Murder in the Roaring Twenties (Murder Mystery Plays Book 2)

---

For those who enjoy historical mysteries, Author Mary Miley has infused a great deal of fascinating Hollywood detail in her novel, yet never taking away from the basic plotline. Perhaps the most distracting aspect of the novel is Miley's tendency to repeat details as characters tell one another what's happening.

Murder in Disguise

Otherwise, this is a very enjoyable look at the early history and personalities of the s silent movie era. Review first appeared on ReviewingtheEvidence. Jun 20, Rhonda rated it really liked it Recommended to Rhonda by: This was a very good book and though it is a fiction, Mary Miley also put a few actual historic facts through out the entire book, which I enjoy greatly. It's a fast read with a little over pages. Would make a great read on a plane flight across country. Sep 26, Kathleen Mix rated it it was amazing. Silent Murders is a mystery set in Hollywood in the days when Douglas Fairbanks was starring in silent films.

The mystery kept me turning pages, and the characters were wonderfully real.

About you...

Grab a copy and settle in for a great read. Aug 14, K. The case wasn't particularly as thrilling as I thought it'd be. Nov 30, Becky Tatar rated it it was amazing. Jessie Beckett is back! She has left northern California, her new found family, and is in Hollywood, working as a script girl in training at a studio. Along the way, you meet a young Myrna Williams - wonder what became of her? And a young Gary Cooper, who just happened to grow up down the street from Myrn Jessie Beckett is back!

Oh, and there is murder and mayhem, when a famous director, a young starlet, a waitress and an actor are all killed within days of each other. Jessie, with encouragement from Fairbanks and Pickford, embarks on an investigation into all the crimes. Calling on her years in vaudeville, and a cohort from her time in northern California and Oregon, she discerns that there are two sets of murders - the director and the waitress, and the starlet and actor.

The big question is, who did it? Lots of twists and turns in this one. Can't wait to start the next one in the series. Dec 03, Mary Garrett rated it it was amazing. Murders, scandal, jealousy, drugs, beautiful homes, the Hollywood sign, and insights into movie-making — almost too much fun with stellar writing that flows like honey. Beach Read This was a fun read; something to pass the time while sitting on a beach or recovering from an illness.

Which is not to denigrate it. It's full of fun characters and is mixed with real people Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks and fictional characters Jessie Beckett , as well as real and fictional places in Los Angeles. The mystery is convoluted enough to keep you guessing for a while until Jessie figures it out once and for all. Not much romance, but Jessie has two admirers: I'm looking forward to the next installment and Jessie's next adventure.

Sep 24, Ian rated it it was amazing Shelves: The second book in Mary Miley's captivating Roaring Twenties series. The glamorous setting of Hollywood in the 's silent movie era and the scandals of the time, with bribery, corruption Well written and plotted, with a great cast of characters, real and fictitious. The mystery has plenty of twists and turns. This mystery is a page turner from start to finish. A most enjoyable read. If you like the review and would like to read reviews on other books I have read, vis The second book in Mary Miley's captivating Roaring Twenties series.

If you like the review and would like to read reviews on other books I have read, visit my blog at www. Oct 27, Richard Becker rated it it was amazing. This is a classic historical mystery set in hollywood in the 20s. It has facets that draw in many kinds of readers: The main character's 2nd mystery to solve, this lets us know more about her and brings some real history into the story. Can't wait for the next one. Oct 09, Una rated it it was amazing. My first book from this author and it certainly will not be my last. I felt the story moved right along, was completely plausible, kept historically accurate, and held my interest throughout.

It gave great insight as to what life was probably like in the waning days of the silent movies in Hollywood. I don't remember how I came across this book, but I loved it. It felt similar to the Royal series by Rhys Bowen. It's a clever s murder mystery. It contained a little history and some great characters. Well read by narrator.

