The Hurricane Blonde
(Sprache: Englisch)
Hollywood is a sickness. Few people understand this better than Salma Lowe, progeny of Hollywood royalty and a former child star. But when she's plunged back into the dangerous glitter of Hollywood after discovering a young actress's body, her search for...
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Hollywood is a sickness. Few people understand this better than Salma Lowe, progeny of Hollywood royalty and a former child star. But when she's plunged back into the dangerous glitter of Hollywood after discovering a young actress's body, her search for the truth will take her deep into the rot of the film industry's past and present.Lese-Probe zu „The Hurricane Blonde “
Chapter 1The pretty blonde would be dead in three minutes.
She stood in front of the Biltmore Los Angeles hotel, wind snapping her black linen dress against her waist, revealing shiny Spanx and spray-tanned thighs. Ringed around her, a dozen true-crime junkies baked under the September sun, leaking electrolytes but not enthusiasm. Not yet. For three more minutes, Beth Short-better known as the Black Dahlia, Los Angeles's most infamous unsolved murder-was alive to tell her story.
"I hitched a ride up from San Diego with a traveling salesman," the Black Dahlia said. "A 'nice guy,' married. You know the type." Melany Gray, the actor embodying the Dahlia, pantomimed handsy, skimming her palms over her bodice. My murder tourists laughed, nudged each other. Yes, yes, we know.
Stars Six Feet Under wasn't the only tour company in Hollywood that promised an insider's look at the macabre underbelly of fame. But we had something that set us apart. We had my Dead Girls. For four hours every day of the week except Mondays and holidays-though you'd be surprised how many people preferred spending Christmas with murdered starlets over their own families-I could bring the dead back to life.
"I told him I was meeting my sister. But he wouldn't leave me alone. A gentleman." The Dahlia rolled her eyes. "I sat in that lobby trying not to play footsy with him for hours." She gestured to the Biltmore behind her.
I'd heard the story hundreds of times, but I couldn't help myself. I turned on cue with my tourists and stared at the hotel, glittering in the white sun.
In 1947, when the Black Dahlia was murdered, the Biltmore was the largest, fanciest hotel west of Chicago. She was class, and money, and all the promise of Los Angeles that mirage of fame and success and good fortune rolled up into one.
Now, nearly a hundred years into her residency ancient in this city, which preferred its buildings like its women: shiny, new, young the Biltmore was starting to
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show her cracks. Sumptuous carpets a little threadbare. Gilded frescoes dingy and studded with gray gum patches old enough to vote.
In the end, she had brought the Black Dahlia fame.
"By the time I got rid of him," the Dahlia said, blonde strands escaping her black wig, "it was night." Her voice fell to a hush, leaving us to imagine January 9, 1947, when Beth Short wandered from the lobby of the Biltmore into the dark, dangerous cold of downtown Los Angeles and disappeared. A week later, her body, cracked open like an egg, would be discovered across town by a young mother and daughter out for a sunny morning stroll.
Melany paused, letting us sit in our imaginations, wondering. Then she shivered, fluttering her fingers over actual goosebumps raised on her bare arms.
I peered closer, impressed. Actual goosebumps a good trick. All the girls I hired from my mother's acting school for my tour came with the Vivienne Powell guarantee of excellence, of course. But goosebumps on command even Vivienne's magic didn't usually extend that far.
"Who knows what might have happened to me if he hadn't been such a gentleman," Melany said. "Maybe I would've left while it was still daylight. Maybe I would've lived a long life. We'll never know."
I nibbled on the edge of my thumb, biting deep into cuticle and sucking on the pain. Like every tour, I wanted to stop her there. Keep Beth Short alive a few more minutes. But that wasn't the way the story ended. You couldn't cheat the past.
I knew that better than anyone.
Melany finished the monologue I'd written, sharing theories about the Dahlia's fate: The sons and nephews who came out of the woodwork with stories about bad daddies who might've killed her. Thousands of suspects. Never solved. I didn't think it could be anymore, not really. The Black Dahlia meant something to Los
In the end, she had brought the Black Dahlia fame.
