Dorothy is an eighty-three-year-old wealthy woman who had moved to California in her twenties in search of the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle. After years of failing to conceive with her husband, she settled into a life of a kept woman. Adorned with jewelry and a life of leisure, Dorothy finds herself alone after the death of her husband, Eugene.

Ruth is in her sixties and has had a failed career as a nurse aide after many of her clients were dying on her watch. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, she targets Dorothy and the beautiful home she lives in.

Both woman find themselves using the other for their own selfish needs, only to find a demented sort of friendship in the end.

This novel was nothing like I would have expected. I loved each character so much and enjoyed their odd interactions with each other. The two main characters felt so young and emotionally immature that I forgot I was reading about an older generation at times. Their stories seemed so fresh and unique and had me practically speed-reading to see what happens next.

Such a fantastic and quirky read. I highly recommend it!

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Slippery Fish Press for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love a good, Hollywood-esque psychological thriller and this story definitely delivers! The setting is old Hollywood, think Judy Garland and Angela Lansbury, during the time of the development of the Pacific Palisades area. We meet Dorothy, who is raised in a strict, religious home and at 25 finds her way to her Aunt's home in California. There she meets her husband, Eugene Fiske, a wealthy artist who is a bit of an unambitious, ugly duckling. Dorothy and Eugene are unable to have children, so Dorothy spends her time at movies, collecting expensive jewelry, and stalking her mother-in-law's neighbor, Judy Garland.

Fast forward 50 years and we meet Ruth, a sixty six year old nursing aid who is an ex-con. Ruth lives in constant fear of eviction from her LA apartment due to her unusual, sociopathic, behavior. The elderly in her care have a tendency to die, which has been a problem for her at work. Ruth's next target is Dorothy, because Ruth is obsessed with the Fiske family and firmly believes she needs to live in Dorothy's home, alone.

This is such a suspenseful, psychological story of the peculiar relationship of Dorothy and Ruth. Ruth has a lot of disturbing memories from foster care and her character development is well done and supports the depth of her psychosis. Dorothy's character is also well developed, with her early delusions of Hollywood stars. I found myself having great empathy for her and her mental decline.

I found myself wanting to know where the story was going and where it would end up. I found both narrators very unreliable the further into the story I got. This is such a different type of psychological thriller than any I have read!

Overall, a deliciously suspenseful psychological thriller! I highly recommend!!

The Palisades
by Gail Lynn Hanson
I loved the beautiful book cover.
The story was a winner. Dorothy Fiske, eighty-three, adores movie stars, jewelry, murder mysteries, and men. She is all about her and even her self-delusions. She was very self-absorbed. Almost darker was rambling. I did have to laugh a few times.
Ruth, a sixty-six-year-old home health aide, has been to prison when too many of her clients died in her care. She begins to take on the job of "lady in waiting" for Ruth. I was so deep into the dark, insanity of both, and the past. It was a great read and was pulled off in a grand way!!