Death Upon a Star

An Evelyn Galloway mystery #1

by Amy Patricia Meade

Be careful what you wish for . . . Introducing Hollywood script supervisor Evelyn Galloway, who's drawn into a murder investigation after landing her dream job on the set of Hitchcock's Rebecca.

1939, Los Angeles. Evelyn Galloway can’t believe her luck! On her first day in LA, she lands her dream job of script supervisor, and on the hottest film in town – Hitchcock’s adaptation of Rebecca. But her good fortune quickly changes when a legendary actor cancels their lunch the following day and is found murdered at home.

Evelyn realizes she could be a witness to the crime, having passed the bungalow’s grounds on her way home the night before. Who was the man looking upset in a gazebo? And why was movie starlet Madeleine Nabors running wildly away from the scene?

When the tabloid reports contradict what Evelyn saw with her own eyes, she soon finds herself pitted against powerful studio bosses and unscrupulous journalists as she races to uncover the truth.

A charmingly gripping historical cozy featuring obsession, power and murder, perfect for fans of Verity Bright and Nicola Upson's SHOT WITH CRIMSON.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Amateur Sleuth, Cozy, Cozy Mystery

234 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 4, 2025

About the author

Author of the critically acclaimed Marjorie McClelland Mysteries, the Rosie the Riveter historical mysteries, and the recent Vermont series, Amy Patricia Meade is a native of Long Island, NY, where she cut her teeth on classic films and books featuring Nancy Drew and Encyclopedia Brown.

Later in her youth, she’d come to admire the works of Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, leading her to pursue a degree in English as well as business.

Amy currently resides in Bristol, England where she's busy adding to her Tish Tarragon and Vermont Country Living Mysteries.
When not writing, Amy enjoys travel, testing out new recipes, classic films, and, of course, reading mysteries.

Reviews

[Morgan Himegarner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My rating:
2.25 stars
My Opinion:
I enjoy the time period piece and it did rely that time period well. I didn't enjoy some of the characters, they were made out to be almost too dumb and ironically both were blonde. The story was well written and laid Easter eggs throughout the book.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I saw Amy's posts about this book on Twitter, I immediately found the concept intriguing...what could be better than a mystery set around the filming of Rebecca, one of my favorite films? The book did not disappoint. Evelyn is the perfect protagonist; smart, engaging, and fun to read, and I loved seeing Hitchcock, Olivier, and Fontaine brought to life. The story was well done, with just the right amount of historical details to give it verisimilitude. Thank you to Amy, the publisher, and NetGalley!

[Emg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty run of the mill but way too many paragraphs wasted on describing clothes; either the author neede to hit a page quota or felt she needed more detail to create s '30's atmosphere. Bright spot was the heroine - no simpering, didn't do stupid things, or moan a lot.

[Leeann Lavin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Evelyn Galloway, a New Yorker, who, seeing that her ability to work in films is drying up in Gotham, heads to Hollywood to take a studio job as a script writer, is the likeable protagonist.

Cliches abound in the story, starting with her dame of a roommate who is a wise-cracking cutie pie. They become instant girlfriends over egg sandwiches and soda pop.

It’s 1939 Hollywood before World War II and the threat of war and its effects on the films and many of the big screen’s British and European ties hangs over the characters and their jobs.

Mystery, and the ambiance of mystery is meant to be heightened by the Alfred Hitchcock set of Rebecca ~ one of my most favorite thriller films

This story is about relationships ~ not a lot of action or scene-setting.

Evelyn solves the mystery of John Margrave, a man she met on the set her first day at the studio. He’d been a silent film matinee idol that Evelyn worshipped growing up, going to the cinema with her father. Margrave impressed Evelyn with his kindness, giving her a feel for the studio’s politics and showing her the ropes, so to speak. He invited her to lunch the next day to discuss a script he was working on, but he doesn’t show up, and later that evening Evelyn unwittingly is a witness to his murder scene when she sees a mysterious man near Margrave’s apartment gazebo and a famous actress fleeing the scene. When the newspaper reports don’t match what she saw, Evelyn inserts herself into the investigation. She feels obligated to figuring out who could have done this to such a good man. Little by little, like constructing a movie sequence, she plots and prods.