"By the time I got rid of him," the Dahlia said, blonde strands escaping her black wig, "it was night." Her voice fell to a hush, leaving us to imagine January 9, 1947, when Beth Short wandered from the lobby of the Biltmore into the dark, dangerous cold of downtown Los Angeles and disappeared. A week later, her body, cracked open like an egg, would be discovered across town by a young mother and daughter out for a sunny morning stroll.
Melany paused, letting us sit in our imaginations, wondering. Then she shivered, fluttering her fingers over actual goosebumps raised on her bare arms.
I peered closer, impressed. Actual goosebumps a good trick. All the girls I hired from my mother's acting school for my tour came with the Vivienne Powell guarantee of excellence, of course. But goosebumps on command even Vivienne's magic didn't usually extend that far.
"Who knows what might have happened to me if he hadn't been such a gentleman," Melany said. "Maybe I would've left while it was still daylight. Maybe I would've lived a long life. We'll never know."
I nibbled on the edge of my thumb, biting deep into cuticle and sucking on the pain. Like every tour, I wanted to stop her there. Keep Beth Short alive a few more minutes. But that wasn't the way the story ended. You couldn't cheat the past.
I knew that better than anyone.
Melany finished the monologue I'd written, sharing theories about the Dahlia's fate: The sons and nephews who came out of the woodwork with stories about bad daddies who might've killed her. Thousands of suspects. Never solved. I didn't think it could be anymore, not really. The Black Dahlia meant something to Los
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Autoren-Porträt von Halley Sutton
Halley Sutton
Bibliographische Angaben
- Autor: Halley Sutton
- 2023, 384 Seiten, Maße: 13,4 x 20,3 cm, Kartoniert (TB), Englisch
- Verlag: Penguin US
- ISBN-10: 0593421892
- ISBN-13: 9780593421895
- Erscheinungsdatum: 05.09.2023
Sprache:
Englisch
Pressezitat
One of Paste Magazine's Must-Read Thrillers of Summer 2023"[Sutton] gives readers the twists and turns expected of the genre while also offering a wonderful portrayal of L.A. over the years that s reminiscent of Taylor Jenkins Reid s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo . . . Sophomore novels can be tough to pull off, but Sutton s is a stunner in Technicolor." Washington Independent Review of Books
"While the twisty, L.A. true crime-like story [is] enough of a hook, Sutton s critique of toxic Hollywood culture add[s] a bow to this splashy noir bubbling with rage." The Seattle Times
"Enthralling . . . Sutton indicts our culture for its fixation on beautiful young women who died at the hands of others. The New York Times Book Review
"Is a tragic death the only way to cement one's legacy in Hollywood? Halley Sutton delivers a twisty rumination of this question. PopSugar
"The dark side of Hollywood is exposed alongside the glitz and glamour in Sutton s second novel. . . . Filled with twists and turns . . . Perfect for book clubs and all public library shelves where thrillers are popular (and where aren t they?)." Library Journal
"Sutton s gritty sophomore effort immerses readers in the underbelly of Hollywood. [The] atmosphere, plus intriguing true Hollywood lore about Marilyn Monroe, Sharon Tate, and other stars who ve died tragically, keeps the pages turning. This is an acid-washed treat for fans of L.A. noir." Publishers Weekly
"Sexy, twisted and dark, The Hurricane Blonde is both a gripping thriller and a scathing indictment of the industry of celebrity. Halley Sutton nails modern Hollywood Noir." Janelle Brown, author of I'll Be You
"The Hurricane Blonde is a stunning achievement. Sutton has managed to create a murder mystery that feels as magnetic, timeless, and inextricable from Hollywood legend as the Black Dahlia. And yet Hurricane is more than simply
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a tragedy about a beautiful woman on the silver screen who met a grisly end it s also, profoundly, a book about ruinous grief and letting go of the myths that have harmed us, as individuals and as a culture, no matter how glittering those myths may be. There s no one better at writing the dark side of Hollywood than Halley Sutton."
