The Silver Blonde

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 Book Review:



“The Silver Blonde” by Elizabeth Ross is a straight ahead who-dun-it set in post WWII Hollywood. The baffling murder of a beautiful stand-in actress on the grounds of a major motion picture company becomes a young German immigrant’s obsession. Eighteen-year-old Clara who works aa a “vault girl” at the studio is the one who finds the silver blonde’s remains, the one who knows the police are on the wrong track, and the one who hunts down the real murderer.

Being an enthusiast of silver screen era films, this book had an immediate appeal for me. In my mind I pictured the story in glorious black and white, complete with the glamourous gowns, smart suits, and moody sets making the very most of film noirish light and shadow. References to many well-loved films from the time established a sense of context and pleasurable familiarity. The more I read, the more immersive the experience became. Character’s voices took on the timbre and attitude of film icons from the 40’s, smokey sultry jazz themes immerged unbidden, gorgeous females struck their exaggerated sensual poses while self-assured tough guys loitered with turbulent dangerous ease.

Ross’ book provides a pretty standard murder mystery puzzle complete with clues, red herrings, false suspicions and so on. In those ways it’s good enough but doesn’t stand out much. The real appeal of “The Silver Blonde” is the atmosphere it creates and the place and time it takes you to. I loved going there. I hope you will too.

Recommendation: a murder mystery with impeccable 1940’s film noir styling. Worth a read for sure!

 

Mr. Wedel

 

Author – Elizabeth Ross

Publishing – Delacorte Press, New York, 2021

Genre – Mystery

Pages - 377


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