Because the characters and the relationships are so engaging, you suspend the realism that the LAPD would even allow/dare I say “entertain” Eveyln to ever pursue her detective work. But again, like a Nancy Drew novel, this is a charming storyline and a determined dame. It’s simply a fun detective story to read. Eveyln relies on her friends to solve the murder mystery the LA cops can’t.

The author pens a real sense of the times especially the fashions, the fear of impending war, and the sense that the world is changing. Death Upon a Star is historical fiction light, with all the Hollywood trimmings: stage moms, studio heads, and the feeling of family that staff personnel on the lot feel for one another. There’s also plenty of behind the scenes drama, with screen personalities that help enliven and give a sense of character. There’s Lawrence Oliver ~(who playfully admonishes: “Call me Larry”) his then wife, Vivien Leigh, who was vying for the Rebecca lead, that instead went to Joan Fontaine, as per Hitchock’s keen instinct.

Dinner parties and working with Alfred Hitchock and his wife, there are enough of these Easter eggs to provide a plummy gravitas.

There is a wee bit of an attempt to shine a light on cultural prejudice when the Mexican-American studio film archivist confides about how things are in Hollywood for a man like him and how he fears Evelyn’s roommate wouldn’t go for a guy like him but it’s just a hint.. No expository or more in-depth side story.

Death Upon a Star is slated to be a book series. And I can see this as a streaming entertainment series too, because of the opportunity to mine Old Hollywood, glamorous fashions, parties, booze, broads, and a good mystery. It is fun, lighthearted entertainment. You’ll find it great to curl up with this book for a rainy day or a happy beach read. The characters are just swell in a Nancy drew-like way.

Thanks to @NetGalley and @SevernHouse for the ARC read.

I hope you will enjoy these books as much as I did. Please leave your comments and let me know.

[Missi Martin (Stockwell) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy Patricia Meade has a new series with the first book just released. Death Upon A Star is the first book in the Evelyn Galloway Mystery Series and it is set in 1939. Evelyn Galloway is fresh off the plane from New York to Los Angeles and lands her dream job of script supervisor on a movie set ... all before she has even had time to grab her luggage and see where she will be living.

Once it is confirmed that she is indeed hired, her boss, Mr. Hitchcock sends her to lunch and while on lunch she recognizing an actor, John Cunningham Margrave, in the canteen and they begin a friendship. Mr. Margrave misses their next scheduled lunch date and when Evelyn gets off the bus stop near her apartment, she witnesses some weird occurences by the Alvarado Apartments, not knowing that the two things go together.

When Evelyn reads the story in the newspaper about Mr. Margrave's death, she goes to the police station to tell them that they got everything wrong. When Detective Ziegler hears this, and they have a conversation, he believes that she was there and they share information, of course, he can't tell her everything.

Evelyn and her roommate Mary, who also works in the movie industry, hit it off instantly and Mary does what she can to help Evelyn settle in and discuss Margrave's murder. Evelyn also meets Antonio, who runs the film value, and he joins the ladies with the investigating.

There is nothing stopping Evelyn from finding out the truth .... not getting knocked outside the crime scene and having to stay in the hospital overnight, or when someone confesses to the murder, or all the lies and stories that she hears.

Meade has the beginnings of a great series with this first book laying things out for readers. There is something about reading books set back in time when things were simpler, no internet, not everyone had a landline, you read the newspaper and listened to the radio or went to the movies. I highly recommend grabbing your copy and taking a trip back in time for a while .... and Meade leaves readers wanting more with the way she ends Death Upon a Star. You will be trying to wait patiently for book two .....

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evelyn Galloway is the brand-new girl in town, the company town of Hollywood. Evelyn (pronounced ¨EEV-lin," just like Evelyn Waugh), this plucky, observant, red-headed beauty could easily be the heroine of a Hitchcock thriller; instead, she´s Alfred Hitchcock´s extremely talented script supervisor on the hottest upcoming film version of the hottest new novel, Rebecca. (Rebecca was Hitchcock´s first Hollywood production.) On her first day in Hollywood, Evelyn meets the kindly John Cunningham Margrave, a silent-film idol now reduced to secondary roles in talkies, despite his pleasant voice, good lucks and talent. Soon after, Margrave is killed.

