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Star Flight
The lush, secluded mountains of North Carolina's Lake Lure had drawn Lauren Castle into their spell. It was here, in 1938, that Hollywood's most beloved glamour girl, Victoria Frazer, drowned during a scandalous affair with actor Roger Brandt. Few knew about the baby spirited away into the night. That baby was Lauren's mother. It has been two years since Lauren's filmmaker husband died mysteriously at Lake Lure while making a documentary on Roger Brandt. Now Lauren has received a warning that her husband was murdered. What deadly secret had he uncovered in this scenic idyll? To find her answers, Lauren must face her own past as well as her grandmother's, and delve into the dark truths of a place shrouded in terrifying secrets...
7 pages, Audio CD
First published August 17, 1993
82 people are currently reading
344 people want to read
About the author
Phyllis A. Whitney
191 books566 followersPhyllis Ayame Whitney (1903 – 2008) was an American mystery writer. Rare for her genre, she wrote mysteries for both the juvenile and the adult markets, many of which feature exotic locations. A review in The New York Times once dubbed her "The Queen of the American Gothics".
She was born in Japan to American parents and spent her early years in Asia. Whitney wrote more than seventy novels. In 1961, her book The Mystery of the Haunted Pool won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Juvenile novel, and she duplicated the honor in 1964, for The Mystery of the Hidden Hand. In 1988, the MWA gave her a Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement. Whitney died of pneumonia on February 8, 2008, aged 104.
She was born in Japan to American parents and spent her early years in Asia. Whitney wrote more than seventy novels. In 1961, her book The Mystery of the Haunted Pool won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Juvenile novel, and she duplicated the honor in 1964, for The Mystery of the Hidden Hand. In 1988, the MWA gave her a Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement. Whitney died of pneumonia on February 8, 2008, aged 104.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
June 23, 2017
I picked Star Flight up on a whim at a secondhand book sale a few months back. Not knowing anything about the book or the author, I was going into reading this completely blind. Star Flight follows a woman called Lauren who is summoned to the area of Lake Lure where her husband passed away during a film shoot. The note she receives is that her husband's death was a murder and not an accident. It doesn't help that Lauren is the granddaughter of a man who had an affair which resulted in the birth of Lauren's mother who was sent away at birth.
Things I liked:
- The setting, the descriptions weren't info-dumpy but did portray an image that I could clearly see.
- The mystery surrounding Lauren's husband's death.
Things I wasn't keen on:
- The ending of the story, it ended too abruptly and I still had questions.
- Lauren's Grandfather as a character, he changed a lot. One minute being a friendly person, the next someone who you wouldn't want to mess with.
- I didn't like the dialogue at certain points.
Would I recommend it?: Maybe.
Would I read more books by this author?: Maybe.
Things I liked:
- The setting, the descriptions weren't info-dumpy but did portray an image that I could clearly see.
- The mystery surrounding Lauren's husband's death.
Things I wasn't keen on:
- The ending of the story, it ended too abruptly and I still had questions.
- Lauren's Grandfather as a character, he changed a lot. One minute being a friendly person, the next someone who you wouldn't want to mess with.
- I didn't like the dialogue at certain points.
Would I recommend it?: Maybe.
Would I read more books by this author?: Maybe.
March 28, 2024
I liked this book. It was interesting and intriguing.
It was clean, too. I don't remember any language.
This was a fun book to read. I would recommend it if you're interested in something short and enjoyable.
It was clean, too. I don't remember any language.
This was a fun book to read. I would recommend it if you're interested in something short and enjoyable.
July 9, 2019
In junior high I discovered Phyllis A. Whitney's romantic suspense novels in a library somewhere - it may have even been a school library, and I became a devoted fan, scouring used book stores for her novels. But my tastes changed and I stopped reading them. Star Flight is a novel that sat on the shelf for years and I finally took it down and read it. And actually, it's pretty good.
Lauren Castle is the granddaughter of Victoria Frazer and Roger Brandt two movie stars who had a hot and steamy film set romance that resulted in the birth of Lauren's mother. But it also resulted in Victoria Frazer's mysterious death (or disappearance). The death was considered suicide but the body was never found. Lauren's estranged husband, Jim Castle, was a documentary filmmaker who decided to make a film about Victoria, Roger, and Roger's wife, Camilla. He died and never finished the film. When Lauren receives a note suggesting her husband and her grandmother were both murdered, she travels to North Carolina, the site of all the happenings, to find out the truth.
Lake Lure in North Carolina was home to many movie stars and films in the 1920s and 1930s, and more recently with films like Dirty Dancing and The Last of the Mohicans, well, recent at the time of the novel, anyway. Victoria and Roger had filmed Blue Ridge Cowboy there but an on-set romance developed. Things did not end well.
When Lauren arrives she lets people she meets know her as "Jim Castle's wife" rather than as Victoria's granddaughter. She also runs into an old flame, the type of "what might have been" relationship, Gordon. In the end, she choose Jim, what she and her mother deemed a "practical choice" instead of Gordon - a more romantic free spirit. Lauren's marriage to Jim was on the rocks before his mysterious death, thus the two-year gap before she decides to find out once and for all what happened.
Lauren meets various people, all of whom have an opinion on Victoria, Roger, the affair, and even the local movie business. There's Natalie, a woman who paints dramatic paintings (including the painting, "Star Flight", which gives the book its title), and who sent Lauren the note bringing her to Lake Lure, but who seems not particularly helpful once Lauren arrives. There's Gretchen, Victoria's sister who runs the local gift store and seems obsessed with finding good uses for the weed, Kudzu. There's Betsey, Victoria's dresser, now ancient, but still sharp, devoted to Victoria, and in possession of an awful lot of information. There's Roger, himself, who seems content to not stir up the past. He's angered when Victoria finally tells him who she is. There's Camilla, Roger's beautiful Spanish wife who stood beside him even through his various affairs, including the one with Victoria. There's Ty, Victoria and Gretchen's brother, who's made a name for himself as the local "mountain man". And there's Gordon, Lauren's old beau whom she thinks she can't have a new happy relationship with. There's even an older, retired actor who was in Blue Ridge Cowboy with Victoria and Roger. And there's an author who wrote a book called, The Firefly about Victoria.
Victoria basically interviews everyone she meets, at times pretending she's continuing her husband's project (the film about Victoria, Roger, and Camilla) and at times admitting who she really is and telling whoever she's talking to that she wants to learn about her grandmother. She slowly finds out more information, but she's no closer in finding out what happened.
Finally, there's a masquerade ball - and Lauren goes dressed as Victoria, wearing the costume she wore in the film, a white ball gown with a white turban. Her date is Gordon, dressed as Roger's cowboy character. At the ball, it's clear from Roger and Camilla's reaction that neither had anything to do with Victoria's death. But Lauren is also affected by the heat, noise, and the confrontation. Gordon goes to get her a drink - at exactly the wrong time. Lauren is tempted outside and kidnapped. She's taken to her grandmother's tomb by the murderer and their accomplice. However, the accomplice gets cold feet at being involved directly in a murder - he runs off. Lauren is rescued. It seems she and Gordon will restart their relationship, possibly settling in North Carolina. No, I'm not going to spoil who the murderer is.
This book starts slow, but the final two or three chapters are really good. The attack on Lauren outside the crowded ballroom, and everything involved with the murderer and their accomplice are really well-written. There's also some beautiful imagery in those pages, especially Victoria's final resting place. But for romantic suspense, there's less romance between Lauren and Gordon than there should be. Lauren keeps thinking to herself that it's too late for them - yet she's a widow and Gordon either never married or is long divorced, so there's no reason they can't get together again. Besides, I have a soft spot for "second chance" romances between older couples. Another issue with this book is it is written in the first person, which I found to be distancing from the story, rather than the intended drawing you in. Also, all the stuff about using kudzu in salads, to make tea, and medicinally smacked of an author shoe-horning in too much research. It did nothing to add to the story. The book ended a bit quickly - I definitely could have seen at least a chapter or coda showing Lauren and Gordon's happy relationship. Still, the book is better than the last few books I've read by Whitney, and those last few chapters were very good. I can actually recommend this book.
