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The Old Cape #3
The Old Cape Hollywood Secret
In 1947, Maggie Foster and her cousin, Gertie, leave Cape Cod for Hollywoodland in search of glamour and fame. One girl returns home and the other disappears. Present-day Nancy Caldwell travels to Hollywood, where she discovers the paths of Maggie and Gertie.
In "The Old Cape Hollywood Secret," a novel of historical suspense, Nancy's curiosity gets her into trouble again. Along the way, a missing ring and a pearl-studded pouch are mixed in with the search. Using alternating chapters, across seventy years, the tragic stories of two young girls unfold and a murderous secret is uncovered.
Barbara Eppich Struna, author of "The Old Cape House" and "The Old Cape Teapot," had as much fun writing "The Old Cape Hollywood Secret", as she did researching the novel. The 1927 Pig & Whistle Pub and Grauman's Chinese Theatre, located on Hollywood Boulevard, are just a few of the famous landmarks featured in this historical adventure. Struna's present-day character, Nancy Caldwell, returns in the author's third novel set in Old Hollywood and on Cape Cod where she leads you on a journey filled with suspense and nostalgia.
In "The Old Cape Hollywood Secret," a novel of historical suspense, Nancy's curiosity gets her into trouble again. Along the way, a missing ring and a pearl-studded pouch are mixed in with the search. Using alternating chapters, across seventy years, the tragic stories of two young girls unfold and a murderous secret is uncovered.
Barbara Eppich Struna, author of "The Old Cape House" and "The Old Cape Teapot," had as much fun writing "The Old Cape Hollywood Secret", as she did researching the novel. The 1927 Pig & Whistle Pub and Grauman's Chinese Theatre, located on Hollywood Boulevard, are just a few of the famous landmarks featured in this historical adventure. Struna's present-day character, Nancy Caldwell, returns in the author's third novel set in Old Hollywood and on Cape Cod where she leads you on a journey filled with suspense and nostalgia.
294 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 12, 2017
26 people are currently reading
1054 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Eppich Struna
6 books59 followersA storyteller at heart, Barbara bases her tales on her own personal experiences. She has created a contemporary character, an amateur sleuth, who becomes the vehicle that moves her stories between time periods in alternating chapters. Aided by Barbara's imagination and her love of history, myth, and legend, she continues to create winning novels.
Her first suspenseful historical, The Old Cape House, won "First Place - Historical Fiction, Royal Dragonfly Awards 2014", which led to the second, The Old Cape Teapot and the third, The Old Cape Hollywood Secret, also awarded, "First Place Historical Fiction - Royal Dragonfly Awards 2017", "Hollywood Book Festival - Genre Based 2017", "Finalist Fiction: Mystery/Suspense IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards 2018", "Finalist Eric Hoffer Book Award 2018", "Finalist/Suspense - 2018 Next Generation Indie Book Awards".
She is an International Best Selling Author, a Member in Letters of the National League of American Pen Women, International Thriller Writers, Panelist Thrillerfest 2016, IBPA, Sisters In Crime: National, New England, LA, and President of Cape Cod Writers Center. Always a journal writer, she is fascinated by history and writes a blog about the unique facts and myths of Cape Cod.
Her first suspenseful historical, The Old Cape House, won "First Place - Historical Fiction, Royal Dragonfly Awards 2014", which led to the second, The Old Cape Teapot and the third, The Old Cape Hollywood Secret, also awarded, "First Place Historical Fiction - Royal Dragonfly Awards 2017", "Hollywood Book Festival - Genre Based 2017", "Finalist Fiction: Mystery/Suspense IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards 2018", "Finalist Eric Hoffer Book Award 2018", "Finalist/Suspense - 2018 Next Generation Indie Book Awards".
She is an International Best Selling Author, a Member in Letters of the National League of American Pen Women, International Thriller Writers, Panelist Thrillerfest 2016, IBPA, Sisters In Crime: National, New England, LA, and President of Cape Cod Writers Center. Always a journal writer, she is fascinated by history and writes a blog about the unique facts and myths of Cape Cod.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 18, 2018
Once again, Barbara Struna hits a home run with the third book in her series about the amateur detective, Nancy Caldwell. Caldwell begins to investigate the murder of a young Cape Cod woman who sought an acting career in LA the 1940s. It's a murder similar to the Black Orchid. Caldwell goes to Hollywood to research Hollywoodland of the 1940s, and in her pursuits, she unleashes the revenge of a psychopathic killer. This is a great read, full of nostalgia and suspense. The book is worthy of all the awards it has garnished so far!
December 4, 2017
In 1947 two cousins head for Hollywoodland only one of whom returns home. At the train station, Gertie, the cousin on a quest for stardom meets a potential starlet who shows them a rooming house where they can stay until Gertie settles in. Unfortunately, Gertie is willing to do nearly anything to achieve her stardom even ignoring her more cautious cousin and taking up with a rather suspect crowd.