Author Amy Patricia Meade provides a window into the corrupt Hollywood Los Angeles of 1939 (think L.A. Confidential) as well as a suspenseful murder mystery. I loved Evelyn; her bohemian landlady and friend, petite blonde dancer Mary Truman (stage name: Marlena True); and Margrave himself. There were so many twists, and I never guessed the true perpetrator. Best news of all? This is the first of a series; the next mystery will revolve around Hitchcock´s 1940 classic Foreign Correspondent, which is based on Vincent Sheean´s memoir, Personal History by Vincent SheeanPersonal History (1935). I cannot wait!

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Severn House in exchange for an honest review.

[Miss Bluejeanlottie · Rating 5 out of 5]

🍨Review: Death Upon a Star

🍰Rate: 5 Stars!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

📖Praise: Wow!! This was an absolutely adventurous cozy historical mystery! And the real gem in the middle of all this is that it was on a movie set! Alfred Hitchcock has serious game! And so does the author Amy Patricia Meade! A mystery on a movie set is the most delicious kind of mystery you can pick up!

🥞 I'm glad I started the first book of this fun series! I truly love Evelyn! When a script supervisor is sent to Los Angeles to work on Alfred Hitchcock's film it's definitely going to be a recipe for both mysteries on set and off!

💌First of all! My historic loving old movie heart cannot believe I was readinf about a character working on an Alfred Hitchcock film! The way the author describes each scene that the characters go through and solving a mystery and going about their daily life makes me really want to binge it like a Netflix show!

🍩Second! May this series please continue until book 1 million! LOL I truly truly truly love any mystery books that have to do with old-time actors and movie sets! All time actors have the best kind of drama! Vintage drama! The author did beautifully conveying all of this into an entertaining tale!

🎙️Characters: Evelyn's character truly is witty and very observant! She's quirky and figure things out that others don't see in her own way! Very admirable! Murder surrounded by a bunch of actors definitely takes great skill to solve! With everybody who professionally can become anyone they want to. Who will Evelyn trust and not trust? Love this!!!

💖Trope: THIS IS A BOOK SERIES I WILL READ OVER AND OVER! I'M GOING TO READ BOOK ONE OVER AND OVER UNTIL BOOK 2 COMES OUT!

🍪 Cozy mystery
🍪 Historical fiction
🍪 Old Hollywood
🍪 Thought-provoking
🍪 Must read!
🍪 Historical film facts

Bravo Amy! 🍭

THANK YOU NETGALLEY!

[Dian-Able Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

*Death Upon a Star* takes readers to 1939 Hollywood, where Evelyn Galloway, a script supervisor on Hitchcock’s *Rebecca*, becomes unexpectedly embroiled in a murder investigation after a legendary actor is found dead. As Evelyn recalls passing by the actor’s bungalow the night before, she begins to piece together discrepancies in the media reports and take matters into her own hands to uncover the truth.

Evelyn is a likable and determined protagonist, though her level of involvement in solving the murder felt a bit far-fetched. As a newcomer to Hollywood with no investigative background, it seemed unlikely that she would make so many breakthroughs and uncover key details that professional detectives missed. This element, while central to the plot, made her role in solving the crime feel borderline unbelievable.

The book itself reads more like a cozy mystery than a gritty noir. The atmosphere of old Hollywood is rich, but the stakes never feel quite as high or dangerous as in more intense thrillers. The mystery unfolds at a gentle pace, and the focus is more on the relationships and interactions between characters than on suspenseful action.

One of the bigger drawbacks of *Death Upon a Star* is the lack of depth in the supporting characters and felt more like plot devices than fully fleshed-out individuals, which kept me from becoming fully invested in the people around Evelyn.

Overall, while *Death Upon a Star* offers a charming glimpse into Hollywood’s golden age and provides a light, engaging mystery, its cozy, almost whimsical tone and lack of character depth kept it from being as compelling as it could have been.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

[Jennifer Medeiros · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Part of my job in movies is to ensure a storyline has continuity. This story doesn’t.”
Evelyn Galloway, Death Upon a Star

