in this new series.

Review:

A Perilous Premiere by Gail Meath
The first book in the Stone & Steel Mysteries
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is an entertaining read for fans of historical mysteries, suspense, and detective novels.

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:
Vivian Steele loses her husband, George, during a shooting incident in a store. Vivian, a fashion designer and a boutique owner, starts her investigation and helps the police catch George’s possible killer. Yet Vivian is not content and suspects the police arrested the wrong person. An unknown woman asks Vivian to meet her in a hotel suite. Arriving, she encounters Preston Stone, her adversary and a Hollywood socialite, who has also been invited. They find a murdered young actress, and Vivian sees a photo that shakes her to the core. George’s secrets now threaten to destroy Vivian’s life. Vivian and Preston must join forces to find a killer who plays wicked games with them both.

…………………………………………………..

This is not a character driven book, it focuses on the mystery and solving the murders, I quite enjoyed reading a book written this way as it was a refreshing change for me. This is a short book at just over 200 pages and can be read fairly quickly. I will certainly keep my eye out for the next books in this series as they are different from what I would normally read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/⭐️⭐️

Thank you to #netgalley for the ARC copy

Read if you are a fan of Richard Osman and Reverend Richard Coles

#cosymurdermystery #cosymurderbook #hollywoodmurdermystery #bookreview #arccopy

'A Perilous Premiere' started with a bang and took me on a puzzling adventure in 1930s California. Bonus enjoyment for loyal pet dogs and hints of romance. If you enjoy reading quick mysteries, then I recommend this book to you! I'm looking forward to the sequel.

Special thanks to the Publisher, BooksGoSocial, and Net Galley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Perilous Premiere is a great read! And I am eager for the next book in this series.

The story is set in 1930s Hollywood. Vivian Steele, dress designer, and boutique owner counts Carole Lombard among her besties. But Vivian’s seemingly perfect life is fractured when her banker husband is gunned down while buying a pack of cigarettes. Initially, his murder seems random, but was it? The mystery is intertwined with rich, playboy, Preston Stone’s own inquiries. And this unlikely duo team up to get to the bottom of it.

It’s easy to become intrigued by these bigger than life characters. The main characters and secondary characters are fully fleshed out. Getting a handle on their personalities, values, and dreams is effortless. Through them, we are able to feel this glamorous lifestyle.

Finally, the writing is superb. It was simple to get drawn into the story line. The people, surroundings, and actions were all easily envisioned, making the book so much fun to read.

Gail Meath has a previous series I now plan to check out as well.

I really enjoyed this fast paced and fun cosy mystery! A Perilous Premiere follows the recently widowed Vivian Steele as she seeks answers for the circumstances surrounding her husband’s untimely death. With a brilliant cast of characters, including the mysterious playboy Preston Stone, actress Carole Lombard and cute Boston terrier Bella, this novel immerses you in 1930s Hollywood. Throughout there are evocative descriptions that keep you immersed as you follow the plot’s twists and turns. The ending was very satisfying and I am looking forward to the next book in the series and hoping we learn more about Vivian’s secretive past and Preston’s career.

With thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.

“A Perilous Premiere: 1930s Historical Mystery Series” by Gail Meath is an engrossing beginning of a new series.. Anyone who likes a mystery within a mystery sprinkled within history will find this book delightful.

A really fun, 1930s cozy mystery. It’s a quick read with very engaging characters, and I loved the inclusion of real people/movie stars as characters. I’m glad it’s the start of a new series because I can’t wait to read more!

This is a fast-paced cozy crime story set in 1930s Hollywood. I liked the author's evident love for that era - the music, films, stars and fashions - which made this a fun read. The vintage photographs included as chapter headers are a lovely touch, as is the tribute to Carole Lombard in the author's note at the end. This is the first in a new series, and I look forward to more.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

pet-dogs, 1938, first-in-series, new-series, Hollywood, historical-figures, historical-novel, historical-mystery, historical-research, suspense, secrets, lies, amateur-sleuth, police-corruption, political-corruption, small-business, investigators, investigations, murders, murder-witness, wealthy, actors, cozy-crime, situational-humor, verbal-humor, banter, theft*****

Everyone has a hidden background and most have a hidden agenda as well in this character driven story. It moves along quite well with a few hiccups here and there, but that didn't interfere with my enjoyment or keep me from wanting to finish it after I went to bed. The Special Note at the end includes historical facts, mini bios of the historical characters in the story, music clips, and appropriate old film clips. I'm really looking forward to the promised next two books in series!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected proof copy from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley. Thank you!
#APerilousremiere #1930sHistoricalMystery by @GailMeathAuthor #StoneAndSteeleMysteriesBk1
#NetGalley @newbooksplease @ibpa

What a great start to a new Historical Mystery Series! In 1938 Vivian Steele comes to Hollywood. Things are fine until her husband is murdered. This is the story of how Vivian and her playboy nemesis Preston Stone, solve his murder. It was well-written with a fun cast of characters. I like that the pets were included as characters. I also liked the little pictures at the beginning of each chapter to give the reader more details about what is coming up. I highly recommend if you like mysteries about old Hollywood. I want to read the next one in the series.