Lauren Castle is the granddaughter of Victoria Frazer and Roger Brandt two movie stars who had a hot and steamy film set romance that resulted in the birth of Lauren's mother. But it also resulted in Victoria Frazer's mysterious death (or disappearance). The death was considered suicide but the body was never found. Lauren's estranged husband, Jim Castle, was a documentary filmmaker who decided to make a film about Victoria, Roger, and Roger's wife, Camilla. He died and never finished the film. When Lauren receives a note suggesting her husband and her grandmother were both murdered, she travels to North Carolina, the site of all the happenings, to find out the truth.
Lake Lure in North Carolina was home to many movie stars and films in the 1920s and 1930s, and more recently with films like Dirty Dancing and The Last of the Mohicans, well, recent at the time of the novel, anyway. Victoria and Roger had filmed Blue Ridge Cowboy there but an on-set romance developed. Things did not end well.
When Lauren arrives she lets people she meets know her as "Jim Castle's wife" rather than as Victoria's granddaughter. She also runs into an old flame, the type of "what might have been" relationship, Gordon. In the end, she choose Jim, what she and her mother deemed a "practical choice" instead of Gordon - a more romantic free spirit. Lauren's marriage to Jim was on the rocks before his mysterious death, thus the two-year gap before she decides to find out once and for all what happened.
Lauren meets various people, all of whom have an opinion on Victoria, Roger, the affair, and even the local movie business. There's Natalie, a woman who paints dramatic paintings (including the painting, "Star Flight", which gives the book its title), and who sent Lauren the note bringing her to Lake Lure, but who seems not particularly helpful once Lauren arrives. There's Gretchen, Victoria's sister who runs the local gift store and seems obsessed with finding good uses for the weed, Kudzu. There's Betsey, Victoria's dresser, now ancient, but still sharp, devoted to Victoria, and in possession of an awful lot of information. There's Roger, himself, who seems content to not stir up the past. He's angered when Victoria finally tells him who she is. There's Camilla, Roger's beautiful Spanish wife who stood beside him even through his various affairs, including the one with Victoria. There's Ty, Victoria and Gretchen's brother, who's made a name for himself as the local "mountain man". And there's Gordon, Lauren's old beau whom she thinks she can't have a new happy relationship with. There's even an older, retired actor who was in Blue Ridge Cowboy with Victoria and Roger. And there's an author who wrote a book called, The Firefly about Victoria.
Victoria basically interviews everyone she meets, at times pretending she's continuing her husband's project (the film about Victoria, Roger, and Camilla) and at times admitting who she really is and telling whoever she's talking to that she wants to learn about her grandmother. She slowly finds out more information, but she's no closer in finding out what happened.
Finally, there's a masquerade ball - and Lauren goes dressed as Victoria, wearing the costume she wore in the film, a white ball gown with a white turban. Her date is Gordon, dressed as Roger's cowboy character. At the ball, it's clear from Roger and Camilla's reaction that neither had anything to do with Victoria's death. But Lauren is also affected by the heat, noise, and the confrontation. Gordon goes to get her a drink - at exactly the wrong time. Lauren is tempted outside and kidnapped. She's taken to her grandmother's tomb by the murderer and their accomplice. However, the accomplice gets cold feet at being involved directly in a murder - he runs off. Lauren is rescued. It seems she and Gordon will restart their relationship, possibly settling in North Carolina. No, I'm not going to spoil who the murderer is.