Death Upon a Star immerses readers in the glory days of 1939 Hollywood as Evelyn Galloway, a script supervisor who lands her dream job on her first day in LA, finds herself at the center of a high profile murder. She will be working alongside an up-and-coming director named Alfred Hitchcock on his production of Rebecca, but things start to go sideways before she’s even had a chance to unpack her bags.
John Margrave, legendary silent film actor, is found dead in his apartment and Evelyn is not satisfied with the explanation the police and the Los Angeles Times are providing. What ensues is a charming detective story with all of the classic Hollywood characters and mystery devices.
Death Upon a Star is cute and entertaining, with vivid descriptions of the fashions of the period and nods to celebrities of yore like Alfred Hitchcock, Vivian Leigh, and Lawrence Olivier (call me Larry). That said, the story was sometimes saccharine and shallow. The characters were frequently two dimensional, such that even when I wanted to care about them, there wasn’t enough to sink my teeth into. The plot moved along mostly because literally everyone was compelled to tell our heroine everything they knew upon meeting her. Why? Well, because she was pretty.
Death Upon a Star is a nod to the classic murder mystery stories of yore. If you enjoy Rogers & Hammerstein musicals, Hitchcock films, and Agatha Christie novels, this would be a fun rainy day read.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thank NetGalley and Severn House for an advance reader copy of Death Upon a Star. All opinions and comments are my own.

A dream job – script supervisor for Alfred Hitchcock. And working on the master director’s latest blockbuster -- Rebecca. Hollywood newcomer Evelyn Galloway can’t believe her luck. That is, until a body becomes part of the picture.

Death Upon a Star has plenty of potential film noir plots to choose from, which means plenty of suspects. The author throws in a cast of characters and enough red herrings to keep the pot boiling a ‘plenty. In the end, a simple motive for murder emerges, as Evelyn explains to her attentive audience.

I could have done without the soap opera touch at the end. It marred (for me) what was an intriguing tale with robust characters and a fast-paced look inside Hollywood and its stars, not to mention the threat of war and how that’s going to affect the many Hollywood insiders with British ties. With glimpses of what goes on “behind the scenes,” and pop-ins of some of Tinseltown’s Golden Age greatest (among them Rebecca’s Olivier and Fontaine, with Vivien Leigh thrown in for good measure), author Amy Patricia Meade’s Death Upon a Star is an entertaining addition to the historical mystery genre.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this fascinating and exciting new historical mystery novel, readers meet Hollywood script supervisor Evelyn Galloway as she starts her dream job on Alfred Hitchcock’s adaptation of Rebecca. However, when a legendary actor cancels their lunch appointment and is later discovered murdered, her new job is off to a wild start. Realizing she might have witnessed the crime or the moments before it, Evelyn takes matters into her own hands to explore the crime scene, and when the tabloids say something totally different, Evelyn must face off with studio bosses and journalists in pursuit of the truth and the murderer. Brilliantly written and the fantastic start to what promises to be an engaging and fascinating historical mystery series, readers will love this unique historical setting and the fantastic adventures ahead of Evelyn. A competent, clever detective in the making, her unique skill set and brilliant mind really draws readers into the story, while the glamor of 1930s Hollywood, in all its detail, really sells it as a fantastic backdrop for a murder mystery. Entertaining, high stakes, and absolutely fascinating, readers will love this new detective and historical mystery series for the brilliant characters, detailed setting, and, of course, the mystery and investigation!

Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for the advance copy.

[Verity W · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s 1939, and Evelyn Galloway is a script supervisor who has just arrived in Hollywood. She’s a script supervisor and she’s got a job working on Alfred Hitchcock’s new movie, Rebecca. Soon she’s on the film lot and mixing with the stars and crew. When she meets one of her favourite actors, she’s delighted to find that he’s actually a nice person and they arrange to meet for lunch. Except that he never turns up - and is then found murdered. When the stories in the papers don’t match up with what she know, Evelyn decides to start looking into the murder herself.

This is the first in a series - and there’s a bit of mysterious backstory going on here as well as the mystery plot. This is right in a part of history when I think mystery stories really work and Hollywood is a fun setting for something like this. There are some real people in this in minor roles, and there are some bits that are inspired by real people or stories that you can spot too if you’ve read a bit about golden age Hollywood. It’s not ground breaking, but it is a nice easy and relaxing read that is a fun way of spending a few hours. I would happily read the next one in the series if it passed my way.

*****Thanks to the publisher for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.****

[K.A. Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

DEATH UPON A STAR is the first book in the brand-new Evelyn Galloway Mysteries by Amy Patricia Meade. Combining glamorous 1939 Hollywood with producer Alfred Hitchcock on the set for the filming of Rebecca, the author sets the stage for the perfect cozy mystery! The plucky protagonist, Evelyn Galloway, is every girl’s dream. She’s independent, ready to go after what she wants, a friend to everyone around her, and smart as a whip, especially when it comes to piecing together clues to solve a murder.