Flash forward to the present and Nancy Caldwell's son, Jim, has moved out to Los Angeles to follow his dreams. His landlord will give him a discount if he puts in a patio. When he starts digging he finds remains in gingham with a photo inside a metal mesh purse. His mother is coming to town for a treasure hunters' conference and can't resist a good mystery even though her curiosity has nearly gotten her killed a couple of times. Is there anyone alive who knows who the remains belong to? You'll have to read the book to find out. It's written in alternating time periods of 1947, 1948, 1950, 1961 with Gertie and Maggie and the present day with the Caldwells and the survivors of the earlier time. It kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning.
Flash forward to the present and Nancy Caldwell's son, Jim, has moved out to Los Angeles to follow his dreams. His landlord will give him a discount if he puts in a patio. When he starts digging he finds remains in gingham with a photo inside a metal mesh purse. His mother is coming to town for a treasure hunters' conference and can't resist a good mystery even though her curiosity has nearly gotten her killed a couple of times. Is there anyone alive who knows who the remains belong to? You'll have to read the book to find out. It's written in alternating time periods of 1947, 1948, 1950, 1961 with Gertie and Maggie and the present day with the Caldwells and the survivors of the earlier time. It kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning.
May 14, 2017
Every book Barbara writes gets better and better as she continues to develop her special style and story line. I can honestly say my heart rate increased as I got closer to finishing the book! Barbara has a fantastic relationship with the characters and the settings they are in. Her mini-chapters that float back and forth are a favorite of mine as they bring together the story of Nancy, her family and the other character! I will try & wait patiently for the next story and feel very sad that I finished this one so quickly!!! Thank you Barbara!!!! You are talented!!
September 18, 2017
Wonderful!
Entertaining,with a great blend of the present day and history storyline. The characters are real with their strengths and flaws. Books by this author keep getting better and better!
Entertaining,with a great blend of the present day and history storyline. The characters are real with their strengths and flaws. Books by this author keep getting better and better!
April 9, 2022
Thank you so much Goodreads for this book! I am so thrilled that I won it. I loved the story and will find more by this author. The characters were so interesting and it was hard not to put this down. Was well told and I loved going back to the 1940s I highly recommend
March 5, 2021
Barbara Struna's mystery gives the best of two worlds. In time slip format, her novel slides deftly back and forth between the 1940s and the present, gradually drawing the reader closer to how the conclusions of the mysteries of different time periods fit together. Her novel does a great job of evoking the attitudes, ambience, clothes, and excitement of the forties in Hollywood and life on the Cape now and in the forties through the fifties. More importantly, Barabara Struna gives you characters whom you care about, whether the present day "treasure hunter" coming to terms with being an empty nester or the gal from the past wrestling with murder in Hollywood and bigotry against inter-racial love in New England in the past.
August 21, 2022
I met this author, Barbara Struna, while visiting the Cape this summer.....so happy I made the decision to purchase this book. I am usually not a fan of books that go back and forth in time, but Barbara did it so well. I really got to know all of the characters and the travel between time made sense and was easy to follow.
Also, being a frequent visitor to Cape Cod the book had extra interest for me as I could picture the towns and the people...... Very good writing!
Also, being a frequent visitor to Cape Cod the book had extra interest for me as I could picture the towns and the people...... Very good writing!
September 14, 2019
Very interesting book
It was great to read a book set in the 40's. I love reading about the past. The story line of The Old Cape Hollywood Secret was strong. The characters were believable and interesting. My interest was kept through the whole book. The research was strong as well. Overall this was a great read.
It was great to read a book set in the 40's. I love reading about the past. The story line of The Old Cape Hollywood Secret was strong. The characters were believable and interesting. My interest was kept through the whole book. The research was strong as well. Overall this was a great read.
March 28, 2021
Reading books post concussion has proven to me I have a ways to go......
I remember the teapot from BOOK 2 can someone help me out with the last paragraph of this Book 3 where she gets a photo of a blue teacup that matches the teapot?
Thanks
I remember the teapot from BOOK 2 can someone help me out with the last paragraph of this Book 3 where she gets a photo of a blue teacup that matches the teapot?
Thanks
dnf
March 3, 2023DNF @ 18% I received a copy of this ebook in a Goodreads giveaway.
I had trouble getting into this book, it was a little slow and while I was vaguely interested in some of the past storyline I didn’t care about the present day one at all and even the past story failed to really hook me.
I had trouble getting into this book, it was a little slow and while I was vaguely interested in some of the past storyline I didn’t care about the present day one at all and even the past story failed to really hook me.
April 24, 2025
Intriguing, murder and love
If you like mysteries and some intrigue, this is for you.
I enjoyed the present day and pass time sequence. Interesting how the past caught up to present day and places.
If you like mysteries and some intrigue, this is for you.
I enjoyed the present day and pass time sequence. Interesting how the past caught up to present day and places.
June 10, 2021
Hollywood Secrets
I really enjoy Struna's books, this is the second one I've read. Really enjoyed it. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I'm a fan!
I really enjoy Struna's books, this is the second one I've read. Really enjoyed it. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I'm a fan!
September 10, 2023
Fun! I love the back and forth from 1947 to present day and from Hollywood to the Cape....and references to current Cape places!
December 23, 2023
Rating : 3.5/5
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews