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Maybe Marilyn: A Novel
What if, on the night of August 5, 1962, Marilyn Monroe didn’t die?
What if she got away? Because all she ever dreamed of was to disappear and have a child.
Marilyn Monroe would have turned 100 on June 1, 2026, and the world is preparing for a massive centennial celebration with official festivals and events focusing on her enduring impact on film, fashion, and culture. And then there’s Lois Cahall’s new novel...Maybe Marilyn...
Marilyn Monroe’s housekeeper, Eunice Murray, and her psychiatrist, Dr. Ralph Greenson, were supposedly the only two people to ever see her dead. Five hours elapsed between the time they found Marilyn’s body and the authorities were contacted. These facts beg the Why was the house rearranged, phone records seized, and evidence destroyed? Was her suicide staged?
Set in 2019, this is a novel about Marilyn Monroe the survivor instead of Marilyn Monroe the victim. When two young reporters get the tip of a lifetime, they go on an elusive search to find her—and learn a thing or two about history in the process. Whether they find Marilyn or not remains to be seen, but what they do find is her granddaughter—alive and well—living up on Cape Cod.
Biographers have long claimed that there is a world of devoted fans who hunger to bring their idol back to life. Their hunger has never waned. Nor have the flawed reports.… #MarilynLives
What if she got away? Because all she ever dreamed of was to disappear and have a child.
Marilyn Monroe would have turned 100 on June 1, 2026, and the world is preparing for a massive centennial celebration with official festivals and events focusing on her enduring impact on film, fashion, and culture. And then there’s Lois Cahall’s new novel...Maybe Marilyn...
Marilyn Monroe’s housekeeper, Eunice Murray, and her psychiatrist, Dr. Ralph Greenson, were supposedly the only two people to ever see her dead. Five hours elapsed between the time they found Marilyn’s body and the authorities were contacted. These facts beg the Why was the house rearranged, phone records seized, and evidence destroyed? Was her suicide staged?
Set in 2019, this is a novel about Marilyn Monroe the survivor instead of Marilyn Monroe the victim. When two young reporters get the tip of a lifetime, they go on an elusive search to find her—and learn a thing or two about history in the process. Whether they find Marilyn or not remains to be seen, but what they do find is her granddaughter—alive and well—living up on Cape Cod.
Biographers have long claimed that there is a world of devoted fans who hunger to bring their idol back to life. Their hunger has never waned. Nor have the flawed reports.… #MarilynLives
288 pages, Paperback
Published May 26, 2026
About the author
Lois Cahall
5 books14 followersLois Cahall began her career as a newspaper journalist in Boston, Massachusetts and as an associate producer for Nick and Judith Krantz, pursuing true-life stories for CBS TV movies. In 2010 Ms. Cahall pursued her mission of addressing issues in women’s daily lives as a host of ABC News’ Top Priority and Good Morning America NOW. This is also Ms. Cahall’s tenth year as “The Screen Queen” (www.screenqueen.com), a syndicated radio personality covering the movie beat with an eye toward educating the “Bus Stop Mom” about age-appropriate family viewing of the latest Hollywood releases. Her broadcasts over the Saga Communications network reach more than one million listeners every week. Stepping outside of her persona of “The Screen Queen” Ms. Cahall writes about women’s empowerment issues for women’s magazines—including Redbook, Seventeen, Cosmo Girl, SELF, Marie Claire, Reader’s Digest, and, most recently Men’s Journal, and RED in the U.K. Ms. Cahall has completed her first novel, Plan C: Just in Case, edited by Simon Beaufoy, The Full Monty screenwriter who won the Oscar & Golden Globe for his runaway screenplay success with Slumdog Millionaire. The mother of two daughters, Ms. Cahall now divides her life between New York City and London.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 1, 2026
Timed to coincide with Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday, Maybe Marilyn blends meticulous research with imaginative storytelling to explore a captivating possibility: that the legendary star escaped the circumstances of her death, assumed a new identity, and finally discovered the life she was always searching for. I especially enjoyed the familiar landmarks in Cape Cod. A must have in your beach bag!