Ms. Meade does an admirable job bringing the time period to life, and it’s obvious she’s done meticulous research. Her strong descriptive skills make you feel like you’re right there… so much so that I felt panicked when Evelyn needed to call for immediate help, but cell phones hadn’t been invented yet. She had to run to find someone or a telephone! It brought to light just how much modern-day conveniences make our lives much easier. The pacing was well-done, and clues were scattered about for a sharp reader to catch. This is a wonderful start to what I hope is a long-running series!

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fresh off the train from New York, Evelyn Galloway lands her covered job as script supervisor for Hitchcock's Rebecca, and meets one of her heroes, silent movie actor John Cunningham Musgrave. When he's killed the day after and the press becomes smearing him, she knows she's the person that should solve his murder...

The description of the book as a "cozy mystery" is an apt one: there's no real surprises or tension throughout the book, the characters are very black or white, so one knows they should not expect a "good" character to be revealed as one of the suspects, for example. The mystery itself was nice but not particularly elaborate, and the conclusion was quite predictable. The style is also quite plain and tends to overexplain or overexpose all the details, making the dialogues quite unrealistic for the sake of putting all the details out for the reader. All in all, it wasn't a bad read, but quite an entry -level mystery. I liked the setting in 1939 and the real-life characters sprinkled throughout.

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't check up on the background history this time, but it sounded credible and added to the story very nicely. The characters are well developed, and some seem modeled on historical film personalities. The mystery itself has a lot of credible red herrings, frustrating false conclusions, and some very surprising plot twists. I miss the humor of the author's other series, but this was a very good historical cozy mystery and I am looking forward to more of them!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected reader's proof from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. Thanks!
Avail Feb 04, 2025 #DeathUponAStar by Amy Patricia Meade #EvelynGalloway mysteriesBk1 #NetGalley @SevernHouse #CozyMystery HistoricalHollywood #MurderMystery @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble @waterstones ***** #Review @booksamillion @bookshop_org @bookshop_org_uk

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amy Patricia Meade's'Death Upon A Star introduces readers to Evelyn Galloway who quickly wins our undivided attention, landing the coveted position as script supervisor to Alfred Hitchcock for his film 'Rebecca..
It's 1939 in Los Angeles, and there's an immediate air of mystery and suspense as Evelyn is befriended by an actor and finds herself trying to untangle a web of murder and deceit with several people in the frame for a shocking crime.
Lovers of cozy mysteries, film buffs and anyone who likes to pit their wits against a well written puzzle will be right at home here, and will relish the prospect of further adventures with this likeable heroine.
Death Upon A Star is an enjoyable read, moving along at a fair old clip, with no triggers to report and I thoroughly recommend it..

[Kushnuma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley, Severn House and Amy Patricia Meade for this ARC.

Death Upon A Star is book 1 in An Evelyn Galloway Mystery.

Evelyn is excited to start working for the talented Alfred Hitchcock but when a legendary actor turns up dead, the day before she was supposed to have lunch with, Evelyn can't help but see that the press was trying to tarnish his image and there was more to his death.

This was a cozy read and a great start to the series. It was hard for me to put down and the characters did grow on me as the story went on. I think I may need to watch all Alfred Hitchcock's movies before the next book is released!

[Shaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Amy Patricia Meade for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Death Upon a Star coming out February 4, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

1939, Los Angeles. Evelyn Galloway can't believe her luck! On her first day in LA, she lands her dream job of script supervisor, and on the hottest film in town - Hitchcock's adaptation of Rebecca. But her good fortune quickly changes when a legendary actor cancels their lunch the following day and is found murdered at home.

Evelyn realizes she could be a witness to the crime, having passed the bungalow's grounds on her way home the night before. Who was the man looking upset in a gazebo? And why was movie starlet Madeleine Nabors running wildly away from the scene?

When the tabloid reports contradict what Evelyn saw with her own eyes, she soon finds herself pitted against powerful studio bosses and unscrupulous journalists as she races to uncover the truth.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really love cozy historical mysteries. Golden Hollywood stories are really fun to me. I love the glitz and glam. The mystery was also really fun. I enjoyed the references to Rebecca. I thought Evelyn was a smart, strong character. I would check out more books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical cozy mysteries!

