The Hollywood Spy

A Maggie Hope Mystery

De: Susan Elia MacNeal

Narrado por: Susan Duerden

Maggie Hope is off to California to solve a crime that hits too close to home—and to confront the very evil she thought she had left behind in Europe—as the acclaimed World War II mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Susan Elia MacNeal continues.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL • “An absolute triumph . . . Maggie Hope is irresistible.”—Hilary Davidson, author of Her Last Breath

Los Angeles, 1943. As the Allies beat back the Nazis in the Mediterranean and the United States military slowly closes in on Tokyo, Walt Disney cranks out wartime propaganda and the Cocoanut Grove is alive with jazz and swing every night. But behind this sunny façade lies a darker reality. Up in the lush foothills of Hollywood, a woman floats lifeless in the pool of one of California’s trendiest hotels.

When American-born secret agent and British spy Maggie Hope learns that this woman was engaged to her former fiancée, John Sterling, and that he suspects her death was no accident, intuition tells her he’s right. Leaving London under siege is a lot to ask—but John was once the love of Maggie’s life . . . and she can’t say no.

Maggie struggles with seeing her lost love again, but more shocking is the realization that her country is as divided and convulsed with hatred as Europe. The Zoot Suit Riots loom large in Los Angeles, and the Ku Klux Klan casts a long shadow everywhere. But there is little time to dwell on memories once she starts digging into the case. As she traces a web of deception from the infamous Garden of Allah to the iconic Carthay Circle Theater, she discovers things aren’t always the way things appear in the movies—and the political situation in America is more complicated, and dangerous, than the newsreels would have them all believe.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Maggie Hope and her adventures continue to be charming and absorbing.”—Seattle Times

“The tenth Maggie Hope historical mystery by Susan Elia MacNeal is a particularly distinctive one . . . MacNeal’s brisk plotting and efficient dialogue propel a mystery cloaked in some universal truths: History is determined to repeat itself, no front is ever united and Hollywood, despite its glamour and sparkle, is a hall of mirrors.”—The New York Times

“Stellar . . . Susan Elia MacNeal expertly braids the glitz and glamour of Hollywood with the chilling reality of the rise of American Nazis and blatant racism . . . Maggie notes that ‘it’s the same war, different country,’ and, sadly, one we’re still fighting.”—Arizona Daily Star

“Los Angeles is a cauldron of racism, riots, and the rise of American Nazism. Hope navigates all of it with compassion and valor.”—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“The Hollywood Spy is a swift, vibrant novel that peels back the asbestos curtain on the complex history of Los Angeles, home to heroes and villains, including both homegrown Nazis and run-of-the-mill racists and segregationists during the volatile days of World War II.”—Steph Cha, author of Your House Will Pay

“Unbelievable timeliness in this gutsy, brilliant look at 1940s Southern California and its bygone ties to Hitler’s regime.”—L.A. Chandlar, author of the Art Deco Mystery series

“The Hollywood Spy is a riveting plunge into the tainted paradise of wartime Hollywood, where surface glitter masks a bone-deep decay. This series only gets more complex and satisfying with each new entry.”—Francine Mathews, author of The Alibi Club

“Maggie Hope’s return to America brings her to Los Angeles, where a starlet’s death reveals a battle for the soul of the country. Fans of the buoyant Maggie Hope will relish this sun-drenched excursion.”—Lori Rader-Day, author of The Black Hour

“The Hollywood Spy is a juicy, delightful mystery that takes you straight into the glamour, drama, and dark intrigue of wartime Hollywood. It’s always a pleasure to follow Maggie Hope wherever she goes.”—Simone St. James, author of The Sun Down Motel

“Meticulously researched . . . fans of golden age Hollywood will find plenty to like.”—Publishers Weekly

“In the tenth superbly crafted addition to her Maggie Hope series, MacNeal deftly captures both the dazzling side of 1943 California, with cameo appearances from Hollywood stars galore, and the dismaying aspects of the Golden State’s darker side . . . ”—Library Journal, starred review

The best one so far

I am so happy this book told the truth about America in the 1940s. It was all a facade, as is the American dream for many many Americans. Unfortunately many of these groups and ideologies have survived and pose a very real threat.

Important to Remember

Susan certainly knows how to weave a story. I could stop listening to what Maggie was discovering. Also I was struck by the amount of prejudice that happened in California during a time when our country was “pulling together” to fight the Nazis and Japanese. I’ve been reading all of this series. One more to go!

Brilliant and informative

Brilliant book and so informative. Can’t wait for the next one. The narrator is great too.

Maggie takes a stand

Wonderful addition to the collection. Lots of action. Great plotting. Easy to follow along. Bring on Chanel!

Wow

Wow is all I can say. Maggie goes to Hollywood to help John find out how his fiancé died so much history that I had to go look up several things I am fascinated with this series. But it is hard to.listen at times.

Great!

the best one of the series! Thank you! Loved the author's note. It made the book more real.

Engaging and historical

Enjoyed the plot as Maggie gets back to herself a bit and this one wasn’t so dark. Loved all the LA references to places and landmarks. Nice touch adding in the historical reference notes at the end.

Missing some stuff

I read this book based on a comment that the author put on another book I was reading "Democracy in the Dancefloor" if she had kept reading about two paragraphs later the author says that they put an African-American military service man in a segregated area of the "integrated" dancehall the Hollywood Canteen. That would have been a huge statement to put in the book. Also she idealizes Walt Disney a little bit too much for my taste, he was quite racist.

The tarnish behind the glitter of wartime Hollywood is very evident in this book.

When you peek behind the wartime propaganda curtain to see the darker reality of the US home front in World War II, it can be painfully disillusioning for Americans who have grown up to believe our national myths. I’m glad the author took the time to explain the real life sources of the novel so some of the less savory truths can’t simply be dismissed as fiction. Life is always more complicated than Disney cartoons, humans more multi dimensional, and real patriotism more to be cherished because of it. This series is difficult at times because it reveals unpleasant aspects of behavior even from people and institutions we have learned to admire, but better to learn from our faults and weaknesses and do better, than be betrayed by our ignorance and fail when failure is fatal to our nation.

California centered

I’ve enjoyed all the Maggie Hope books because life during WWII has always fascinated me, drawing me to both historical fiction and nonfiction books centered on that period. Maggie Hope books are among the best because they combine excellent history lessons alongside vivid, appealing characters and compelling plots. We see how people can grow during wartime but shattered by the violence, cruelty and duplicity. This book shows us a Maggie whose confidence soars as she brilliantly solves a complicated mystery while confronting fascism, racism and fanaticism in wartime California.