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The Silent Film Star Murders
Embarking on another transatlantic crossing in 1928, merry widow Lady Lucy Revelstoke welcomes new guests aboard the Victoriana, including Renata Harwood, star of the silver screen, and Stella Burke, her bitter protégée-turned-rival. Everyone expects these leading ladies to serve up delicious drama over dinner, but true tragedy strikes when a young woman goes missing. Has she been seduced by a cad? Are they hiding in second class, or has the poor girl thrown herself overboard?
Then a crew member is brutally murdered, and questions arise about just who the intended victim may have been.
Lucy and her pickpocket-turned-maid Elf set out to investigate intricate relationships and scandalous shared histories, determined to uncover if and how a theatrical rivalry can explode into sensational murder.
Then a crew member is brutally murdered, and questions arise about just who the intended victim may have been.
Lucy and her pickpocket-turned-maid Elf set out to investigate intricate relationships and scandalous shared histories, determined to uncover if and how a theatrical rivalry can explode into sensational murder.
- GenresMystery
Kindle Edition
Published March 22, 2025
About the author
Melodie Campbell
49 books109 followers"the Canadian literary heir to Donald Westlake"
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
NEWS: THE GODDAUGHTER DOES VEGAS is on the Ontario Library Association 2020 Forest of Reading GREAT STORIES list!
THE B-TEAM has been shortlisted for the 2019 Arthur Ellis Award for Excellence in Crime Writing! Melodie Campbell is a double finalist this year, with A SHIP CALLED PANDORA (Mystery Weekly Magazine) being a finalist in the short story category.
THE GODDAUGHTER'S REVENGE has won the DERRINGER AWARD and the ARTHUR ELLIS AWARD for Crime Writing!
The Toronto Sun called her Canada's "Queen of Comedy." Library Journal compared her to Janet Evanovich.
Melodie got her start writing comedy so it's no surprise that reviewers and editors have called her fiction "hilarious" and "laugh-out-loud funny". She has over 200 publications, including 40 short stories, 15 novels, and has won 10 awards for fiction.
"The Goddaughter" a comic mob caper, has been called "Just right for Janet Evanovich fans...impossible not to laugh" by Library Journal.
"The Goddaughter's Revenge" from Orca books, was dubbed 'Real Gold' by the Hamilton Spectator. It won the Derringer Award in the States, and the Arthur Ellis Award in Canada.
Book 5 in the series, "The Bootlegger's Goddaughter" was a finalist for the Ontario Library Association Golden Oak Award. Book 6 in the series, "The Goddaughter Does Vegas" is now available.
Top 100 Bestseller "Rowena Through the Wall," was the first novel in the Land's End comic time travel fantasy series. The entire Land's End trilogy is a Top 50 Amazon Bestseller (all books).
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
NEWS: THE GODDAUGHTER DOES VEGAS is on the Ontario Library Association 2020 Forest of Reading GREAT STORIES list!
THE B-TEAM has been shortlisted for the 2019 Arthur Ellis Award for Excellence in Crime Writing! Melodie Campbell is a double finalist this year, with A SHIP CALLED PANDORA (Mystery Weekly Magazine) being a finalist in the short story category.
THE GODDAUGHTER'S REVENGE has won the DERRINGER AWARD and the ARTHUR ELLIS AWARD for Crime Writing!
The Toronto Sun called her Canada's "Queen of Comedy." Library Journal compared her to Janet Evanovich.
Melodie got her start writing comedy so it's no surprise that reviewers and editors have called her fiction "hilarious" and "laugh-out-loud funny". She has over 200 publications, including 40 short stories, 15 novels, and has won 10 awards for fiction.
"The Goddaughter" a comic mob caper, has been called "Just right for Janet Evanovich fans...impossible not to laugh" by Library Journal.
"The Goddaughter's Revenge" from Orca books, was dubbed 'Real Gold' by the Hamilton Spectator. It won the Derringer Award in the States, and the Arthur Ellis Award in Canada.
Book 5 in the series, "The Bootlegger's Goddaughter" was a finalist for the Ontario Library Association Golden Oak Award. Book 6 in the series, "The Goddaughter Does Vegas" is now available.
Top 100 Bestseller "Rowena Through the Wall," was the first novel in the Land's End comic time travel fantasy series. The entire Land's End trilogy is a Top 50 Amazon Bestseller (all books).
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 17, 2026
3.5 STARS Murder and mayhem on the high seas set on a luxury cruise liner in the 1920's!
This second book in the Merry Widow Murders series continues with a wonderful classic murder mystery vibe. This time out we have a famous silent film star, a missing guest, and a murdered staff member to name just a few things for Lucy and her crew to figure out on this Transatlantic voyage.
Once again, I enjoy how Campbell adds bits of humour and history (namely those of class and women's rights) that continue to pepper this series, giving it a nice depth that puts readers in the heart of the Roaring 20's and all that entails.
This was a fun and quick mystery read that I read immediately after the first book (not something I typically do as a reader). Because I read them so close together, I noticed some repetitive humour that may pass by other readers. For example, how Lucy takes her tea ('Left in the pot'), how Lucy 'felt sorry for the women on the Titanic who passed on dessert' and the novelty of the on-board hair salon. Not big issues for sure, but just something I noticed.
Readers may have to suspend disbelief with the twist, but it was an enjoyable mystery, and I enjoyed seeing how the characters have fared since the last book. This series is a wonderful pick for fans of classic murder mysteries and is filled with bits of humour, lots of clues and an entertaining returning cast. I eagerly look forward to reading my advanced copy of the third book - The Pharaoh's Curse Murders - very soon.
This second book in the Merry Widow Murders series continues with a wonderful classic murder mystery vibe. This time out we have a famous silent film star, a missing guest, and a murdered staff member to name just a few things for Lucy and her crew to figure out on this Transatlantic voyage.
Once again, I enjoy how Campbell adds bits of humour and history (namely those of class and women's rights) that continue to pepper this series, giving it a nice depth that puts readers in the heart of the Roaring 20's and all that entails.
This was a fun and quick mystery read that I read immediately after the first book (not something I typically do as a reader). Because I read them so close together, I noticed some repetitive humour that may pass by other readers. For example, how Lucy takes her tea ('Left in the pot'), how Lucy 'felt sorry for the women on the Titanic who passed on dessert' and the novelty of the on-board hair salon. Not big issues for sure, but just something I noticed.
Readers may have to suspend disbelief with the twist, but it was an enjoyable mystery, and I enjoyed seeing how the characters have fared since the last book. This series is a wonderful pick for fans of classic murder mysteries and is filled with bits of humour, lots of clues and an entertaining returning cast. I eagerly look forward to reading my advanced copy of the third book - The Pharaoh's Curse Murders - very soon.
June 30, 2025
This brand new traditional mystery from accomplished Canadian crime writer Melodie Campbell has all the panache of the original Golden Age crime fiction by notables Dorothy, L Sayers, Margery Allingham, and the inimitable Agatha Christie herself. In fact, several of those names are dropped by our illustrious sleuth, Lady Revelstoke as she cruises the high seas, partaking of delicious desserts in the First Class Dining Room.
Lady Revelstoke is no lady. She’s from the colonies, from a crime family (but that's a secret!) and widowed too soon after the Great War, left with a young son and a slew of business holdings as well as that convenient title. (And a castle, but we don’t see the castle in this book, it being inconvenient to pack and transport even on a grand ocean liner).
In this second of The Merry Widow Murders from Cormorant, our Lady Detective is not even settled into her cabin yet when she realizes that she will have a famous silent film star as a dining companion at the captains table, along with the star’s current husband and mousy younger sister. They’ve barely left England when the first mystery of many pops up. Soon we are up to our ears in rival starlets, old flames and new, mysterious disappearances, and an inexhaustible stream of clues that seem to lead in too many directions.
Sorting out the real from the smoke and mirrors is a full-time job for Lady Revelstoke and her indomitable maid Elfreda. But they are more than up to the task, and Lady R makes good work of connecting with other bereaved wives and mothers, gaining vital clues along the way.
In addition to the well woven shipboard background and the many discreet background references to the culture of the era, our illustrious sleuth, and her female, secondary characters, make clear the struggles and hopes of women who saw the Great War not only as a terrible tragedy, but as a step forward in the liberation of women, not only in work and family, but in politics and society. There is something bittersweet about their hopes, as here we are nearly 100 years after the fictional events of this book, and women are still struggling to keep the rights so long and hard fought for.
All in all, this is a very pleasant and also thought-provoking traditional mystery of an era long past, that will satisfy any weekend reader's murderous impulses.
#MerryWidowMurders #TraditionalMystery #CosyMystery #GoldenAge #OceanLiner #starlets #Hollywood #SilentFilm #talkies #CormorantBooks #GreatWar
Lady Revelstoke is no lady. She’s from the colonies, from a crime family (but that's a secret!) and widowed too soon after the Great War, left with a young son and a slew of business holdings as well as that convenient title. (And a castle, but we don’t see the castle in this book, it being inconvenient to pack and transport even on a grand ocean liner).
