Chasing Starlight

by Teri Bailey Black

Movies, mansions, and murder in the Golden Age of Hollywood! Teri Bailey Black's Chasing Starlight is a historical mystery from the author of Girl at the Grave, winner of the Thriller Award for Best Young Adult Novel.

1938. The Golden Age of Hollywood. Palm trees and movie stars. Film studios pumping out musicals and gangster films at a furious pace. Everyone wants to be a star—except society girl and aspiring astronomer Kate Hildebrand. She’s already famous after a childhood tragedy turned her into a newspaper headline. What she craves now is stability.

But when Kate has to move to Hollywood to live with her washed-up silent film star grandfather, she walks into a murder scene and finds herself on the front page again. She suspects one of the young men boarding in her grandfather’s run-down mansion is the killer—or maybe even her grandfather.

Now, Kate must discover the killer while working on the set of a musical—and falling in love. Will her stars align so she can catch the murderer and live the dream in Old Hollywood? Or will she find that she’s just chasing starlight?

• ISBN10: 0765399512
• ISBN13: 9780765399519
• Publish Date: 11 August 2020
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 11 January 2023
• Imprint: Tor Teen
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 336
• Language: English

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of Chasing Starlight in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Chasing Starlight is a novel that blends the aesthetics of Hollywood and mystery into one glorious novel. Written by Teri Bailey Black, this is one of those books that demands attention.

Set in 1938, this is a murder mystery like no other. Kate was recently forced to move to Hollywood, thanks to a letter she should have been more cautious about writing. Now she's living with her grandfather, in his rundown house full of tenants.

That's bad enough, throw in the fact that one of those tenants is about to be murdered, and suddenly it looks like Kate has bigger concerns than losing the life of luxury she had become so used to. Now she has to solve a crime, and fast.

“And so we see, in the luminosity of stars, the diversity of souls. This one bright, the one fading, this one reflecting the light of another.”

Chasing Starlight was a truly enchanting novel. The aesthetics of the time period were perfection, and made the story that much more enjoyable. I've read plenty of mysteries and thrillers in my time, but nothing quite like this.

I picked up Chasing Starlight in hopes of having a relaxing evening reading a good (and distracting) book. I got that, but I also got so much more. This story surpassed my expectations, resulting in a perfect night all around.

Kate is one of those characters that starts off predictable, but thanks to some brilliant character development she becomes so much more before the end. It's one of the many reasons why I enjoyed this book as much as I did.

That same subplot turned what could have been a simple murder mystery (with great aesthetics) into a coming of age story as well. It was a surprising touch, but it honestly fits perfectly, both with the plot and the theme.

On the whole, Chasing Starlight was a fast-paced read, one that pulled in a lot of great elements. The combination of Hollywood themes, the time period, and a cozy mystery really made for something great – and memorable – here.

This book is perfect if you're looking for a read that will allow you to escape from the real world, even if only for a little bit. It'll bring you to a different time, and while it is without a doubt a murder mystery, it lacks the heaviness that can make them a downer. Throw in those amazing elements I've already gushed about, and it really is the perfect escape.

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks