The Roaring Days of Zora Lily by Noelle Salazar

September 18, 2023

The Roaring Days of Zora Lily by Noelle Salazar

While preparing an exhibit of Hollywood costumes, a museum curator comes across a gown with a tag that says the designer was Zora Lily. But the curator has no idea who Zora Lily was. Seattle 1924 - Zora Hough's family lives in near poverty, but Zora is a talented seamstress and dreams of designing gowns for the rich and famous of Hollywood, even as she shares a bed with two of her sisters. In the evenings, she enjoys going with her friends to Seattle's speakeasies, where she meets a special man. But then her lover is deported for bootlegging and Zora is devastated. When she is offered the change to work on a movie in Hollywood, she decides to take a chance at achieving her dream of being a fashion designer.

I love fiction about the Golden Age of Hollywood and especially about costumes, design, and sewing (I have a 1920s fashion print hanging in my bedroom). The story does not really have a dual timeline - the museum curator in 2023 merely sets up Zora's story and then winds in the threads at the end. Zora is a very likeable character who makes some dumb mistakes (but if she didn't, there wouldn't be a story) but not so dumb that they can't be fixed. Zora is totally disillusioned when someone else takes credit for her work (like this has never happened to any of us). The descriptions of the speakeasies and the glamorous clothes were wonderful. Historical fiction recommended for readers who enjoy Fiona Davis and Melanie Benjamin.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Greta Garbo wearing one of her iconic gowns

Murder Knocks Twice by Susanna Calkins

July 19, 2020

Murder Knocks Twice by Susanna Calkins

To support herself and her father, Gina Ricci takes a job as a cigarette girl at one of Chicago's most notorious speakeasies.  At first, the atmosphere enchants her:  the glamorous socialites, the free-flowing liquor in the middle of Prohibition, the entertainers and famous people.  But no one wants to talk about Dorrie, the previous cigarette girl, and Gina learns to her horror that Dorrie was murdered on a rapid transit train.  Then a photographer who turns out to be Gina's cousin is murdered in the alley behind the speak, and Gina wonders who will be next.

Initially, everything about this book appealed to me:  the Roaring 20's, Chicago, Prohibition, an elegant speakeasy, flappers and gangsters, glamorous costumes and jewelry.  The author obviously did a lot of research into the Prohibition era and speakeasies, and the descriptive parts of the book are really interesting, although they grow repetitious after a while.  I also liked the cover art.  But the main character was so boring and immature that I gave up about half way through the book.  Too many references to her mama and her papa (even though she's a grown woman), all the wide-eyed wonder (why is he doing that?  what does that mean?  do you know my papa?  what should I do now?).  There is also too much backstory about the main character:  did we have to learn EVERYTHING about Gina in the first book of what's supposed to be a series??

Did not finish.  Really disappointing.