This book starts slow, but the final two or three chapters are really good. The attack on Lauren outside the crowded ballroom, and everything involved with the murderer and their accomplice are really well-written. There's also some beautiful imagery in those pages, especially Victoria's final resting place. But for romantic suspense, there's less romance between Lauren and Gordon than there should be. Lauren keeps thinking to herself that it's too late for them - yet she's a widow and Gordon either never married or is long divorced, so there's no reason they can't get together again. Besides, I have a soft spot for "second chance" romances between older couples. Another issue with this book is it is written in the first person, which I found to be distancing from the story, rather than the intended drawing you in. Also, all the stuff about using kudzu in salads, to make tea, and medicinally smacked of an author shoe-horning in too much research. It did nothing to add to the story. The book ended a bit quickly - I definitely could have seen at least a chapter or coda showing Lauren and Gordon's happy relationship. Still, the book is better than the last few books I've read by Whitney, and those last few chapters were very good. I can actually recommend this book.
August 21, 2022
By the time she wrote "Star Flight," her 37th novel, it was inevitable that Phyllis A. Whitney would start recycling some of her plots. Here, the recycling is the combination of a legendary Old Hollywood film that no one would see ("Listen for the Whisperer"), a doomed love affair between the protagonists in that film (ibid. plus "Emerald"), and the search of a young woman to discover the truth about her long-lost family (the list is long, including most recently "Woman without a Past," "Silversword," "Domino," "Dream of Orchids," etc.). The novel has some awkwardnesses along the way—for example, the reader totally forgets about why Lauren Castle first comes to North Carolina (in a plot device borrowed from the "The Glass Flame," the weakest of the author's many books). There's also an odd little suggestion of extraterrestrial doings, an addition to the element of New Age spirituality that crept into her work beginning with "Feather on the Moon" and hit its zenith with "Rainbow in the Mist" and the completely bizarre past-life regression episode in "The Singing Stones." Two characters also sort of fall by the wayside, for the reader to suddenly say: "Oh, hey, that's right: there were other people in the book." Nevertheless, the central part of the mystery is narrated as tightly as anything Whitney had ever done, with one or two surprises up her sleeve for the reader's enjoyment.
December 20, 2018
This was my first book by Phyllis Whitney, an author whose book titles are evocative and inviting. It turns out the stories match that description also.
Star Flight finds Lauren Castle arriving at Lake Lure in North Carolina. Lake Lure is a place of mystery and legend. Lauren's husband died there on a film shoot, and her grandfather lives there in his reclusive waterfront mansion. Lauren has never met him, as her mother was the product of a love affair between her grandfather, a former movie star, with one of his co-stars. Lauren's grandmother disappeared at Lake Lure not long after giving birth to Lauren's mother. Lauren soon becomes entangled with people involved in these events, and the drama builds until it becomes clear that Lauren's life is in real danger.
This story is not an action tale by any means, but it does not lack because of that. There is enough energy in the book from the unravelling of the mysteries surrounding Lake Lure and in the suspenseful steps Lauren takes to solve them. There is also plenty of romance, as a man from Lauren's past is also at Lake Lure and their relationship rekindles. Whitney also takes pains to study the settings of her book, and that is a big benefit to the tale...I'd like to visit Lake Lure someday!
A light, enjoyable escape by a master of suspense...I have already purchased more books by Phyllis A. Whitney!
Star Flight finds Lauren Castle arriving at Lake Lure in North Carolina. Lake Lure is a place of mystery and legend. Lauren's husband died there on a film shoot, and her grandfather lives there in his reclusive waterfront mansion. Lauren has never met him, as her mother was the product of a love affair between her grandfather, a former movie star, with one of his co-stars. Lauren's grandmother disappeared at Lake Lure not long after giving birth to Lauren's mother. Lauren soon becomes entangled with people involved in these events, and the drama builds until it becomes clear that Lauren's life is in real danger.
This story is not an action tale by any means, but it does not lack because of that. There is enough energy in the book from the unravelling of the mysteries surrounding Lake Lure and in the suspenseful steps Lauren takes to solve them. There is also plenty of romance, as a man from Lauren's past is also at Lake Lure and their relationship rekindles. Whitney also takes pains to study the settings of her book, and that is a big benefit to the tale...I'd like to visit Lake Lure someday!
