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Roaring Twenties Mystery #4
Murder in Disguise
1920s script girl Jessie Beckett investigates the murder of a movie projectionist in this absorbing historical mystery.
"Joe Petrovitch was gunned down on a sunny Saturday afternoon in early October, during the ninth reel of Charlie Chaplin's Gold Rush."
Employed by Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, Jessie Beckett has a busy time as Script Girl for Pickford-Fairbanks studios. Yet she also has a reputation as a skilled amateur sleuth. So when a projectionist is shot dead and his grieving widow asks Jessie if she can find out who killed him, Jessie is determined to find the killer and his motive. But who was the mysterious man in the red coat who fired three shots at Joe Petrovitch? And how could he enter and leave a crowded theatre without being noticed? To find the answers, Jessie must delve into the dead man's past and uncover dark secrets from another continent and another era. As she is to discover, the past has a long reach...
"Joe Petrovitch was gunned down on a sunny Saturday afternoon in early October, during the ninth reel of Charlie Chaplin's Gold Rush."
Employed by Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, Jessie Beckett has a busy time as Script Girl for Pickford-Fairbanks studios. Yet she also has a reputation as a skilled amateur sleuth. So when a projectionist is shot dead and his grieving widow asks Jessie if she can find out who killed him, Jessie is determined to find the killer and his motive. But who was the mysterious man in the red coat who fired three shots at Joe Petrovitch? And how could he enter and leave a crowded theatre without being noticed? To find the answers, Jessie must delve into the dead man's past and uncover dark secrets from another continent and another era. As she is to discover, the past has a long reach...
240 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2017
10 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
About the author
Mary Miley
18 books152 followersI'm an Army brat who has lived in Virginia most of my adult life. I received my BA and MA in history from the College of William and Mary and taught American history and museum studies at Virginia Commonwealth University for thirteen years. I am the author of 200 magazine articles, most on history, travel, and business topics, 12 nonfiction books, and 9 historical mysteries set in the Roaring Twenties. When I'm not writing, I'm probably at Valley Road Vineyard, our winery in the mountains of Virginia where everything we do would have been illegal in the 1920s.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
September 9, 2017
3.5 This is such a fun, and easy to read series. Pure entertainment. The waning days of vaudeville, the beginning of motion pictures, prohibition, bootlegging, such interesting times. Jessie, herself is a spunky woman, with a moralistic sense of justice, an amateur detective who seems to find out information through her past vaudeville connections, that the olive cannot.
The series is lively so much going on behind the scenes, interspersed with interesting tidbits about vaudvillr acts, and historical happenings. Mob connections, medicinal alcohol and a murdered projectionist with past ties to Serbia, are all part of this one. Add to it challenges of a personal nature, and Jessie has her hands full. Somehow or another things get done, put together, often not in a straightforward manner. Curious too see where the next in series will have her land. Many changes for this intrepid Heroine.
As well as being a wonderful read, many of the acts, historical events, and people within were actually fact, as detailed in an authors note.
ARC from Netgalley.
The series is lively so much going on behind the scenes, interspersed with interesting tidbits about vaudvillr acts, and historical happenings. Mob connections, medicinal alcohol and a murdered projectionist with past ties to Serbia, are all part of this one. Add to it challenges of a personal nature, and Jessie has her hands full. Somehow or another things get done, put together, often not in a straightforward manner. Curious too see where the next in series will have her land. Many changes for this intrepid Heroine.
As well as being a wonderful read, many of the acts, historical events, and people within were actually fact, as detailed in an authors note.
ARC from Netgalley.
January 13, 2018
Jessie's back! Still working for Fairbanks Studios and still getting herself mixed up in murder.
When Barbara Petrovitch's husband Joe is killed and the murderer seemingly vanishes into thin air, the police are at a loss for suspects. Luckily for Barbara, her fellow coworker Jessie has a history of solving difficult cases. Jessie knows, where there's a murder, there's a motive. Putting her sleuthing skills to work, with the help of a few (almost) famous friends, Jessie begins to put together a list of suspects. But the killer has a list of their own.. will Jessie go through hers before the killer does?
