Book Review: Scandal in Babylon by Barbara Hambly

Scandal in Babylon
Author: Barbara Hambly
Series: A Silver Screen Historical Mystery (Book 1)
Publication: Severn House; Main edition (August 1, 2021)

Description: “You shall never have a penny of my money. Leave me alone or I will shoot you dead!”

1924. After six months in Hollywood, young British widow Emma Blackstone has come to love her new employer, glamourous movie-star Kitty Flint – even if her late husband’s sister is one of the worst actresses she’s ever seen. Looking after Kitty and her three adorable Pekinese dogs isn’t work Emma dreamed of, but Kitty rescued her when she was all alone in the world. Now, the worst thing academically-minded Emma has to worry about is the shocking historical inaccuracies of the films Kitty stars in.

Until, that is, Rex Festraw – Kitty’s first husband, to whom she may or may not still be married – turns up dead in her dressing room, a threatening letter seemingly from Kitty in his pocket.

Emma’s certain her flighty but kind-hearted sister-in-law has been framed. But who by? And why? From spiteful rivals to jealous boyfriends, the suspects are numerous. But as Emma investigates, she begins to untangle a deadly plot – and there’s something Kitty’s not telling her . . .

This gripping first in a brand-new series from NYT-bestselling author Barbara Hambly brings the sights and sounds of Hollywood to life and is a perfect pick for fans of female-fronted historical mysteries set in the roaring twenties.

My Thoughts: British widow Emma Blackstone has found herself in Hollywood as a companion to her sister-in-law Kitty Flint aka Camille de la Rose. Kitty is a movie actress and Emma makes herself useful caring for Kitty's three Pekinese, balancing her checkbook, and writing some of the scripts for Kitty's movies. 

While living in Hollywood in 1924 wasn't what the scholarly young woman from Oxford had in her future plans, the deaths of her husband in World War I and her brother in England of grave wounds he suffered during the war, and the loss of her parents in the flu epidemic along with her own case of the flu changed all of her plans.

After a horrible stint as a companion for a woman in England, being swept off to Hollywood by Kitty was a welcome change. She enjoys riding herd on her free-spirited sister-in-law and helping to hide all of her romantic relationships from the press and her powerful lovers. She has even developed a friendship of her own with cameraman Zal Rokatansky. But things get complex in a hurry when Kitty's maybe-ex husband Rex Festraw is found shot to death in Kitty's dressing room. 

The studio wants this covered up. They don't want to lose their star to a prison sentence, but Kitty isn't saying where she was during the crucial time period when Rex was shot. Emma wants to figure out who killed Rex and who is trying to frame Kitty for the crime. With the help of Zal and a mobster imported from New York, Emma is on the case despite being run off the road and shot at. 

This was an excellent historical mystery set in a very glamorous time period and setting. I liked that Emma could see the underbelly of the world she was living in. I liked that she was smart and a nice person. I liked the conflict she was facing about whether to stay in Hollywood or accept her aunt's invitation to return to Oxford and the life she left behind. 

Favorite Quote:

The Pekinese, not liking the producer's tone, gathered all her courage and challenged him with a sound much like that produced by a small rubber duck when it is trodden on. 

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.