A light, enjoyable escape by a master of suspense...I have already purchased more books by Phyllis A. Whitney!
May 25, 2021
This book was given to me by my grandmother, she told me “your never gonna guess what is gonna happen at the end, every single one of her books are a surprise” and she was absolutely right this murder mystery kept me guessing until the very last page!
May 27, 2017
Not terrible, but in the end not very satisfying.
May 22, 2019
I rate this book a 3.5. An interesting murder mystery with a bit of paranormal activity thrown in.
November 2, 2025
Another re-read - perhaps not as good as the older ones but perfectly readable and enjoyable all the same.
July 11, 2017
I've read quite a few of Whitney's novels and liked most of them but this one just didn't do it for me. Seems like the story just dragged on and on and I kept wanting to just get it finished so I could move on to something else.
Part of the problem was that the premise wasn't unbelievable. I realize Whitney wanted to have all of the characters be from Lure Lake so she could bring in all of the relatives and friends but let's be realistic. Victoria was from Lure Lake, living in California, and she just happened to come back to Lure Lake to film a movie. Roger was from California, decides to relocate to Lure Lake and his entire family is there. Then there is Gordan, also from Lure Lake, that Lauren knew in California and leaves his career in California and relocates back to Lure Lake, no reason given as to why, other than Whitney needed him there to be Lauren's love interest. Then there is poor murdered Jim, who is supposed to be the reason that Lauren goes to Lure Lake but Lauren is too busy running all over town, chasing down her dead grandmother's history, to give Jim more than a few thoughts along the way. Lauren was almost as flakey as Natalie, Roger, and Camilla.
Part of the problem was that the premise wasn't unbelievable. I realize Whitney wanted to have all of the characters be from Lure Lake so she could bring in all of the relatives and friends but let's be realistic. Victoria was from Lure Lake, living in California, and she just happened to come back to Lure Lake to film a movie. Roger was from California, decides to relocate to Lure Lake and his entire family is there. Then there is Gordan, also from Lure Lake, that Lauren knew in California and leaves his career in California and relocates back to Lure Lake, no reason given as to why, other than Whitney needed him there to be Lauren's love interest. Then there is poor murdered Jim, who is supposed to be the reason that Lauren goes to Lure Lake but Lauren is too busy running all over town, chasing down her dead grandmother's history, to give Jim more than a few thoughts along the way. Lauren was almost as flakey as Natalie, Roger, and Camilla.
April 25, 2019
This story is set at Lake Lure in the secluded mountains of North Carolina
The lush mountains have taken Lauren Castle under their spell.
Back in 1938, Victoria Frazer had drowned. She was Hollywood's glamour girl and involved in an affair with actor Roger Brandt. Very few knew about the baby that was born to Victoria, and that baby was Lauren's mother. She was taken away to be raised out of the scandalous lime light.
Two years ago, Lauren's husband, went back to Lake Lure to film a documentary on Roger Brandt. While he was there, he was murdered. Lauren later received a warning about her husband's death, and now she has gone to Lake Lure. Will she be the next victim? The murky past of Lake Lure hides dark, terrifying truths and secrets.
I really enjoyed this mysterious story. (I am not sure why a UFO sighting was involved.) It was interesting finding out about Lauren's grandmother and the story behind the truth.
The lush mountains have taken Lauren Castle under their spell.
Back in 1938, Victoria Frazer had drowned. She was Hollywood's glamour girl and involved in an affair with actor Roger Brandt. Very few knew about the baby that was born to Victoria, and that baby was Lauren's mother. She was taken away to be raised out of the scandalous lime light.
Two years ago, Lauren's husband, went back to Lake Lure to film a documentary on Roger Brandt. While he was there, he was murdered. Lauren later received a warning about her husband's death, and now she has gone to Lake Lure. Will she be the next victim? The murky past of Lake Lure hides dark, terrifying truths and secrets.