August 21, 2026
We met the author on her book tour in Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard in July 2026 and were intrigued, so we bought a copy of this book which Mrs Cahall signed for us!
Fun read - I loved the book 3 quarters in - the rest and the ending , I felt, was rushed and not fitting - the climax was interrupted by a character’s behavior written in a different way that the story drifted in a different angle I did not care for … overall a quick read and fun „if“ questions will cross your mind about many other prominent people !!!
Fun read - I loved the book 3 quarters in - the rest and the ending , I felt, was rushed and not fitting - the climax was interrupted by a character’s behavior written in a different way that the story drifted in a different angle I did not care for … overall a quick read and fun „if“ questions will cross your mind about many other prominent people !!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such an intriguing premise and such a disappointing execution.
What if Marilyn Monroe didn't die on that hot August morning, but instead was secreted out to start a new life in Cape Cod? Discrepancies abound surrounding her death - the delay from the call made by her housekeeper to the appearance of officials; the pill bottles found at the site but not in her system; etc.
A young reporter named Tom pieces together the story of a lifetime - Marilyn Monroe is alive! And she's a grandmother. This is the story that will change his life, only not how he expects.
Marie Morton's granddaughter Nell is a beautiful free spirit who was raised by her beloved Nan in the northeastern sea faring community of Barnstable, off of Cape Cod. Wifi is spotty on the island but Nell doesn't care, preferring to live in the 'real' world, working at the art gallery, rehearsing for the local community theater, planning fund raisers and costume parties. Nan raised her to be feisty and independent and to honor her feminist heroines of the 1960s. She doesn't need anything or anyone and then Tom shows up.
Tom falls for Nell immediately and pieces together that she must be Marilyn's granddaughter but soon realizes that Nell may not actually know who her grandmother was to the world.
Tom somehow manages to speak with everyone that's still alive 60yrs later, learning how it would have been possible for Marilyn to get away and how her friends kept her secret. He then mansplains Nell's grandmother's life to her, as if once told it was a possibility, she couldn't just google and get most of the information on her own. Also, since Marilyn/Marie is still alive, she could have just gone to her with any questions. But we actually never get to meet Marilyn/Marie or learn anything about her life that doesn't come from Tom, such a feminist choice.
Their relationship (Tom and Nell) is treacly and cloying and tainted with the fact that Tom doesn't let on that he's a reporter doing a story on her family until too much time has gone by. There is also a rival reporter Sid Spooner who is a complete cartoon of a Frat boy character, who deliberately calls everyone by the wrong name, is rude to everyone he meets, hits on every woman who is near, and is just generally unbearable. He was being paid by a mobster who wants to find his daughter, Grace Morton - Marilyn's daughter - except, not only is Grace long dead before the book starts, but it turns out he wasn't Grace's father after all. We never learn who Nell's grandfather was/is. The entire Spooner-Tony Spits story line was ridiculous and could have been left out.
We didn't need a creep reporter threatening to expose the truth to the highest bidder because the minute Tom met Nell we knew he would never let the story go public.
As for the rest of the characters, the author tries for a Stars Hollow bunch of colorful characters including a mayor dressed as Cher but fails to match the charm of the characters from Gilmore Girls.
I was so hoping that this book would be great and was disappointed with every page I read.
What if Marilyn Monroe didn't die on that hot August morning, but instead was secreted out to start a new life in Cape Cod? Discrepancies abound surrounding her death - the delay from the call made by her housekeeper to the appearance of officials; the pill bottles found at the site but not in her system; etc.
A young reporter named Tom pieces together the story of a lifetime - Marilyn Monroe is alive! And she's a grandmother. This is the story that will change his life, only not how he expects.
Marie Morton's granddaughter Nell is a beautiful free spirit who was raised by her beloved Nan in the northeastern sea faring community of Barnstable, off of Cape Cod. Wifi is spotty on the island but Nell doesn't care, preferring to live in the 'real' world, working at the art gallery, rehearsing for the local community theater, planning fund raisers and costume parties. Nan raised her to be feisty and independent and to honor her feminist heroines of the 1960s. She doesn't need anything or anyone and then Tom shows up.
Tom falls for Nell immediately and pieces together that she must be Marilyn's granddaughter but soon realizes that Nell may not actually know who her grandmother was to the world.
Tom somehow manages to speak with everyone that's still alive 60yrs later, learning how it would have been possible for Marilyn to get away and how her friends kept her secret. He then mansplains Nell's grandmother's life to her, as if once told it was a possibility, she couldn't just google and get most of the information on her own. Also, since Marilyn/Marie is still alive, she could have just gone to her with any questions. But we actually never get to meet Marilyn/Marie or learn anything about her life that doesn't come from Tom, such a feminist choice.
Their relationship (Tom and Nell) is treacly and cloying and tainted with the fact that Tom doesn't let on that he's a reporter doing a story on her family until too much time has gone by. There is also a rival reporter Sid Spooner who is a complete cartoon of a Frat boy character, who deliberately calls everyone by the wrong name, is rude to everyone he meets, hits on every woman who is near, and is just generally unbearable. He was being paid by a mobster who wants to find his daughter, Grace Morton - Marilyn's daughter - except, not only is Grace long dead before the book starts, but it turns out he wasn't Grace's father after all. We never learn who Nell's grandfather was/is. The entire Spooner-Tony Spits story line was ridiculous and could have been left out.
We didn't need a creep reporter threatening to expose the truth to the highest bidder because the minute Tom met Nell we knew he would never let the story go public.
As for the rest of the characters, the author tries for a Stars Hollow bunch of colorful characters including a mayor dressed as Cher but fails to match the charm of the characters from Gilmore Girls.
I was so hoping that this book would be great and was disappointed with every page I read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Maybe Marilyn by Lois Cahall, given to me by Post Hill Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, was a really intriguing read with an equally intriguing reader’s note; however, the execution proved a bit of a mixed bag.
The idea is pretty excellent if you can extend your disbelief that all of these characters would be alive in their 70s, 80s and 90s. So, the general idea is that Marilyn could well be alive, as two journalists are vying to find out.
One is more of a James Stewart type who believes journalism can be used for good. The other, I think, saw a James Stewart (or another actor, it’s not exactly the point) movie and said, ‘Hey, that’s a career that could be a money spinner for me in later life’. This character had some delicious throwaway lines that basically involved insulting everyone and acting like some sort of goon from a different era. Of the elderly, he says things like, I like films in colour - you only remember black and white. On being in Cape Cod, it suggests in a reverse psychology form of way that the women at the registry office likely hailed from the Mayflower, etc. His character is not wildly believable but in a pantomine villain kind of way, provides some laughs.
The good journalist gets involved with what could be the granddaughter of La Monroe. She’s a fairly modern feminist who sometimes talks in truisms about how women should not be tied down by a patriarchal society. Luckily, the good journalist, although not revealing that he might know who ‘MM’/‘Norma J’ is, when they go traipsing around the house looking at her gran’s memorabilia.
The book tries to intertwine the classic culture of yesteryear with the reality of this era in time. It works quite well when explaining the tricky elements of Marilyn Monroe’s life and is a bit of a slippery fish when we’re talking about 2019 issues. The women’s march at the end, well-intentioned, feels… off.
The book feels like it could be a TV movie, which makes perfect sense when reading the author’s note. Perhaps if the book were set in the 2000s, it would feel a bit less far-fetched. Additionally, the last chapter is a bit too wrapped up. Still, props for a creative idea.
The idea is pretty excellent if you can extend your disbelief that all of these characters would be alive in their 70s, 80s and 90s. So, the general idea is that Marilyn could well be alive, as two journalists are vying to find out.