I absolutely adore this series. Mary Miley delivers everything I want in a historical mystery. Delightful characters, rich, descriptive prose, an intriguing case to solve and just the right mix of fact and fiction. She never fails to suck me into the story, teach me something new and leave me with a smile on my face. The only problem is having to wait for the next one! I'm going to be heartbroken the day Jessie solves her last case. Highly recommend the whole series to historical mystery fans, especially if you love Old Hollywood as much as I do!
4.5/5 Stars
When Barbara Petrovitch's husband Joe is killed and the murderer seemingly vanishes into thin air, the police are at a loss for suspects. Luckily for Barbara, her fellow coworker Jessie has a history of solving difficult cases. Jessie knows, where there's a murder, there's a motive. Putting her sleuthing skills to work, with the help of a few (almost) famous friends, Jessie begins to put together a list of suspects. But the killer has a list of their own.. will Jessie go through hers before the killer does?
I absolutely adore this series. Mary Miley delivers everything I want in a historical mystery. Delightful characters, rich, descriptive prose, an intriguing case to solve and just the right mix of fact and fiction. She never fails to suck me into the story, teach me something new and leave me with a smile on my face. The only problem is having to wait for the next one! I'm going to be heartbroken the day Jessie solves her last case. Highly recommend the whole series to historical mystery fans, especially if you love Old Hollywood as much as I do!
4.5/5 Stars
July 2, 2017
4.5 stars
Mary Miley’s Roaring Twenties series continues to provide a fascinating glimpse into the later years of the silent film era. In Murder in Disguise, Jessie tackles the murder of a movie projectionist. The man murdered is the spouse of a fellow employee at the Pickford-Fairbanks Studio, and his wife engages Jessie to solve the crime. Jessie works as a script girl for the studio during the day but continues to pursue her interest in solving mysteries on the side. Her search for the murderer sends Jessie on a surprising path that I thoroughly enjoyed. The story line was creative and original which made the book very enjoyable.
Miley’s characters are well-developed and highly entertaining, and numerous famous individuals from that era make appearances such as her roommate Myrna Loy (prior to her career taking off), Adele and Fred Astaire (whose mother changed their last name from Austerlitz to Astaire to sound more patriotic during the Great War), and Douglas Fairbanks. Miley also incorporates fascinating vaudeville trivia including that Helen Keller performed with her interpreter for a few years on a circuit and that Adele Astaire was more famous than her brother Fred during their lifetimes even though he is the only one remembered today. As a fan of 1920’s Hollywood, I particularly enjoyed Miley’s focus on silent filmmaking and the details regarding making early technicolor movies. The filming of Fairbanks’ movie The Black Pirate features prominently in the story, with stories about Fairbanks doing his own stunts, Pickford standing in for actress Billy Dove in a closing scene, and the techniques used to make that film. My next project is to track down that movie and watch it after reading about its creation.
While Miley didn’t focus much on the relevance of movie projectionists in this novel, the subject matter resonated with me because I recently watched The Dying of the Light, a documentary about the switch from film reels to digital films which has eliminated the need for movie projectionists. This is an intriguing subject that I knew very little about before watching the documentary and was excited to see the subject matter addressed again in Murder in Disguise.
I continue to absolutely love this series, and Murder in Disguise is a fabulous addition. Each book provides a detailed glimpse into Hollywood and the vaudeville circuit in the 1920’s, and I always learn so much with each Roaring Twenties book I read. I am already anxiously awaiting the next installment. My one hope for the next book is that Jessie will resolve her love life; I am much more partial to one of her love interests than the other and am rooting for him. Thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I also want to give a shout out to Mary Miley’s Roaring Twenties blog that every fan of the era should follow; it can be found on her author site: http://marymileytheobald.com.