KNUCKLES BALONEY

May 29, Julie rated it liked it. This story is interesting with the vaudeville history and the famous names and a mystery. Jun 13, Courtney Chambers rated it it was amazing. I didn't realize this was a series. Found it at the library. The series is a great concept I lost interest about mid-way through though. Oct 15, Marlene rated it liked it. Not as convincing as the first in the series. Aug 12, Frank rated it really liked it.

See a Problem?

Sep 01, Laraf rated it liked it. I enjoy the setting which helped me finish the book. The mystery was difficult to care for. In the The Impersonator , Leah Randall aka Jessie Beckett, took on the biggest role of her life impersonating a dead cousin and working to solve the mystery of her disappearance. The novel was filled with bits of information about what it was like to be in Vaudeville and compared it to the lifestyle her cousin would have had as a young heiress.

Leah has now officially taken on the name Jessie Beckett and is working in In the The Impersonator , Leah Randall aka Jessie Beckett, took on the biggest role of her life impersonating a dead cousin and working to solve the mystery of her disappearance.

Silent Murders (Roaring Twenties Mystery, #2) by Mary Miley

Leah has now officially taken on the name Jessie Beckett and is working in Hollywood as an assistant script girl on the set of a Douglas Fairbanks movie, "Don Q: This is the end of the era of the Silent Movies and Talkies are just around the bend. Mary comes to Douglas Fairbanks attention while she's working on the set of his movie and he asks her to become his personal assistant while his usual one is in Texas comforting her dying father.

So it is in this role that Mary first becomes friends with him and Mary Pickford. Jessie ends up investigating a murder at Douglas Fairbanks request and becomes good friends with a policeman named Carl in the process. Jessie is indeed put in the path of a murderer and danger will touch her more than once as the number of murders mounts. The Roaring 20s is a fun time to read about. And the film industry with some of the big names in Hollywood as characters just makes it more alluring. She works for Douglas Fairbanks who is married to Mary Pickford.

Her best friend and roommate is Myrna Loy whose close acquaintance happens to be Gary Cooper. The cream, and not so cream, of society will be here. The murder takes place at the party. The setting has a House of Ill Repute upstairs, but there are no prostitutes at the party.

The Madam is there, but she is only a business woman. There are affairs, but the host guide tells you how to match up couples so that no one will be offended by this facet of the game. We handle all mature content in a very tasteful manner. Join us by calling and reserving your tickets If you get the answering machine please leave you phone number so I may call you back to confirm you reservation. The bride was beautiful, the groom was handsome. The family was argumentative, and interesting, to say the least. Return to Book Page. Preview — Murder in Disguise by Mary Miley.

Yet she also has a reputation as a skilled amateur sleuth. So when a projectionist is shot dead and his grieving widow asks Jessie if she can find out who killed him, Jessie is determined to find the killer and his motive. But who was the mysterious man in the red coat who fired three shots at Joe Petrovitch? And how could he enter and leave a crowded theatre without being noticed?

To find the answers, Jessie must delve into the dead man's past and uncover dark secrets from another continent and another era. As she is to discover, the past has a long reach Hardcover , pages. Roaring Twenties Mystery 4. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Murder in Disguise , please sign up. Lists with This Book. This book is not yet featured on Listopia.

The waning days of vaudeville, the beginning of motion pictures, prohibition, bootlegging, such interesting times. Jessie, herself is a spunky woman, with a moralistic sense of justice, an amateur detective who seems to find out information through her past vaudeville connections, that the olive cannot. The series is lively so much going on behind the scenes, interspersed with interesting tidbits about vaudvillr acts, and histo 3. The series is lively so much going on behind the scenes, interspersed with interesting tidbits about vaudvillr acts, and historical happenings.

Mob connections, medicinal alcohol and a murdered projectionist with past ties to Serbia, are all part of this one. Add to it challenges of a personal nature, and Jessie has her hands full. Somehow or another things get done, put together, often not in a straightforward manner. Curious too see where the next in series will have her land. Many changes for this intrepid Heroine.

As well as being a wonderful read, many of the acts, historical events, and people within were actually fact, as detailed in an authors note. View all 10 comments. Jan 09, Lynx rated it really liked it Shelves: Still working for Fairbanks Studios and still getting herself mixed up in murder.

When Barbara Petrovitch's husband Joe is killed and the murderer seemingly vanishes into thin air, the police are at a loss for suspects. Luckily for Barbara, her fellow coworker Jessie has a history of solving difficult cases. Jessie knows, where there's a murder, there's a motive.

Putting her sleuthing skills to work, with the help of a few almost famous friends, Jessie begins to put together a l Jessie's back! Putting her sleuthing skills to work, with the help of a few almost famous friends, Jessie begins to put together a list of suspects. But the killer has a list of their own.. I absolutely adore this series. Mary Miley delivers everything I want in a historical mystery.

Delightful characters, rich, descriptive prose, an intriguing case to solve and just the right mix of fact and fiction. She never fails to suck me into the story, teach me something new and leave me with a smile on my face. The only problem is having to wait for the next one! I'm going to be heartbroken the day Jessie solves her last case. Highly recommend the whole series to historical mystery fans, especially if you love Old Hollywood as much as I do!

Jul 01, Cindy Burnett rated it it was amazing Shelves: In Murder in Disguise, Jessie tackles the murder of a movie projectionist. The man murdered is the spouse of a fellow employee at the Pickford-Fairbanks Studio, and his wife engages Jessie to solve the crime.

Jessie works as a script girl for the studio during the day but continues to pursue her interest in solving mysteries on the side. Her search for the murdere 4. Her search for the murderer sends Jessie on a surprising path that I thoroughly enjoyed. The story line was creative and original which made the book very enjoyable. Miley also incorporates fascinating vaudeville trivia including that Helen Keller performed with her interpreter for a few years on a circuit and that Adele Astaire was more famous than her brother Fred during their lifetimes even though he is the only one remembered today.

My next project is to track down that movie and watch it after reading about its creation. This is an intriguing subject that I knew very little about before watching the documentary and was excited to see the subject matter addressed again in Murder in Disguise. I continue to absolutely love this series, and Murder in Disguise is a fabulous addition. I am already anxiously awaiting the next installment.

My one hope for the next book is that Jessie will resolve her love life; I am much more partial to one of her love interests than the other and am rooting for him. Jul 31, Holly rated it really liked it Shelves: She's such a likable character that I can't help wanting to know what's happening in her life. These books bring two of my favorite things together, or actually three: This time around, Jessie is asked to investigate the murder of a film projectionist--Joe Petrovitch.

As always, names like Fairbanks, Pickford, Loy, Astaire So does Carl and David. Two possible love interests. She's with one but you know the other would like to be romantically linked to Jessie. The mystery in this installment was a strong one, better I think than the last book.

It was somewhat more complicated for Jessie but she handles herself well. I continue to love these books and I'm looking forward to what happens next. Some new developments in Jessie's life should make things more interesting for her in the future. Jul 05, Betty rated it it was amazing Shelves: The fourth in this historical series, set against a background of the Roaring Twenties. A new author for and one I will read again.

It works alright as a stand-A-Lone as the story was completed. The backstory caught my attention and my TBR like is now larger. Jesse Beckett is an orphan and grew up in vaudeville. In order survive she did what was necessary. In this story, her boyfriend is arrested for murder, prohibitions problems, and tax evasion. She has been hired by the Pickford-Fairbanks' st The fourth in this historical series, set against a background of the Roaring Twenties.

She has been hired by the Pickford-Fairbanks' studio as a script girl. Jessie is rooming with 5 other girls in a house. There she meets a woman whose niece, Kit Riley is death and dumb. Lot is the same age as Jesse when Jesse mother died. A member of the studio husband is dun down at his work.

The police have no clues as to what happens. His widow asked Jessie to find his killer.

• Summer At Mount Holly
• Building an Authentic Leadership Image (J-B CCL (Center for Creative Leadership))
• A Little Girl in Old Pittsburg
• 50 DECILLIONS DOLLARS USA
• Summer Solstice
• The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror #4
• Your Health is Your Choice