Thank you UpLitReads & Berkley Pub, #partner, for the finished copy of A Map to Paradise in exchange for my honest review. I borrowed the audiobook from the library.
Publisher: Berkley / Penguin Audio
Published: March 18, 2025
Summary:
1956, Malibu, Something is not right on Paradise Circle.
With her name on the Hollywood blacklist and her life on hold, starlet Melanie Cole has little choice in company. There is her next-door neighbor, Elwood, but the screenwriter’s agoraphobia allows for just short chats through open windows. He’s her sole confidante, though, as she and her housekeeper, Eva, an immigrant from war-torn Europe, rarely make conversation.
Then one early morning Melanie and Eva spot Elwood’s sister-in-law and caretaker, June, digging in his beloved rose garden. After that they don’t see Elwood at all anymore. Where could a man who never leaves the house possibly have gone?
As they try to find out if something has happened to him, unexpected secrets are revealed among all three women, leading to an alliance that seems the only way for any of them to hold on to what they can still call their own. But it’s a fragile pact and one little spark could send it all up in smoke…
My thoughts:
I have been a fan of Susan Meissner’s books for quite some time and this latest one did not disappoint. A slow-burn mystery that takes us to the 1950s during the height of the McCarthy Era and the Red Scare, I found myself totally transported. This is at the beginning of the decline of Old Hollywood and we see actors & actresses being blacklisted, tensions high and everyone afraid.
I loved how Meissner brought this piece of history to life but more importantly, I loved the female friendships she develops as she tells her story. This has always been such a strong part of her storytelling and it really shines here.
Audio thoughts:
I paired the book with the audio and loved the narrator they selected. Lisa Flanagan was an excellent choice for this book – she was able to give each character their own unique personality, making them stand out on their own.
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