One is more of a James Stewart type who believes journalism can be used for good. The other, I think, saw a James Stewart (or another actor, it’s not exactly the point) movie and said, ‘Hey, that’s a career that could be a money spinner for me in later life’. This character had some delicious throwaway lines that basically involved insulting everyone and acting like some sort of goon from a different era. Of the elderly, he says things like, I like films in colour - you only remember black and white. On being in Cape Cod, it suggests in a reverse psychology form of way that the women at the registry office likely hailed from the Mayflower, etc. His character is not wildly believable but in a pantomine villain kind of way, provides some laughs.
The good journalist gets involved with what could be the granddaughter of La Monroe. She’s a fairly modern feminist who sometimes talks in truisms about how women should not be tied down by a patriarchal society. Luckily, the good journalist, although not revealing that he might know who ‘MM’/‘Norma J’ is, when they go traipsing around the house looking at her gran’s memorabilia.
The book tries to intertwine the classic culture of yesteryear with the reality of this era in time. It works quite well when explaining the tricky elements of Marilyn Monroe’s life and is a bit of a slippery fish when we’re talking about 2019 issues. The women’s march at the end, well-intentioned, feels… off.
The book feels like it could be a TV movie, which makes perfect sense when reading the author’s note. Perhaps if the book were set in the 2000s, it would feel a bit less far-fetched. Additionally, the last chapter is a bit too wrapped up. Still, props for a creative idea.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Maybe Marilyn is a novel built on a single, irresistible question: what if the most famous woman in the world slipped out of history and into a life of her own choosing? Instead of tragedy, Lois Cahall gives us possibility—an alternate timeline where Marilyn Monroe survives the night of August 5, 1962, and quietly disappears to pursue the two things she was always denied: anonymity and motherhood.
Set in 2019, the story follows two young reporters chasing the tip of a lifetime, a whisper that Marilyn didn’t die but simply walked away. Their investigation becomes a journey through decades of mythmaking, conspiracy, and cultural obsession, and the novel handles this with a lovely blend of curiosity and reverence. The deeper they dig, the more they uncover the gaps, contradictions, and unanswered questions surrounding that night—five missing hours, rearranged rooms, seized phone records, and a death scene that never quite added up. The book doesn’t sensationalise these details; instead, it uses them as a doorway into a gentler, more hopeful imagining.
What makes the novel so compelling is its emotional core. This isn’t a story about a starlet resurrected for spectacle—it’s about a woman reclaiming her life from the world that consumed her. The discovery of her granddaughter on Cape Cod is especially moving, a quiet reminder that legacy isn’t always built on fame; sometimes it’s built on the lives we choose to protect.
The writing has a wistful, almost cinematic quality, blending real history with fiction in a way that feels both daring and tender. It’s a love letter to Marilyn’s enduring impact, but also a challenge to the narratives that have defined her for decades. Instead of victimhood, Cahall offers survival. Instead of tragedy, reinvention.
A thoughtful, imaginative, and surprisingly hopeful novel that invites readers to reconsider everything they think they know about Marilyn Monroe—and to imagine the life she might have lived if she’d finally been allowed to step out of the spotlight.
With thanks to Lois Cahall, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Set in 2019, the story follows two young reporters chasing the tip of a lifetime, a whisper that Marilyn didn’t die but simply walked away. Their investigation becomes a journey through decades of mythmaking, conspiracy, and cultural obsession, and the novel handles this with a lovely blend of curiosity and reverence. The deeper they dig, the more they uncover the gaps, contradictions, and unanswered questions surrounding that night—five missing hours, rearranged rooms, seized phone records, and a death scene that never quite added up. The book doesn’t sensationalise these details; instead, it uses them as a doorway into a gentler, more hopeful imagining.
What makes the novel so compelling is its emotional core. This isn’t a story about a starlet resurrected for spectacle—it’s about a woman reclaiming her life from the world that consumed her. The discovery of her granddaughter on Cape Cod is especially moving, a quiet reminder that legacy isn’t always built on fame; sometimes it’s built on the lives we choose to protect.
The writing has a wistful, almost cinematic quality, blending real history with fiction in a way that feels both daring and tender. It’s a love letter to Marilyn’s enduring impact, but also a challenge to the narratives that have defined her for decades. Instead of victimhood, Cahall offers survival. Instead of tragedy, reinvention.
A thoughtful, imaginative, and surprisingly hopeful novel that invites readers to reconsider everything they think they know about Marilyn Monroe—and to imagine the life she might have lived if she’d finally been allowed to step out of the spotlight.
With thanks to Lois Cahall, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
July 4, 2026
What if Marilyn Monroe didn’t die on August 5, 1962, but escaped the toxic machinery of Hollywood to find the one thing she always wanted: a quiet life and a family? Set in 2019, as the world edges toward her 2026 centennial, Lois Cahall’s gripping novel flips the script on history, transforming Marilyn from a tragic victim into an ultimate survivor.
Cahall masterfully uses the investigative journey of two young reporters to remind us of the real woman behind the icon. Marilyn was a trailblazer: she supported WWII efforts as a factory worker, performed for 100,000+ troops in the Korean War USO tour, fought racial segregation by leveraging her fame to book Ella Fitzgerald at the Mocambo club, and fought the studio system to launch Marilyn Monroe Productions to direct her own destiny.
The novel brilliantly feeds into the long-standing real-world conspiracies surrounding her death. Why did five hours elapse before her housekeeper Eunice Murray and psychiatrist Dr. Ralph Greenson called the police? Why were phone records seized and the scene rearranged? Maybe Marilyn taps into our collective ache for a better ending for a woman used by almost every man in her life—from abusive foster homes to exploitative studio heads, Hugh Hefner, and the Kennedys. The book touches on her severe, painful battle with endometriosis, a disease that thwarted her deepest desire to have children and drove her toward emotionally unavailable men as she tried to heal childhood trauma. Yet, it beautifully honours Joe DiMaggio, the one man who realised his errors, became her fiercely loyal protector, and devoted the rest of his life to her memory.
Had she lived, Cahall suggests Marilyn’s life would have been defined by peace, privacy, and the joy of motherhood away from the blinding flashbulbs. Tracking her legacy to a granddaughter living on Cape Cod, Maybe Marilyn is a stunning, emotionally satisfying tribute to resilience.
Cahall masterfully uses the investigative journey of two young reporters to remind us of the real woman behind the icon. Marilyn was a trailblazer: she supported WWII efforts as a factory worker, performed for 100,000+ troops in the Korean War USO tour, fought racial segregation by leveraging her fame to book Ella Fitzgerald at the Mocambo club, and fought the studio system to launch Marilyn Monroe Productions to direct her own destiny.
The novel brilliantly feeds into the long-standing real-world conspiracies surrounding her death. Why did five hours elapse before her housekeeper Eunice Murray and psychiatrist Dr. Ralph Greenson called the police? Why were phone records seized and the scene rearranged? Maybe Marilyn taps into our collective ache for a better ending for a woman used by almost every man in her life—from abusive foster homes to exploitative studio heads, Hugh Hefner, and the Kennedys. The book touches on her severe, painful battle with endometriosis, a disease that thwarted her deepest desire to have children and drove her toward emotionally unavailable men as she tried to heal childhood trauma. Yet, it beautifully honours Joe DiMaggio, the one man who realised his errors, became her fiercely loyal protector, and devoted the rest of his life to her memory.
Had she lived, Cahall suggests Marilyn’s life would have been defined by peace, privacy, and the joy of motherhood away from the blinding flashbulbs. Tracking her legacy to a granddaughter living on Cape Cod, Maybe Marilyn is a stunning, emotionally satisfying tribute to resilience.
May 14, 2026
I have adored Marilyn Monroe for as far back as I can remember. I was always amazed that she was born just a few months before my Nanna. Transfixed by her unique looks and her sparkle on the screen. Inspired by her determination and her love of literature. And saddened at the tragic events her life took. I’ve often wondered, what if she had lived?
This novel by Lois Cahall answers that very question - as soon as I met Tom, the young journalist who stumbles upon the possibility that Marilyn’s death was a hoax and she lived happily ever after, I was invested - and I hung on the book’s every word, fully wanting to believe that Marilyn had indeed managed to create the life she craved and desperate for Tom to uncover the truth. This book does not make the idea of Marilyn faking her death seem like an impossibility at all.
Tom’s journey introduces him to a charming cast of characters and a quaint little town which seems to be the perfect place for an icon like Marilyn to hide. The trouble is, his arrogant colleague has been given a task to find out the identity of someone who may be linked to Marilyn, if the myth proves to be true, which places Tom in a tricky position: pursue a story which would launch his career, or protect the community that he has grown to love from the greed and exposure of his nemesis who is close to uncovering the truth first. At times I felt that I lost sight of Tom and couldn’t quite pin him down, but then this could actually be a technique that compliments the book so well, threading through the idea of identity and adapting your personality to your surroundings, as Marilyn so often did herself.
I really enjoyed this book and as a Marilyn devotee I thought that the historical exploration surrounding her life was done beautifully. What stood out the most for me though - Marilyn was a survivor, whichever ending you wish to believe….
This novel by Lois Cahall answers that very question - as soon as I met Tom, the young journalist who stumbles upon the possibility that Marilyn’s death was a hoax and she lived happily ever after, I was invested - and I hung on the book’s every word, fully wanting to believe that Marilyn had indeed managed to create the life she craved and desperate for Tom to uncover the truth. This book does not make the idea of Marilyn faking her death seem like an impossibility at all.
Tom’s journey introduces him to a charming cast of characters and a quaint little town which seems to be the perfect place for an icon like Marilyn to hide. The trouble is, his arrogant colleague has been given a task to find out the identity of someone who may be linked to Marilyn, if the myth proves to be true, which places Tom in a tricky position: pursue a story which would launch his career, or protect the community that he has grown to love from the greed and exposure of his nemesis who is close to uncovering the truth first. At times I felt that I lost sight of Tom and couldn’t quite pin him down, but then this could actually be a technique that compliments the book so well, threading through the idea of identity and adapting your personality to your surroundings, as Marilyn so often did herself.
I really enjoyed this book and as a Marilyn devotee I thought that the historical exploration surrounding her life was done beautifully. What stood out the most for me though - Marilyn was a survivor, whichever ending you wish to believe….
May 14, 2026
As a lifelong fan of Marilyn Monroe, I was immediately pulled in by the premise of Maybe Marilyn. The idea that Marilyn could have staged her death to escape the fame, pressure, and image Hollywood created for her is fascinating.
I appreciated the way the book explored how Hollywood shaped Marilyn into what the world wanted her to be, only for that version of her to eventually become something she resented. Sadly, that part still feels incredibly relevant today. Hollywood has a long history of failing women, and this story touches on that in an emotional way.
That said, this one dragged a bit for me. I kept waiting for more Marilyn. There’s a lot of buildup throughout the story, and while I think some of that came down to my own expectations, I did find myself struggling to pick it back up at times because not a lot was happening.
I also wasn’t a huge fan of the Women’s March section at the end. Even though I don’t disagree with the message itself, it felt a little too heavy-handed for the tone of the story.
Overall, I still found the concept incredibly intriguing, especially as someone who’s followed the many conspiracy theories surrounding Marilyn’s death over the years. If you enjoy historical fiction, celebrity fiction, conspiracy theories, or stories that reimagine famous lives, definitely pick this one up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Post Hill Press for an early copy of this book, but as always, all thoughts are my own.
I appreciated the way the book explored how Hollywood shaped Marilyn into what the world wanted her to be, only for that version of her to eventually become something she resented. Sadly, that part still feels incredibly relevant today. Hollywood has a long history of failing women, and this story touches on that in an emotional way.
That said, this one dragged a bit for me. I kept waiting for more Marilyn. There’s a lot of buildup throughout the story, and while I think some of that came down to my own expectations, I did find myself struggling to pick it back up at times because not a lot was happening.
I also wasn’t a huge fan of the Women’s March section at the end. Even though I don’t disagree with the message itself, it felt a little too heavy-handed for the tone of the story.
Overall, I still found the concept incredibly intriguing, especially as someone who’s followed the many conspiracy theories surrounding Marilyn’s death over the years. If you enjoy historical fiction, celebrity fiction, conspiracy theories, or stories that reimagine famous lives, definitely pick this one up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Post Hill Press for an early copy of this book, but as always, all thoughts are my own.
May 26, 2026
📕 This book is a wishful, hopeful fantasy regarding the life and death of Marilyn Monroe. We follow the protagonist, Tom, as he attempts to uncover what is true and false about the untimely (and super public) death of Marilyn, is there a chance that she escaped? Did she never have a miscarriage? The story follows as the protagonist becomes entangled in the life of Nell, Marilyn’s supposed granddaughter. I found the love and romance aspect to be somewhat unnecessary but others may enjoy that reprieve from the rest of the narrative.
✍️ The attention to detail in this book was *chefs kiss*. It really felt like a deep dive into all the inaccuracies surrounding Marilyn’s death which I found very interesting!
🖋️ The story is easy to read, easy to understand. The plot is presented in an engaging manner - short chapters - page turner status ✒️
📖Suspend your disbelief - what happened to Marilyn? I enjoyed reading this exploration through a journalistic/ investigative lens. I love Marilyn, her life and death were so tragic that you begin to hope this story has some merit of truth…
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
✍️ The attention to detail in this book was *chefs kiss*. It really felt like a deep dive into all the inaccuracies surrounding Marilyn’s death which I found very interesting!
🖋️ The story is easy to read, easy to understand. The plot is presented in an engaging manner - short chapters - page turner status ✒️
📖Suspend your disbelief - what happened to Marilyn? I enjoyed reading this exploration through a journalistic/ investigative lens. I love Marilyn, her life and death were so tragic that you begin to hope this story has some merit of truth…
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
June 7, 2026
I found the premise of this book very appealing: that Marilyn Monroe faked her death to escape the public spotlight, have a baby and live her life as a normal person. For me, however, the execution of the story was somewhat lacking. Some of my "complaints" make sense if you read the author notes and learn this was originally intended as a movie; some of the scenes are presented in screenplay format, while others are not, and I found the switches distracting. But my biggest issues were how coincidentally and quickly everything happens. The main protagonist, Tom Hogan, is a fledgling journalist for the Hollywood Reporter. He is sent on an assignment to a retirement home for aging stars (or almost-stars) to get some fluff (basically) for the weekend edition, but just happens to meet a man who was the former assistant coroner of L.A. and this man, after keeping the secret for almost 50 years, almost immediately tells Tom that Marilyn Monroe didn't really die and feeds him a bunch of information to back the claim. It felt overly contrived. Tom heads to Cape Cod, where he believes Marilyn has been living incognito, and where he meets and mutually falls in love "at first sight" with her granddaughter. I enjoyed parts of the book more than others, some were a little preachy, even if the points were valid, and it felt like the author was trying to tick off too many ideologies, from women's rights and "me too" to conservation and the environment. The story moves so quickly that there isn't much time for character development, and there is a subplot involving Tom's shallow rival reporter and a mobster that really didn't contribute anything to the story.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars
The premise of this book is so intriguing - what if Marilyn Monroe faked her own death to escape the pressures and expectations of Hollywood and started a new life in Cape Cod? What if Marilyn had a daughter and then raised her granddaughter Nell? What would happen if reporters got wind of who "Marie Morton" really is?
This premise is what grabbed me, but unfortunately the book didn't hold my interest throughout the book. The narrator of the book is one of the investigative reporters, Tom, who falls for Nell while researching the story. The feminist topics covered in the books would have made more sense if narrated by Nell and the feminist march near the end came off as very preachy and out-of-place. I wish we would have seen more of what Marilyn experienced in adjusting to and living her new life. I'm sure there will be fans of this unique and creative story, but it wasn't the best fit for me.