Mary Miley’s Roaring Twenties series continues to provide a fascinating glimpse into the later years of the silent film era. In Murder in Disguise, Jessie tackles the murder of a movie projectionist. The man murdered is the spouse of a fellow employee at the Pickford-Fairbanks Studio, and his wife engages Jessie to solve the crime. Jessie works as a script girl for the studio during the day but continues to pursue her interest in solving mysteries on the side. Her search for the murderer sends Jessie on a surprising path that I thoroughly enjoyed. The story line was creative and original which made the book very enjoyable.
Miley’s characters are well-developed and highly entertaining, and numerous famous individuals from that era make appearances such as her roommate Myrna Loy (prior to her career taking off), Adele and Fred Astaire (whose mother changed their last name from Austerlitz to Astaire to sound more patriotic during the Great War), and Douglas Fairbanks. Miley also incorporates fascinating vaudeville trivia including that Helen Keller performed with her interpreter for a few years on a circuit and that Adele Astaire was more famous than her brother Fred during their lifetimes even though he is the only one remembered today. As a fan of 1920’s Hollywood, I particularly enjoyed Miley’s focus on silent filmmaking and the details regarding making early technicolor movies. The filming of Fairbanks’ movie The Black Pirate features prominently in the story, with stories about Fairbanks doing his own stunts, Pickford standing in for actress Billy Dove in a closing scene, and the techniques used to make that film. My next project is to track down that movie and watch it after reading about its creation.
While Miley didn’t focus much on the relevance of movie projectionists in this novel, the subject matter resonated with me because I recently watched The Dying of the Light, a documentary about the switch from film reels to digital films which has eliminated the need for movie projectionists. This is an intriguing subject that I knew very little about before watching the documentary and was excited to see the subject matter addressed again in Murder in Disguise.
I continue to absolutely love this series, and Murder in Disguise is a fabulous addition. Each book provides a detailed glimpse into Hollywood and the vaudeville circuit in the 1920’s, and I always learn so much with each Roaring Twenties book I read. I am already anxiously awaiting the next installment. My one hope for the next book is that Jessie will resolve her love life; I am much more partial to one of her love interests than the other and am rooting for him. Thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I also want to give a shout out to Mary Miley’s Roaring Twenties blog that every fan of the era should follow; it can be found on her author site: http://marymileytheobald.com.
August 1, 2017
*4.5 stars
I always look forward to "seeing" Jessie again. She's such a likable character that I can't help wanting to know what's happening in her life. These books bring two of my favorite things together, or actually three: mystery, old Hollywood, and the roaring 20's. This time around, Jessie is asked to investigate the murder of a film projectionist--Joe Petrovitch. As always, names like Fairbanks, Pickford, Loy, Astaire.....they all make an appearance. So does Carl and David. Two possible love interests. She's with one but you know the other would like to be romantically linked to Jessie. The mystery in this installment was a strong one, better I think than the last book. It was somewhat more complicated for Jessie but she handles herself well. I continue to love these books and I'm looking forward to what happens next. Some new developments in Jessie's life should make things more interesting for her in the future.
**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I always look forward to "seeing" Jessie again. She's such a likable character that I can't help wanting to know what's happening in her life. These books bring two of my favorite things together, or actually three: mystery, old Hollywood, and the roaring 20's. This time around, Jessie is asked to investigate the murder of a film projectionist--Joe Petrovitch. As always, names like Fairbanks, Pickford, Loy, Astaire.....they all make an appearance. So does Carl and David. Two possible love interests. She's with one but you know the other would like to be romantically linked to Jessie. The mystery in this installment was a strong one, better I think than the last book. It was somewhat more complicated for Jessie but she handles herself well. I continue to love these books and I'm looking forward to what happens next. Some new developments in Jessie's life should make things more interesting for her in the future.
**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2017
The fourth in this historical series, set against a background of the Roaring Twenties. A new author for and one I will read again. It works alright as a stand-A-Lone as the story was completed. The backstory caught my attention and my TBR like is now larger. Jesse Beckett is an orphan and grew up in vaudeville. In order survive she did what was necessary. In this story, her boyfriend is arrested for murder, prohibitions problems, and tax evasion. She has been hired by the Pickford-Fairbanks' studio as a script girl. Jessie is rooming with 5 other girls in a house. There she meets a woman whose niece, Kit Riley is death and dumb.Lot is the same age as Jesse when Jesse mother died. A member of the studio husband is dun down at his work. The police have no clues as to what happens. His widow asked Jessie to find his killer. The story takes several twists and turns before Jessie finds the answer. The historical information is informative of the time period. I recommend this book.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Severn House through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Severn House through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.