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast-paced look at the making of movies in 1939, just as WWII breaks out in Europe. Fascinating details on the making of Hollywood films, told from the perspective of a scriptwriter supervisor for Alfred Hitchcock. The character (Evelyn Galloway) is based on the real screenwriter Joan Harrison, who worked with Hitchcock on several films.
Early in the book, Evelyn witnesses the murder of a classic silent era movie star near her bungalow. Only several aspects do not make sense. As she helps Hitchcock with the movie Rebecca, she learns more details that don't add up concerning the murder. Fast-paced novel with descriptive details of the studio, clothes and food of the era.

[Avril Hemingway · Rating 3 out of 5]

Evelyn is a likable and determined protagonist in this atmospheric old Hollywood mystery set in 1939 just before WW2. The mystery unfolds at a gentle pace, and the focus is more on the relationships and interactions between characters than the action which does make it feel more slow than life or death. This did make the story somewhat forgettable but as a first in the series hopefully things will develop and the other characters will be shown more. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just finished this book on the way back from Syracuse so I can read the new Emily Henry!

Tbh I didn’t really like it that much (hence why it took me so long to finish it). One of the reasons why I like mystery books is because of the buildup to the climax and the big reveal but this book didn’t have that. The surprise at the end was interesting but the book just felt like it didn’t have any ups/downs. The concept could’ve been good but it just kinda felt flat to me and I never got super into it because I was pretty bored.

Cant wait to start a new book tho!!

[Margo Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gentle cozy crime mystery set in Hollywood around the filming of 'Rebecca', directed by Alfred Hitchcock, in 1939. I love classic films and this immediately appealed to me. I enjoyed how the author wove references to vintage fashion, slang and movie gossip into the story. The tone and style of the writing is just right for the genre, and I look forward to more books in this series.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

[Deedee13 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Death Upon a Star is a cozy murder mystery, which takes place during the filming of Alfred Hitchcock’s movie classic, Rebecca in 1939.
Easy to read and entertaining but the ending, even though has a little twist, feels a little rushed.

Overall this was a fun read and I look forward to the next one in the series.

This is my personal and honest review. The book is set to be published on Feb 04, 2025.
Thank you NetGalley, Severn House and Amy Patricia Meade for this digital ARC.

[Lori D · Rating 4 out of 5]

What could be better than a story set in 1939 LA on the set of Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca? Hard to beat and a great start to a new series!

Evelyn has landed a dream job working with said producer around all the glamour and glitz. But when a murder happens and Evelyn thinks she saw something, the journey begins.

The author has researched her historical facts which really make the story and characters shine!

[Rickus Bookshelf]

DNF at 46%.
I really tried with this book, and I might give it a go again in the future. The pacing was just very slow for me and I felt like nothing really happened for ages.

The characters were likable and the plot was not bad, I just did not connect with it.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Denise Morse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Death Upon a Star is an interesting old Hollywood murder mystery with former child stars, stage moms, famous directors, studio heads, and other entertainment folk. I appreciated that the author had done lots of research on the time period but sometimes the descriptions of the clothes or the scenery was a little too long. But I did enjoy the story and the fun. Very very abrupt ending, just an fyi

[S Kazlo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Meade skillfully transports you back to a golden era in Hollywood's history, the 1940s. You feel like you're right there with the actors and Alfred Hitchcock. A murder mystery is brilliantly interwoven into the story. You won't guess who done it until the very last chapter. Be prepared not to be able to put this book down.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cozy with well developed characters. Evelyn is a strong ,smart female main character . I enjoyed the Hollywood setting and it was evident the author did research into what a script supervisor does. The addition of real life characters such as Alfred Hitchcock and his wife during the filming of Rebecca was interesting. I can’t wait to read the next book with Evelyn’s adventures.

[Martine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice story with well developed characters, good storyline and a nice setting (place and time). I enjoyed the writing style.
I received an advance review copy via Netgalley/Severn House and I’m leaving a voluntary and honest review.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hollywood in the late 1930's - Evelyn is new in town but manages to land a job and a room in an apartment on her first day. There is a murder and she works to solve it. Once it is resolved, there is a sighting of someone who made me think that there will be more books in this series.....