I really enjoyed this mysterious story. (I am not sure why a UFO sighting was involved.) It was interesting finding out about Lauren's grandmother and the story behind the truth.
December 31, 2011
[audio] I was looking for an mp3 to download (WMA player died...) and I've been entertained by some of Whitney's other titles (they remind me of Granny). I initially had a bit of a problem with Anna Fields -- I keep thinking "Susan Elizabeth Phillips" but on my second go 'round became accustomed to her voice and it worked. This was a "background" listen for me - I never really engaged (which is why it took two tries to finish) and the biggest pull for me was it's sense of place: spot on for the North Carolina mountains. It was fun to hear about places I'd been. Might have a real appeal for people enamored of the era of old films. The details, explanations, and pacing feel a bit dated though the actual story holds up just fine. It's like watching a 1980's movie with a single camera angle.
March 13, 2018
One of her better books in spite of the weird injection of a UFO...! She keeps the historical/ architectural info to a minimum and weaves it into the plot/ dialogue better so that even though it is oddly noticeable, it's not a "hit you over the head" lecture like it is in some of her books. Sometimes I wonder why I like to read her books so much! They are formulaic, dated and sometimes quite silly. This heroine seems to me remarkably insensitive, self-absorbed and insipid, but her chosen man still falls in line as expected. The location and circumstances in this story are intriguing and the killer is not necessarily who you would expect. Total fluffy romantic nonsense for a cold day, a blanket and a nice hot cup of tea.
September 9, 2016
I am probably the biggest Whitney fan ever, but this is not my favorite of her works. It is still a nice read for the wonderful attention to scenery and detail that are Whitney's trademarks. Lauren Castle is called to Lake Lure, North Carolina, to investigate the untimely death of her husband, Jim. Jim was producing a documentary about a 1930s film star. Did he uncover secrets that cost him his life?
October 3, 2018
A pretty typical Phyllis Whitney story-it follows her template for story patterns, though she throws an odd curve in, a UFO landing.. I enjoyed the familiar settings of Lake Lure and Chimney Rock with their movie settings and remembrance of early 20th century glory days.
May 15, 2008
I had forgotten how much I enjoyed her books. Reading this made me want to go to where the book was set...
July 17, 2019
Kind of a contrived ending. I did not think it was up to Whitney's standards.
August 28, 2019
A pretty typical romance/mystery novel. Lauren is the granddaughter of an early film star who had an affair with her leading man, had an illegitimate baby, and allegedly committed suicide. Lauren's husband, Jim, is a film maker and is interested in the story and goes to Lake Lure to research and make a documentary. He is accidently (?) killed and two years later Lauren receives a note that his death was not an accident. There are also rumors that her grandmother's death was not a suicide. She decides to visit the area. By coincidence Gordan, a friend of her husband and also a man she had been madly in love with before she married, lives in the area. Gordan is the only person who knows that she is the granddaughter of Victoria and Brandt. Roger Brandt's career was ruined by the scandal of the affair, but he decided to buy a house and stay in the area with his wife, Camilla.
There are lots of coincidences, lots of people that want to talk to her about her grandmother
and lots of people want her to stop poking around.
The Author brings in a lot of interesting information about the area which was used as a movie location in the past as well as in modern times. She also champions the many uses of Kudzu
that grows in the area. There is her great uncle Ty a wily mountain man, her grandmothers former aide who seems to have second sight, he great aunt who is the local healer. There's even a rumor of a UFO crashing on the mountain, but that part of the story was never fully developed.
There are lots of coincidences, lots of people that want to talk to her about her grandmother
and lots of people want her to stop poking around.
The Author brings in a lot of interesting information about the area which was used as a movie location in the past as well as in modern times. She also champions the many uses of Kudzu
that grows in the area. There is her great uncle Ty a wily mountain man, her grandmothers former aide who seems to have second sight, he great aunt who is the local healer. There's even a rumor of a UFO crashing on the mountain, but that part of the story was never fully developed.
July 18, 2022
Phyllis Whitney’s books featured in the Goodreads List on Classical Romantic Suspense alongside the likes of Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt, etc. So, I was keen to read her books after discovering Stewart and Holt. I did not find Star Flight thrilling on both the suspense and romantic fronts. In fact, I found it lacking in the pace that a suspenseful book should have, and the romance was quite insipid. Though it is unfair to compare, it stands nowhere even close to Mary Stewart’s books.
Half of the book consists of various characters giving the protagonist their two cents on either Lauren taking up Jim’s incomplete project or giving it up and going home. I found Lauren to be quite dull, esp. on the marriage front. Her thoughts on marriage seem weird - as if there were only 2 men in the world and time was running out for her and she had to choose one of them, that too at the age of 20! She seems spineless, choosing to stay married to Jim even after knowing of his infidelities. All the other characters are weird and whimsical. The mystery was not as gripping as it should have been.
I don’t know if all of Whitney’s books are like this, but now I’m not too keen on buying another.
Half of the book consists of various characters giving the protagonist their two cents on either Lauren taking up Jim’s incomplete project or giving it up and going home. I found Lauren to be quite dull, esp. on the marriage front. Her thoughts on marriage seem weird - as if there were only 2 men in the world and time was running out for her and she had to choose one of them, that too at the age of 20! She seems spineless, choosing to stay married to Jim even after knowing of his infidelities. All the other characters are weird and whimsical. The mystery was not as gripping as it should have been.
I don’t know if all of Whitney’s books are like this, but now I’m not too keen on buying another.
March 6, 2024
Never pass up the "free books" basket in a library! Digging through one I found this 1993 edition of STAR FLIGHT. I've never read Phyllis A. Whitney's mystery/romance/suspense novels, but I was intrigued by the promise of a "chilling tale" of unsolved murder. STAR FLIGHT seemed pretty wholesome, not too gory or racy (I'm the wimpy Agatha Christie books type), so I took it home and read it.
At first, the plot of a girl trying to solve the mysterious death of her actress grandmother seemed pretty cliche. I almost put the book down. Almost. Whitney has the ability to hook readers, even with tales of UFOs and a weird mystical healer. STAR FLIGHT reminded me of a romantic, poorly-written Raymond Chandler novel with just enough suspense to keep me reading.
If you're looking for a good mystery read that will hook you until the end, I recommend STAR FLIGHT. There are references to adultery, mystical healing, and ghosts, but it's not a bad beach read.
At first, the plot of a girl trying to solve the mysterious death of her actress grandmother seemed pretty cliche. I almost put the book down. Almost. Whitney has the ability to hook readers, even with tales of UFOs and a weird mystical healer. STAR FLIGHT reminded me of a romantic, poorly-written Raymond Chandler novel with just enough suspense to keep me reading.
If you're looking for a good mystery read that will hook you until the end, I recommend STAR FLIGHT. There are references to adultery, mystical healing, and ghosts, but it's not a bad beach read.
August 11, 2020
An Old Master at the Art of Romantic Suspense!
This was not my first Phyllis Whitney. Her mysteries (we call them Romantic Suspense now) and I spent many an hour together when I was a teenager. I spent hours at the library checking out her old and new books. Along with Mignon Eberhardt and Mary Stewart, Whitney were my favorite authors. Star Flight is one of Whitney's best. Her description of family relationships are clear and every now and then you get a hint of something you know is important. I have to say that I did not guess the villain in this one. She gives you a detailed description of the book's locale and you can see it in your mind's eye. A clear master of the genre and this is one book you should not miss. All of her books are winners, you will not regret reading her work.
This was not my first Phyllis Whitney. Her mysteries (we call them Romantic Suspense now) and I spent many an hour together when I was a teenager. I spent hours at the library checking out her old and new books. Along with Mignon Eberhardt and Mary Stewart, Whitney were my favorite authors. Star Flight is one of Whitney's best. Her description of family relationships are clear and every now and then you get a hint of something you know is important. I have to say that I did not guess the villain in this one. She gives you a detailed description of the book's locale and you can see it in your mind's eye. A clear master of the genre and this is one book you should not miss. All of her books are winners, you will not regret reading her work.
March 5, 2021
3.5 stars. I could wish the heroine hadn't wimped out so much at the end, but this was published quite a while ago - although I read a lot of Phyllis A. Whitney back in the day so I don't think they were all that bad.
Also, on the audio, while the narrator was pretty decent for the most part, she was one of those who felt like she had to do the male characters with extra-faux-deep voices, which I found annoying. (The counterpart on the opposite side is the male narrator who thinks women lack vocal cords and makes them all sound like Marilyn Monroe at maximum breathiness, so it's definitely an equal-opportunity issue. Just give them character and don't worry so much about making them sound "male" or "female.")
Also, on the audio, while the narrator was pretty decent for the most part, she was one of those who felt like she had to do the male characters with extra-faux-deep voices, which I found annoying. (The counterpart on the opposite side is the male narrator who thinks women lack vocal cords and makes them all sound like Marilyn Monroe at maximum breathiness, so it's definitely an equal-opportunity issue. Just give them character and don't worry so much about making them sound "male" or "female.")
May 28, 2021
The main location for this story is around Bald Mtn. & Lure Lake area in North Carolina. Anyone familiar with this area or interested in it may enjoy this book. A little bit of the real history & description of the local area is mixed in with the fiction story. It is a mystery romance story surrounding the deaths of the main character’s grandmother & another close family member. Since her real mother had been adopted as an infant; she has little knowledge of her ancestry. She had never met her grandmother or any other blood relatives as she was brought up in California. We learn along with the main character about her family & about past events which lead up to her grandmother’s death. It also has a little bit of a ghost story & little paranormal mixed in.
July 10, 2022
Star Flight by Phyllis A. Whitney A Hollywood production filmed in the mountains of North Carolina brings a woman from California in search of information in the death of her husband and grandmother. She receives an unsigned letter asking her to come. She knows her one time lover lives there so she hopes he can help her find out what happened to her husband and to learn more about her famous grandmothers suicide. Very involved family dynamics make the story interesting as to who knows what and isn’t saying.
December 15, 2020
I really liked the descriptions of the people and the setting. I have not read anything by this author and I am not sure I would give her another shot... there were 2 mysteries and at least I did not figure out who did it in the beginning... the characters were weird.... nice, friendly and then it was like they forgot to take their meds and then were unfriendly.... only one had an excuse of old age.
January 26, 2021
Murder Mystery, romance, mysticism, and sci-fi all tried to coexist in this book. Enamored with the surroundings of Lake Lure the author did a marvelous job of setting the scene of mysterious events from the past and in the present. The slight failure of the book exists in the genre-hopping narrative that never fully delivers on just one. I came to this book with a bit of mystery of my own as it was plucked from the shelf and did not contain a dust jacket for perusal.
July 9, 2017
Another clear winner by Phyllis Whitney. She keeps you guessing while weaving a wonderful tale with wonderful surroundings. This one, set in the Lake Lure & Chimney Rock areas of North Carolina, brings back memories. Luckily, when we were there we were able to take the elevator to the top of Chimney Rock, but right now, it's out of commission. Rather walk down, as we did. Views are amazing.
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December 20, 2020Whitney is a wordsmith: the protagonist found herself "dressing in self-defense", and "the moon tore sequins from the water".
If you don't enjoy your fiction peppered with swear words, this is clean suspense with some clarity thrown in for good measure.
If you don't enjoy your fiction peppered with swear words, this is clean suspense with some clarity thrown in for good measure.
July 16, 2023
Most of my favorite elements of the author's works are present. The story was interesting. But the kudzu and possible UFO landing were like after thoughts and poorly incorporated into the story that it left an unfinished feeling.
June 24, 2017
hard to put down
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