July 7, 2017
Jessie Beckett is working at the PickFair Studio in 1925 and is asked to investigate the death of Joe Petrovitch, the husband of a co-worker, bue to her success in previous murder investigations. But how could this killer, a man in a red coat, who fired three shots at Petrovitch leave a crowded theatre without being noticed.
Although this is the fourth in the series I didn't find it was necessary to read the previous books. I found the story entertaining and a good mystery, and some good rounded characters.
A NetGalley Book
Although this is the fourth in the series I didn't find it was necessary to read the previous books. I found the story entertaining and a good mystery, and some good rounded characters.
A NetGalley Book
September 7, 2017
The fourth novel in Mary Maley’s 1920s mystery series is an enjoyable story, but nothing that truly moved me.
It is competingly written, with a strong, coherent plot comprised of two mysteries (a main one and a supporting one) and a personal thread centred on the main character, Jessie.
The main mystery is a solid story, but honestly there’s nothing remarkable about it. There was a supposed twist at the end, which I suspected from early on and I actually wondered how Jessie didn’t come to the same conclusion instead of insisting in her original idea. That’s a pity, but didn’t really ruined the rest of the mystery. The ending was interesting enough and a bit unconventional, which is good.
The supporting mystery was in my opinion a bit more clichéd. It also had a twist at the end, but I found this one to be more contrived. I have a feeling that this thread will spill on future novels.
What really disappointed me was Jessie’s personal thread. This is an overarching story that started in the first novel and is evolving as new stories come out. It involves Jessie in a romantic way, interwoven with historic elements about Prohibition that are less known to the general public. Should be interesting, no? Honestly, I could never get into it. It all sounded very distant and I didn’t feel like getting emotionally involved in, I’m not even sure why. Maybe it’s because this part of story feels pressed upon the mystery but it’s rather alien to it. It never clicked. I just know that every time Jessie lingered on this part of plot, I hitched to go back to the actual mystery.
But all in all is a story that will amuse the mystery lover and will please the historical reader.
It is competingly written, with a strong, coherent plot comprised of two mysteries (a main one and a supporting one) and a personal thread centred on the main character, Jessie.
The main mystery is a solid story, but honestly there’s nothing remarkable about it. There was a supposed twist at the end, which I suspected from early on and I actually wondered how Jessie didn’t come to the same conclusion instead of insisting in her original idea. That’s a pity, but didn’t really ruined the rest of the mystery. The ending was interesting enough and a bit unconventional, which is good.
The supporting mystery was in my opinion a bit more clichéd. It also had a twist at the end, but I found this one to be more contrived. I have a feeling that this thread will spill on future novels.
What really disappointed me was Jessie’s personal thread. This is an overarching story that started in the first novel and is evolving as new stories come out. It involves Jessie in a romantic way, interwoven with historic elements about Prohibition that are less known to the general public. Should be interesting, no? Honestly, I could never get into it. It all sounded very distant and I didn’t feel like getting emotionally involved in, I’m not even sure why. Maybe it’s because this part of story feels pressed upon the mystery but it’s rather alien to it. It never clicked. I just know that every time Jessie lingered on this part of plot, I hitched to go back to the actual mystery.
But all in all is a story that will amuse the mystery lover and will please the historical reader.
August 24, 2017
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This series is fabulous. Mary Miley ALWAYS delivers stellar historical mysteries. She manages to add in so many period details without ever bogging down the story. Little things - like how much it cost to have a telephone, sending telegrams, and stores having "ready to wear" sections.
Miley's main character Jessie is all-American street-wise sass, and she is the epitome of the independent woman. Raised on the Vaudeville Circuit and orphaned at an early age, Jessie has learned how to put on her stage face and tackle any challenge.
But after finally putting down some roots with a job that doesn’t travel, and finding someone she can trust and rely on in David, Jessie’s world is upended when David is arrested on a string of charges including suspicion of murder and fraud. Jessie finds herself returning to her past as she takes the stand in David’s defense.
For Jessie, the answer to any challenge can be found in Vaudeville rules. She approaches her testimony on David’s behalf as just another act, and carefully crafts her character to meet the task at hand. But it’s the role of a lifetime, as it may be David’s life that’s at stake. But just like Vaudeville, Jessie’s life is a juggling act – while playing her role as star witness, Jessie is also up to her not-so-everyday job of Girl Detective, solving the murder of a movie theater employee, a task that becomes bigger than she could have expected.
Being a lawyer myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the legal aspects of this book. I love seeing glimpses of the legal world of the Golden Age and how much things have changed. David’s attorney was the perfect stereotype – in a good way. Miley’s characters are always well-developed, and her plots perfectly paced. I highly recommend this series for any historical fiction fans, fans of the Golden Age of Hollywood, and anyone who loves a girl with grit.
This series is fabulous. Mary Miley ALWAYS delivers stellar historical mysteries. She manages to add in so many period details without ever bogging down the story. Little things - like how much it cost to have a telephone, sending telegrams, and stores having "ready to wear" sections.
Miley's main character Jessie is all-American street-wise sass, and she is the epitome of the independent woman. Raised on the Vaudeville Circuit and orphaned at an early age, Jessie has learned how to put on her stage face and tackle any challenge.
But after finally putting down some roots with a job that doesn’t travel, and finding someone she can trust and rely on in David, Jessie’s world is upended when David is arrested on a string of charges including suspicion of murder and fraud. Jessie finds herself returning to her past as she takes the stand in David’s defense.
For Jessie, the answer to any challenge can be found in Vaudeville rules. She approaches her testimony on David’s behalf as just another act, and carefully crafts her character to meet the task at hand. But it’s the role of a lifetime, as it may be David’s life that’s at stake. But just like Vaudeville, Jessie’s life is a juggling act – while playing her role as star witness, Jessie is also up to her not-so-everyday job of Girl Detective, solving the murder of a movie theater employee, a task that becomes bigger than she could have expected.
Being a lawyer myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the legal aspects of this book. I love seeing glimpses of the legal world of the Golden Age and how much things have changed. David’s attorney was the perfect stereotype – in a good way. Miley’s characters are always well-developed, and her plots perfectly paced. I highly recommend this series for any historical fiction fans, fans of the Golden Age of Hollywood, and anyone who loves a girl with grit.
July 20, 2017
How did I miss this series? This is the fourth entry and it's just my kind of book, a historical mystery with a strong female character. Set in the Roaring Twenties, Hollywood, Prohibition, movies and their stars, this book has added to my must be read list as I now need to read the previous three in the series. The history of Vaudeville and Hollywood alone are draws, the mystery of how the projectionist was murdered is a satisfying addition. A very well crafted mystery.
My thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
My thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 17, 2017
The fun part is reading about early movie making and vaudeville in 1920s America. Jessie is a likable character and has two interesting men interested in her. This could be the female equivalent of Betty or Veronica. I'm on the side of the reliable policeman rather than the reformed(?) bootlegger, which probably says more about my personality than the way the storyline is likely to go.
June 13, 2017
Murder in Disguise captivates the reader in the same way that early Hollywood first enthralled its viewers. There is glamour, suspense and action, with a lead whose checkered past only adds to her attraction. I enjoy historical mysteries in general, but Murder in Disguise exceeded my expectations. It gives readers a taste of early Hollywood during prohibition, and has many a tantalizing reference to early stars such as Myrna Loy, Fred Astaire, and Douglas Fairbanks. Readers feel like studio insiders.