Growing up, my parents were big fans of classic movies, and they always made us kids watch them, from Westerns to Film Noir to Romance to Musicals. Back then, as a child, that annoyed me, but as I grew, I learned to enjoy and appreciate them for the genius that they were and still are today. I think that's also where I got my love of reading from.

A Perilous Premier really interested me because it's set in the time of one of the world's greatest movie film days! You had Gary Cooper, Cary Grant, Leslie Howard, Katherine Hepburn, Vivian Leigh, and the Oh So fabulous Carol Lombard who is one of the main characters in this book and the FL's best friend! I felt like I was there, seeing the buildings and walking the streets along with the characters. This was one of my favorite things.

Now, when it comes to the mystery portion, it does keep you guessing, but I felt the story got kind of choppy in parts. However, this is a new series, and I'm excited to see how the characters will develop and how new mysteries will be solved. So, if you love historical figures, specifically old movie stars, you'll really enjoy this!

I’ve been reading a spate of heavier novels about the aftermath of grief and ‘A Perilous Premiere’ hit the spot for me with its short sharp chapters and well paced plot development. I loved being in 1930s Hollywood. Vivian and Preston have a lovely chemistry and I am hooked to discover what both their backstories are.

At times I do think there is a tendency to over-explain with the dialogue not sounding naturalistic, but honestly that’s minor. Id also wish the author didn’t use real people like Carole Lombard and Clark Gable as fictional characters. It took me out of the story and I think it’s disrespectful to use real people for fictional purposes like this. Why not change their names? Yet I do appreciate the real historical references and places.

A fun, cozy Hollywood mystery. I devoured this in one go and cannot wait for the next one. Encore!

Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for the ARC.

I know I said I would review this the day after I read it but sike! But hey at least I wrote it now?

Thank you to Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for the arc! This did not influence my review.

Basically, I was craving a cozy mystery some days ago and I saw this and immediately requested it because I needed a palette cleanser. So now I have to preface this by saying that I was NOT reading this to look for a literary masterpiece and while obviously not every book is perfect, I believe this book served its purpose perfectly.

The story follows the life of Vivian, a fashion boutique owner in 1930s LA. One day after the death of her husband, her life is thrown into chaos due to his past actions. After a chance encounter with Preston, the Hollywood rich kid and her sister’s ex, she is thrown into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. I liked the character of Vivian. She was interesting and had a very mysterious past. At some points, I thought she was a bit Mary-Sue because she seemed a bit too perfect but I ignored it because the pacing of the book was good and it didn’t get in the way of the interesting action. Preston is also mysterious and I liked the fact we still never quite figured him out. They make an interesting duo! I hope they continue to develop and we learn about their past in future books.

About the pacing; it was very good. The book is very short and can be read in a few hours. This is not a character driven book and rather, the main intrigue is the mystery. I enjoyed this aspect because that was what I was looking for. The simple diction was easy to follow. I do however think there could have been more complicated syntax because it would have elevated the experience a lot more. Some variety would definitely help this book since it's so short. I enjoyed the ending as well, I think it was built into the plot very well.

I had more to say but I forgot what because it’s been too long. I will end this here then. Will definitely be on the lookout for more of this series.

On a note about Goodreads, any chance it can be changed to “A Perilous Premier” instead of “A PERILOUS PREMIER:”? I think it would looks like it hasn’t been edited properly.

I really enjoyed the 1930s element in this mystery, it was a strong start to the Stone & Steele Mystery series. It uses the Hollywood element perfectly and all the characters felt like they belonged in this universe. Gail Meath was able to weave a strong tale and had that world building that I wanted. It left me excited to read more in this series and from Gail Meath.

This is a mystery novel set in the golden age of Hollywood. This was a quick and easy read mainly because the author does a great job at pacing. My favorite and least favorite part about the story were the characters. Vivian and Preston were both intriguing and the author kept hinting at their mysterious backgrounds but we don't get any reveals in this book. So, I'm assuming that this will be a part of a series. Also, there are adorable dogs that added so much charm to the story.

A PERILOUS PREMIERE is the first book in the STONE AND STEELE Mystery Series, and I can't wait for more. Vivian Steele is a fashion designer whose husband has just been murdered. Preston Stone is a wealthy playboy who is not Vivian's favorite person. They are thrown together when Vivian begins investigating her husband's murder and the killer lets them both know that they are next.

This is a captivating mystery with an amazing cast of characters. I easily connected with both Vivian and Preston. The surprise supporting character, Carole Lombard, a good friend of Vivian's, brings light, laughter, and loyalty to the story. There are two dogs in the series--Bella, a Boston Terrier, and Boris, a St. Bernard. They are an enjoyable addition to the cast..

The mystery has plenty of twists and turns. It is also made plain that both Vivan and Preston have secrets of their own which have not yet been revealed. I look forward to finding them out in subsequent books. Highly recommend!

I received a free copy of this book from Books Go Social via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.