Ashley Winstead, author of The Last Housewife
"The Hurricane Blonde is a vivid, chilling noir steeped in L.A. sunshine and Hollywood lore. Sutton gives us a backstage pass to a former child actor s investigation of her sister s death revealing a world that is both ruthlessly cruel and dazzlingly irresistible." Sara Sligar, author of Take Me Apart
"The Hurricane Blonde is the biting, brilliant nepo baby noir you didn't know you needed. Halley Sutton's sophomore thriller reads like a riveting true-crime tour with your smartest, most macabre friend, rendered with such evocative detail that you'll feel California sun on your face and feminist rage in your heart with every turn of the page." Layne Fargo, author of They Never Learn
"The Hurricane Blonde is a splashy thrill ride through the dark side of Hollywood. Sutton has delivered a glitzy noir and a gripping crime story. Empowering, engaging, and a worthy addition to the Los Angeles canon." Ivy Pochoda, author of These Women and Sing Her Down
"If Hollywood Babylon had a hook, it would be The Hurricane Blonde. Peopled with all the heroes and villains you think you know, this engrossing thriller captures LA in all her guises and packs a chilling message about the inherent victimhood of female stardom." Eliza Jane Brazier, author of Girls and Their Horses
"Sutton's incisive writing captures both the allure and dark side of LA. A must-read for anyone drawn to Hollywood true crime." Vera Kurian, author of Never Saw Me Coming
Previous Praise for Halley Sutton
"A racy and hard-to-put-down piece of neo-noir." Washington Post
Sutton s assured and moody prose often channels the best classic LA noir, but this deliciously tawdry and twisty tale is entirely her own. Readers who savor crime stories featuring complex, unapologetic women will be hooked. A scorching, knockout noir from an author to watch." Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Halley Sutton's The Lady Upstairs feels like an instant classic...[and] full of shocking twists and turns that will leave you gasping and turning the pages. Popsugar
Halley Sutton skillfully melds a feminist noir approach with a contemporary femme fatale in her debut Sutton's sharp prose and keen eye for noir situations elevate The Lady Upstairs. Shelf Awareness
"Come for the atmosphere; stay for the clever twists." CrimeReads
Ashley Winstead, author of The Last Housewife
"The Hurricane Blonde is a vivid, chilling noir steeped in L.A. sunshine and Hollywood lore. Sutton gives us a backstage pass to a former child actor s investigation of her sister s death revealing a world that is both ruthlessly cruel and dazzlingly irresistible." Sara Sligar, author of Take Me Apart
"The Hurricane Blonde is the biting, brilliant nepo baby noir you didn't know you needed. Halley Sutton's sophomore thriller reads like a riveting true-crime tour with your smartest, most macabre friend, rendered with such evocative detail that you'll feel California sun on your face and feminist rage in your heart with every turn of the page." Layne Fargo, author of They Never Learn
"The Hurricane Blonde is a splashy thrill ride through the dark side of Hollywood. Sutton has delivered a glitzy noir and a gripping crime story. Empowering, engaging, and a worthy addition to the Los Angeles canon." Ivy Pochoda, author of These Women and Sing Her Down
"If Hollywood Babylon had a hook, it would be The Hurricane Blonde. Peopled with all the heroes and villains you think you know, this engrossing thriller captures LA in all her guises and packs a chilling message about the inherent victimhood of female stardom." Eliza Jane Brazier, author of Girls and Their Horses
"Sutton's incisive writing captures both the allure and dark side of LA. A must-read for anyone drawn to Hollywood true crime." Vera Kurian, author of Never Saw Me Coming
Previous Praise for Halley Sutton
"A racy and hard-to-put-down piece of neo-noir." Washington Post
Sutton s assured and moody prose often channels the best classic LA noir, but this deliciously tawdry and twisty tale is entirely her own. Readers who savor crime stories featuring complex, unapologetic women will be hooked. A scorching, knockout noir from an author to watch." Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Halley Sutton's The Lady Upstairs feels like an instant classic...[and] full of shocking twists and turns that will leave you gasping and turning the pages. Popsugar
Halley Sutton skillfully melds a feminist noir approach with a contemporary femme fatale in her debut Sutton's sharp prose and keen eye for noir situations elevate The Lady Upstairs. Shelf Awareness
"Come for the atmosphere; stay for the clever twists." CrimeReads
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