Jessie Beckett, former vaudeville performer, is a script girl with a talent for solving murders. Her help has proven invaluable to the police on several occasions ( though only a couple would admit to it). When a projectionist is murdered, the widow (another employee at PickFair) asks Jessie to look into it. The murderer, a man in a red coat with a bushy beard and glasses, disappeared in plain sight moments after the killing. Police are mystified. Meanwhile, Jessie’s beau has been targeted by the police. His drugstores with their legal alcohol are cutting into the business of bootleggers in control of the city, making him a threat. As Jessie investigates, she discovers more murders linked to the first - each with a killer who is skilled at vanishing. It will take all her skills and contacts to find the truth.
Hollywood in the 1920s is the perfect setting for a mystery. Times are changing. Women are becoming more independent - and Hollywood is at the forefront. When you add in a heroine with an interesting backstory and a wide range of contacts, you have the foundation for a winning series. Mary Miley’s novel feels authentic, especially the many famous personas being fictionalized. The plot was well done, and I particularly liked how communication across distances was depicted - so true to the time period. I was very impressed by Murder in Disguise and look forward to more books by Mary Riley.
5 / 5
I received a copy of Murder in Disguise from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Jessie Beckett, former vaudeville performer, is a script girl with a talent for solving murders. Her help has proven invaluable to the police on several occasions ( though only a couple would admit to it). When a projectionist is murdered, the widow (another employee at PickFair) asks Jessie to look into it. The murderer, a man in a red coat with a bushy beard and glasses, disappeared in plain sight moments after the killing. Police are mystified. Meanwhile, Jessie’s beau has been targeted by the police. His drugstores with their legal alcohol are cutting into the business of bootleggers in control of the city, making him a threat. As Jessie investigates, she discovers more murders linked to the first - each with a killer who is skilled at vanishing. It will take all her skills and contacts to find the truth.
Hollywood in the 1920s is the perfect setting for a mystery. Times are changing. Women are becoming more independent - and Hollywood is at the forefront. When you add in a heroine with an interesting backstory and a wide range of contacts, you have the foundation for a winning series. Mary Miley’s novel feels authentic, especially the many famous personas being fictionalized. The plot was well done, and I particularly liked how communication across distances was depicted - so true to the time period. I was very impressed by Murder in Disguise and look forward to more books by Mary Riley.
5 / 5
I received a copy of Murder in Disguise from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
October 27, 2017
Murder in Disguise opens with a murder set in Hollywood in the golden theater days of Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks. During the course of the murder investigation, we learn about movie production, vaudeville, prohibition, corrupt law enforcement, gangsters, and the plight of orphans and women workers.
Jessie Beckett, working as an assistant script girl, has a knack for noticing things that others don’t, a talent which she attributes to her vaudeville background. This ability enables her to solve crimes, and she solves this one with the help of one of the few honest cops in L.A., Detective Carl Delaney, who is interested in getting to know Jessie better.
Jessie comes from a difficult background, but wants to leave mistakes of the past behind. Will her boyfriend David stick with his promise to do the same? Can the murderer stop with one crime? How does Jessie relate to a deaf and dumb girl left with one of Jessie’s roommates? The action keeps the plot moving; the characters and setting maintain a high interest level. The time period is well researched and the author includes words such as “copacetic” from the period adding to the authenticity. She follows up the novel with an “Acknowledgments” section that adds notes about the era and several interesting YouTube links.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Severn House for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Jessie Beckett, working as an assistant script girl, has a knack for noticing things that others don’t, a talent which she attributes to her vaudeville background. This ability enables her to solve crimes, and she solves this one with the help of one of the few honest cops in L.A., Detective Carl Delaney, who is interested in getting to know Jessie better.
Jessie comes from a difficult background, but wants to leave mistakes of the past behind. Will her boyfriend David stick with his promise to do the same? Can the murderer stop with one crime? How does Jessie relate to a deaf and dumb girl left with one of Jessie’s roommates? The action keeps the plot moving; the characters and setting maintain a high interest level. The time period is well researched and the author includes words such as “copacetic” from the period adding to the authenticity. She follows up the novel with an “Acknowledgments” section that adds notes about the era and several interesting YouTube links.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Severn House for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 4, 2021
This is the 4th book in this series. I was drawn to it by the cover. Really bad habit that I have wanting to read stuff that I just like the cover, but oh well. I didn't want to have to read through the first 3 books before getting to this one, so I just checked it out. I really liked. It was an engrossing plot and character that I enjoyed. The setting was pretty cool too. The one thing about the story is I don't know where the series is going. Her love interest got put away for 3 1/2 years and there doesn't seem to be the chance that he'll get out early. For most of the book she was living in a house with a bunch of other roommates and I liked that. Then she gets a letter from her squeeze and he wants her to moved into his house while he's in the slammer and take care of it for him. She finds a hidden message in his letter that there's a ton of cash stashed in his house. She finds it and even takes some of it. Then she gets a roommate and some young girl who came to live with her and the roommates at the other house then asks to move in with her. She lets her stay with her too in the squeeze's house. The thing that I can't figure out where the series is going is that she starts to use the money he had stashed there to buy furniture to furnish the bedrooms of her new roommates. It just seems a bit weird to me. Would the squeeze really be okay with that? But despite that, I did like the story and think that I'll read more from this series.
January 11, 2018
I just read Mary Miley’s MURDER IN DISGUISE and am wanting more, oh please may I have some more . . .
Jessie Beckett is an admirable character, resourceful, compassionate, and dedicated to friends and justice, with just a bit of rule-bending when necessary. The writing flows, descriptions are lovely, and the plot has deliciously unexpected twists and insights. Avoiding spoilers limits details, and you will want to find your own, but here are some quotes and my reactions.
“This investigation wouldn’t be dangerous.” (famous last words)
“I didn’t appreciate being fired at the time, but now I’m glad it happened.” (true in my life)
“Mrs. Reynolds was sweet in that vague, helpless way so many older women assume . . .” (hmm, I think I’d rather be feisty)
“I was a working girl. I’d never NOT had a job in my life. What would I do with myself without a job?” (exactly why retirement takes some getting used to)
Jessie Beckett is an admirable character, resourceful, compassionate, and dedicated to friends and justice, with just a bit of rule-bending when necessary. The writing flows, descriptions are lovely, and the plot has deliciously unexpected twists and insights. Avoiding spoilers limits details, and you will want to find your own, but here are some quotes and my reactions.
“This investigation wouldn’t be dangerous.” (famous last words)
“I didn’t appreciate being fired at the time, but now I’m glad it happened.” (true in my life)
“Mrs. Reynolds was sweet in that vague, helpless way so many older women assume . . .” (hmm, I think I’d rather be feisty)
“I was a working girl. I’d never NOT had a job in my life. What would I do with myself without a job?” (exactly why retirement takes some getting used to)
August 31, 2017
Jessie Beckett, an assistant scrip girl for Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford's studio in 1926, has a reputation for mystery solving. So, when the husband of one of her colleagues is killed, the widow asks Jessie to investigate. Drawing on her background in vaudeville, and slide into con games, Jessie works to figure out who did it. Lots of local color, including appearances by Fairbanks, Pickford, Donald Crisp and a very young Myrna Loy, the mystery traces back to Serbia before WWI, the early days of vaudeville, and even contact with a famous dance couple in New York, the wonderfully talented Adele Astaire, and her little brother, Freddie!
This was really good. The time period is wonderfully pictured. (pun intended!)
This was really good. The time period is wonderfully pictured. (pun intended!)
October 16, 2017
I hesitated over buying this one, although I loved previous entries in the series, because Severn House titles (including my own Mistress Jaffrey Mysteries) are pricey, but I'm glad I decided to splurge. Excellent mystery with lots of rwists, some of which I didn't see coming even though the clues were all there. I hope there are more coming. If you like Renee Patrick's mysteries with Eduth Head as a secondary character, you may like this one, in which the sleuth works as a script girl at Pickford Fairbanks Studios. The first book in the series isn't set in Hollywood but the others are and all have a Vaudeville connection.