In this second of The Merry Widow Murders from Cormorant, our Lady Detective is not even settled into her cabin yet when she realizes that she will have a famous silent film star as a dining companion at the captains table, along with the star’s current husband and mousy younger sister. They’ve barely left England when the first mystery of many pops up. Soon we are up to our ears in rival starlets, old flames and new, mysterious disappearances, and an inexhaustible stream of clues that seem to lead in too many directions.
Sorting out the real from the smoke and mirrors is a full-time job for Lady Revelstoke and her indomitable maid Elfreda. But they are more than up to the task, and Lady R makes good work of connecting with other bereaved wives and mothers, gaining vital clues along the way.
In addition to the well woven shipboard background and the many discreet background references to the culture of the era, our illustrious sleuth, and her female, secondary characters, make clear the struggles and hopes of women who saw the Great War not only as a terrible tragedy, but as a step forward in the liberation of women, not only in work and family, but in politics and society. There is something bittersweet about their hopes, as here we are nearly 100 years after the fictional events of this book, and women are still struggling to keep the rights so long and hard fought for.
All in all, this is a very pleasant and also thought-provoking traditional mystery of an era long past, that will satisfy any weekend reader's murderous impulses.
#MerryWidowMurders #TraditionalMystery #CosyMystery #GoldenAge #OceanLiner #starlets #Hollywood #SilentFilm #talkies #CormorantBooks #GreatWar
August 13, 2025
I fell in love with Lady Lucy Revelstoke’s maid Elf, as soon as I read the opening line spoken “in a voice barely above a cannon blast.”
Then I fell in love with Lucy, who defies the idea of what a woman of the 1920’s is supposed to be. She’s independent, refuses to hide her intelligence and is a successful business woman. Her witty sense of humour rounds out her personality.
The mystery unfolds on a luxury ocean liner as it travels from England to New York. The ship has barely left the dock when a passenger goes missing. Next a body is found. And then another. With the aid of her maid, Lucy pieces together the complex clues to solve the mystery. I usually tend to come close to figuring out the ending. This one was totally unexpected, but when you go back and look, you see all the clues expertly hidden.
A big part of comedy is timing. Melodie Campbell weaves together a tale of mystery and suspense, with humour interspersed to relieve some of the tension. She tackles the difficult concept of grief, as Lucy deals with the loss of her husband. Through Lucy we also see the inequality of social status and class.
This is the second book in the Merry Widow series, and though it stands on its own, I’m sure you’ll want to go back and read the first book
Then I fell in love with Lucy, who defies the idea of what a woman of the 1920’s is supposed to be. She’s independent, refuses to hide her intelligence and is a successful business woman. Her witty sense of humour rounds out her personality.
The mystery unfolds on a luxury ocean liner as it travels from England to New York. The ship has barely left the dock when a passenger goes missing. Next a body is found. And then another. With the aid of her maid, Lucy pieces together the complex clues to solve the mystery. I usually tend to come close to figuring out the ending. This one was totally unexpected, but when you go back and look, you see all the clues expertly hidden.
A big part of comedy is timing. Melodie Campbell weaves together a tale of mystery and suspense, with humour interspersed to relieve some of the tension. She tackles the difficult concept of grief, as Lucy deals with the loss of her husband. Through Lucy we also see the inequality of social status and class.
This is the second book in the Merry Widow series, and though it stands on its own, I’m sure you’ll want to go back and read the first book
March 31, 2025
This second book in The Merry Widow Murders series takes us on another journey across the waters with Lady Lucy Revelstoke and her maid/sidekick, Elf. All seems well aboard the ship until bodies begin turning up. A passenger is missing, a crew member is murdered, someone is poisoned and did someone mention a venomous snake? I loved all the twists and turns in this book. And everything falls perfectly into place at the end. Can't wait for the next book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2025
How could I have let The Silent Film Star Murders sit so long in my TBR stack? Especially when the divine Lady Lucy Revelstoke is back! I didn't know how much I missed Melodie Campbell's sense of humour until I read the very first sentence of the book. This is a well researched, well crafted, insightful book that will make you think and make you grin. An easy five stars from this reader.
May 6, 2025
2.5 ⭐
July 28, 2025
I think this second title in the series is even better than the first one was! I love mysteries set during the glamorous age of ocean travel and this one did not disappoint!
September 4, 2025
This book is definitely a fun, enjoyable read, but halfway through the mystery seems obvious...PAINFULLY obvious. So obvious, in fact, as to almost disqualify the book as a mystery at all. But maybe there will be a big twist at the end?
Edit: there wasn’t.
Edit: there wasn’t.
October 26, 2025
Entertaining characters and plot
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews