Silent Murders by Mary Miley is a 2014 Minotaur Books publication.

This is the second installment in the “Roaring Twenties’ series by Mary Miley. I loved the first installment, but this follow up got lost in my massive TBR pile. Thankfully, in my quest to thin out my reading list, I found it again, and excitedly dived in.

Jessie is now working in Hollywood, doing some work for the silent film studios. She gets to meet and mingle with the famous stars of the day, and even manages to receive a personal invitation to a party given by a studio heavy weight- Bruno Heilmann.

While at the party, Jessie sees a familiar face in the crowd and the two decide to meet up later. But Jessie finds her friend dead, and quickly finds herself under investigation. Only a short time later, she is given the horrible news that Bruno was found murdered.

It couldn’t possibly be a coincidence that two people attending the same party were murdered on the same night. With Jessie’s acting chops, and with access to the studio’s wardrobe, she begins her own investigation into the murders…

I enjoyed this second book in the series as much as the first. I love, love, love the roaring twenties and the silent film era, so of course, I love the premise for this series. I so enjoyed having Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Minter and Myrna Loy included in the cast!

Old Hollywood certainly had its fair share of scandals and Miley knew how to draw from some of those old mysteries to make this an exciting whodunit!!

Overall, an enjoyable, clean historical mystery- looking forward to the next installment!!

4 stars ( )

I enjoyed The Impersonator, the first book in Mary Miley's Roaring Twenties series so much that I knew I'd be coming back for more. Silent Murders does not disappoint. In the first book, Jessie was hired to impersonate an heiress. Growing up in vaudeville had given her all the tools for deception that she needed for this role. Now she's on the straight and narrow with a new name and a new life in Hollywood.

Jessie is just the sort of wise-cracking, thinks-on-her-feet, good-hearted sort of character that I enjoy, and there's something about the Roaring Twenties and the silent film industry that draws me like a magnet. I liked how Miley blended fact and fiction in the sort of story that would blend in seamlessly with the actual Hollywood history of the era. Her use of real-life people like Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, and Myrna Loy rang true, with Fairbanks and Pickford accustomed to their roles as silent film royalty and Loy as a young girl just beginning to break into the movies. A young Gary Cooper can even be seen on the sidelines from time to time.

The movie industry has had a part in shaping this country's history for good or ill, and I really enjoy seeing the Old Hollywood used as a backdrop for a mystery series. Combine this setting with a strong main character and that gives me just the perfect reading when I need an escape. ( )

Silent Murders (2014) by Mary Miley. Let me preface this review with the acknowledgement that I have a real affection for mysteries set in the Hollywood of bygone days. The Late great Stuart Kaminsky’s funny and enjoyable Toby Peters collection come to mind. Also see Loren Estleman’s work and a few others.
Having said this you will not be surprised that I enjoyed Silent Murders immensely. Set in the Silent Movie Era of Hollywood, Mary Miley has managed to create the atmosphere of that time and populated her book with several real screen stars.
Jessie Carr is in town and is working as a script girl. And she also does some work for Douglas Fairbanks and his wife, Mary Pickford. She is currently rooming with an unknown actress, Myrna Loy, and they manage to run into one of Loy’s hometown friends, Gary Cooper.
At her first big Hollywood bash, a guest is murdered. And, like it or not, Jessie is on the case.
There is a lot of material about the advent of Talking Pictures, drugs and scandals galore. The lengths the studios went to in order to protect their stars from bad publicity is amazing, and I’m certain far mare than what has been portrayed here occurred.
This is the second book in the series and it is a good one. ( )

Miley has created a wonderful character in Jessie and both books in this series so far are so much fun and a joy to read. The first book covered Jessie and her vaudeville days and I learned so much about the life of vaudeville performers. This one has Jessie in Hollywood training as a helper for Douglas Fairbanks, in the studio he and his wife, Mary Pickford own.

It fully immerses the reader in Jazz Age Hollywood, with its jealousies, competitions for parts and the age of silent film. The lush parties, the alcohol flowing freely despite prohibition and the large amounts of drugs available for those who want them. The studio scandals and the free reign the newspapers had where nothing had to be authenticated and gossip was the way to sell papers.

There are bit appearances by Grouch Marx and Gary Cooper and Jessie's best friend here will soon be known as Myrna Loy. The studios reactions to the advent of color and the fear they have of the "talkies" and how many jobs will be lost.

An old fashioned who-done-it and Jessie once again involved. David Carr, a character from the first book makes a re-appearance and he and a cop investigating the murders both want a relationship with Jessie.

A fun, fast flowing book with the old Hollywood flavor.

ARC from NetGalley. ( )