August 21, 2017
Jessie Beckett who works at the Pickford studios gets asked to look into the murder of Joe Petrovitch who was married to another employee at the studio. Also her boyfriend has been arrested and sent to jail so Jessie has been asked to move into his house. The third thing that Jessie gets involved with is the death of Kit's mother. Kit is a young girl who is living with her cousin who is a roommate in the house that Jessie is living in before moving to Danny's house. The story is set in 1920's in Hollywood. The time period comes alive in the book. The book was a quick easy read.
August 27, 2017
Jessie Beckett is happy in her job as assistant script girl for Pickfair studios, happy in her rented house with her roommates, including aspiring actress Myrna Loy, happy with her boyfriend David, now that he's going straight. Then David is arrested and Jessie is asked by a woman she works with to investigate the recent murder of her husband. That brings policeman Carl Delaney, the only honest cop in Hollywood, back into her life. I really enjoy this series, which features a tough woman trying to make her way in a world that's stacked against her.
July 18, 2019
This book finds Jesse beginning an investigation of her own on behalf of a co-worker at the film studio. This leads her all over California and to a murderer that she wasn't expecting. At the same time she is helping Carl with another case much closer to home that ends up having connections to David Carr, Jesse's boyfriend.
I have enjoyed these books so much! Delving into life in Hollywood in the 1920's was so much more interesting than I thought It would be. The attention to detail without going overboard is perfect. I hope there are more stories in this series in the future.
I have enjoyed these books so much! Delving into life in Hollywood in the 1920's was so much more interesting than I thought It would be. The attention to detail without going overboard is perfect. I hope there are more stories in this series in the future.
October 3, 2021
Murder in Disguise, is my favorite one yet from the Roaring Twenties Mystery Series by Mary Miley. I do think you could read this one as a stand alone.
1920s American film making/vaudeville, murders, many interesting characters that add to the mystery, and of course strong female lead of Miss Jessie Beckett.
A really fun read!
Roaring Twenties Mysteries:
1st “The Impersonator”
2nd “Silent Murders”
3rd “Renting Silence”
4th “Murder in Disguise”
1920s American film making/vaudeville, murders, many interesting characters that add to the mystery, and of course strong female lead of Miss Jessie Beckett.
A really fun read!
Roaring Twenties Mysteries:
1st “The Impersonator”
2nd “Silent Murders”
3rd “Renting Silence”
4th “Murder in Disguise”
October 25, 2017
Jessie's back and in for another great Twenties-era mystery. Her quest to help a friend uncover the truth puts her wits to the test. If she's not careful, her sleuthing may get her killed. Miley again brings the period to life with lush detail that does not bog down the story, but rather deepens it.
September 11, 2018
I have enjoyed this series but could not really get into this entry – perhaps because too many plot elements depended on women being treated badly. When a movie projectionist is shot, Jessie Beckett’s investigation revolves around sending to her old vaudeville contacts for information. “But that was in another country; and besides the wench is dead.”
January 26, 2022
Good 1920 period mystery
Jessie Beckett is a delightful sleuth working for Fairbanks Pickford studios. Very enjoyable mystery with excellent character development. Can't wait for more in this series
Jessie Beckett is a delightful sleuth working for Fairbanks Pickford studios. Very enjoyable mystery with excellent character development. Can't wait for more in this series
January 8, 2018
I love the Jessie novels!! I can't wait for the next one, as this one left a few unfinished questions.
Jessie is quite a sleuth.
Jessie is quite a sleuth.
July 30, 2017
See review at Criminal Element, www.criminalelement.com.
September 17, 2017
Fun series, quick read. Authentic to the roaring 20s vibe.
July 20, 2018
Murder, a plucky gal and the 1920's is a great combination. The facts are authentic and the look into prejudices in those times also gets you thinking.
March 17, 2019
I enjoy this series very much. These books are packed with so much interesting detail, some fictional, some true.
December 10, 2021
Excellent story. Hollywood backstage, intriguing and a most interesting vaudeville performer. Merna Loy is an unknown star. Just a good book. Planning on reading series from book 1 now.
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