Death in the Palace - (Silver Screen Historical Mystery) by Barbara Hambly (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A proposal to die for . . . British widow Emma Blackstone gets mixed up in murder once again in this stunning 1920s historical mystery featuring New York high society, mobsters, and silent-movie stars!

November, 1924. Beautiful silent-movie star Camille de la Rose--Kitty, to her adoring fans--is amused to receive an unusual proposal from an extremely rich stranger. Clark Dexter offers her $50,000 if she will marry and then divorce him.

Young British widow Emma Blackstone, Kitty's dog walker, companion, and dearest friend, is determined to talk her employer out of it. Emma might have been living in the topsy-turvy world of Hollywood for a year now, but she knows a bad idea when she hears one.

There are disturbing rumors about Mr. Dexter. And when the source of the rumors is found dead in mysterious circumstances, Emma soon finds herself plunged into a disturbing investigation that sees her mixing with New York's high society, mobsters, and movie stars . . . and a ruthless killer, who'll stop at nothing to see their evil plan through.

New York Times bestselling author Barbara Hambly brings the glamor, intrigue, and dark side of Hollywood to life in the Silver Screen Mysteries--a perfect choice for fans of female-fronted historical mysteries set in the roaring twenties.

Review Quotes

A fine entry in impressive series-- "Booklist on House of the Patriarch"

A wild lineup of possible killers mingles with historically accurate info in a fast-paced mystery-- "Kirkus Reviews on One Extra Corpse"

Emma feels fresh: not merely another flapper-era amateur sleuth, but rather a vibrant, intelligent woman with whom readers will enjoy spending time-- "Booklist on Scandal in Babylon"

Excellent . . . Everything feels just right: the characters are abundantly human, the mystery is beautifully constructed, and the Hollywood milieu is vividly realized-- "Booklist Starred Review of One Extra Corpse"

Exciting adventures and thorny mysteries gain gravitas from pointed social commentary-- "Kirkus Reviews on Murder in the Trembling Lands"

Exhilarating, exasperating, and dangerous . . . A sparkling series launch featuring Hollywood hijinks and a clever sleuth-- "Kirkus Reviews on Scandal in Babylon"

Hambly's outstanding sequel to 2021's Scandal in Babylon showcases the author's wit and her compassion for the underdog-- "Publishers Weekly Starred Review of One Extra Corpse"

Outstanding . . . Hambly's masterful historical detail, scrupulous character portrayal, and psychological analysis of human frailties contribute handsomely to her storytelling-- "Publishers Weekly Starred Review of House of the Patriarch"

This splendid romp is sure to win Hambly new fans-- "Publishers Weekly Starred Review of Scandal in Babylon"

Vividly evoking the myriad intricacies of the silent-film industry and the shifting fortunes of its players, Hambly crafts a fast-paced mystery infused with Hollywood flapper flair-- "Booklist on Murder in the Trembling Lands"