I received an advance copy of this ebook from Post Hill Press and NetGalley, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
The premise of this book is so intriguing - what if Marilyn Monroe faked her own death to escape the pressures and expectations of Hollywood and started a new life in Cape Cod? What if Marilyn had a daughter and then raised her granddaughter Nell? What would happen if reporters got wind of who "Marie Morton" really is?
This premise is what grabbed me, but unfortunately the book didn't hold my interest throughout the book. The narrator of the book is one of the investigative reporters, Tom, who falls for Nell while researching the story. The feminist topics covered in the books would have made more sense if narrated by Nell and the feminist march near the end came off as very preachy and out-of-place. I wish we would have seen more of what Marilyn experienced in adjusting to and living her new life. I'm sure there will be fans of this unique and creative story, but it wasn't the best fit for me.
I received an advance copy of this ebook from Post Hill Press and NetGalley, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Post Hill Press for the eARC; all opinions are my own!
I really like the premise of this book, but almost nothing about it worked for me. Honestly, based on the focus on Marilyn's still sexy body (when she's 70+) really made me surprised a woman wrote this. It also made me sad - she was fetishized in life and doesn't need to keep being so after death (even if the death was faked, as in this book).
It was also an interesting choice to not hear from Marilyn much in this book at all - it's told through the point of view of a man who is dating Marilyn's granddaughter. Weird choices all around.
This one wasn't for me.
I really like the premise of this book, but almost nothing about it worked for me. Honestly, based on the focus on Marilyn's still sexy body (when she's 70+) really made me surprised a woman wrote this. It also made me sad - she was fetishized in life and doesn't need to keep being so after death (even if the death was faked, as in this book).
It was also an interesting choice to not hear from Marilyn much in this book at all - it's told through the point of view of a man who is dating Marilyn's granddaughter. Weird choices all around.
This one wasn't for me.
June 10, 2026
Easy, breezy summer read - I sailed through this and definitely would recommend. As much as this is about Marilyn, it isn't - yes, there's plenty of nostalgia and fodder for Marilyn and pop-culture fans, but at it's core its about love and connection and empowerment, wrapped into a fun caper with characters you like and will root for. Perfect vacation read (or a perfect book to make you want to visit the Cape!).
June 4, 2026
A fantastical dandelion’s wish of a concert, which I was taken by the appeal of, and wish this is what had happened. But the execution of the story never landed for me.
With every page I read, I was just disappointed.
Thank you to Post Hill Press and NetGalley for the DRC
With every page I read, I was just disappointed.
Thank you to Post Hill Press and NetGalley for the DRC
July 20, 2026
This should probably be one Star, but the premise was cute. Terribly written, terribly executed, meandering rambling, switching tenses. In the acknowledgement the author talks about famous writers and editors that guided this story, but….what the heck?!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review of ARC copy received from Netgalley.
When I read the synapse of this book I was hooked. As a history fanatic, specifically old Hollywood and musicians, I knew going in that this was a work of fiction but I was very much wondering what if Marilyn actually faked her death. what if she was able to get out. I absolutely loved this book and the concept. The only thing that I didn't like was the sudden change from Marilyn and her life to modern day. I feel like it was sudden. It's persistent throughout the book. I honestly wanted it to be more how she lived her life as a "normal" woman. Her hardships of going from celebrity to normal. Her views of the conspiracies about her death.
When I read the synapse of this book I was hooked. As a history fanatic, specifically old Hollywood and musicians, I knew going in that this was a work of fiction but I was very much wondering what if Marilyn actually faked her death. what if she was able to get out. I absolutely loved this book and the concept. The only thing that I didn't like was the sudden change from Marilyn and her life to modern day. I feel like it was sudden. It's persistent throughout the book. I honestly wanted it to be more how she lived her life as a "normal" woman. Her hardships of going from celebrity to normal. Her views of the conspiracies about her death.
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