ARC Review: The Producer's Daughter by Lindsay Marcott

The Producer's Daughter
Author: Lindsay Marcott
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (Nov. 10, 2015)

Description: The golden girl wife of a celebrity producer takes a lethal dose of poison in her bedroom. Twenty years later, her daughter Hannah is convicted of stealing a hundred thousand dollar necklace. And when Hannah attempts to change from wild child to purposeful young woman, she begins to uncover secrets that will make her the target for murder. A suspenseful and witty page-turner that combines a murder mystery and a love story, with Hollywood financial intrigue and the unearthing of old family secrets.

My Thoughts: This mystery had a young woman - a poor, little rich girl - wrongly convicted of shoplifting and sentenced to twenty-two months in a correctional facility. Now she is out and trying to rebuild her life. Her father is a famous movie producer who is about to relaunch his most successful movie franchise with the son of the former lead actor in the starring role.

Hannah decides she wants to find out how it is that she came to be convicted of shoplifting and becomes even more suspicious of her so-called "friends" when her ex-boyfriend confesses to drugging her before the shoplifting incident. It becomes clear that someone wants Hannah back in jail, or failing that, dead. Luckily she attracts the attention of former news correspondent turned paparazzi Mitch Arpino who decides that he believes her innocence and helps her.

This story had murder, blackmail, organized crime and a wide variety of people who had lacks of conscience and me-first attitudes. We see Hannah discovering secrets that had been buried for her whole life and learning to see people around her in a new way.

I thought the start was rather slow mainly because I couldn't connect with any of the characters. I thought Hannah was a spoiled society girl who was way too naive and trusting. I didn't like Mitch when he first appeared in the story as a paparazzi hot on the trail of the next great photo. And I couldn't stand Hannah's father who was willing to do anything to get his career restarted and his movie made. However, as the story continued I came to appreciate both Hannah and Mitch.

Fans of the seedy side of movie making and the seedy side of Hollywood will enjoy this story.

Favorite Quote:

"Mitch will do."

"And I know your phone numbers. And your email. By heart."

"You memorized them?" He felt irrationally pleased.

"They stick in my head. Numbers. Whether I want them to or not."

A talent for numbers. He'd heard that before. And not too long ago.

I got this ARC from Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. You can buy your copy here.