Stardust
A gripping historical thriller from the author of Leaving Berlin
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3.3 • 35 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A mesmerising tale of old Hollywood glamour and post-war espionage from the bestselling author of The Good German.
Hollywood, 1945. Ben Collier returns from war to the news that his filmmaker brother Daniel has died in mysterious circumstances -- the papers say it was an accident, but others suspect suicide. Daniel was a heroic figure who helped many prominent German intellectuals escape Europe before the war and then settled in Los Angeles with his beautiful wife, Liesl. Why would a man with such a bright future take his own life? Could he have been murdered?
Ben is determined to uncover the truth and uses his friendship with Continental Studios boss Sol Lasner to penetrate the maze of studio politics and Hollywood secrets. Beneath the surface shine of the movie business lies a darker world where even the biggest stars and star-makers are vulnerable to old secrets being exposed and old loyalties tested . . .
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Exposing a powerhouse industry in its unchecked prime, Stardust turns Joseph Kanon’s masterful eye for period suspense on post-war Hollywood. Opening in 1945, the novel sees Jewish soldier Ben Collier return to the tarnished Tinseltown in which he was raised, following his brother’s suspicious death. Told in Kanon’s usual authoritative voice, the book captures the old-school aura of Hollywood while unearthing its corrupt network of studio fixers, buried scandals and growing Communist paranoia. Driven by sharp dialogue against that immaculately rendered backdrop, this should appeal equally to fans of LA Confidential and Kanon’s own The Good German.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
James Ellroy fans will find a lot to like in this gritty look at post-WWII Hollywood from Edgar-winner Kanon (Los Alamos). Ben Collier, recently returned to the U.S. from service in the Signal Corps in Europe, travels to California after his sister-in-law, Liesl, informs him that his director brother, Danny, has suffered a serious fall from a hotel window. Was it an accident or a suicide attempt? Ben arrives in time to witness his brother briefly emerge from a coma, but soon afterward Danny dies. While Liesl believes the suicide theory, Ben suspects someone pushed Danny out the window and turns amateur detective to identify the culprit. In a noirish twist, the widowed Liesl comes on to Ben. The stakes rise after Ben learns Danny was playing a part in an anticommunist crusade a congressman is launching against the film industry. Kanon perfectly balances action and introspection, while smoothly integrating such real-life figures as actress Paulette Goddard into the plot.
