Hollywood here she comes: the honourable Opal Laplume. This is a wonderful addition to this series. I really enjoyed this cozy historical murder mystery with likeable characters, suspense and a touch of romance. A recommendation. I’m already looking forward to reading more about Opal and co.
I received an advance review copy via Netgalley/Bookouture and I’m leaving a voluntary and honest review.

This is the second in the Opal Laplume cosy murder mystery series, and is just as good as the first one.

Opal and her poodle Napoleon are in Hollywood this time around, where they bump into one of Opal’s favourite men. Of course, the three of them become entangled in another murder mystery. The plot moves along quickly, with a large cast which includes several suspects and a lot of fun. I am already looking forward to their next adventure.

🎬 I loved this book! Full of glamour, mystery, and old Hollywood charm! This was such a fun and clever whodunnit. Opal is my new favorite sleuth! 🕵️‍♀️✨📽️

3.7 Stars
One Liner: It was a fun read

Opal Laplume gets the job of making costumes for Jean Margeaux, the rising star of Hollywood. However, she has a case on her hands when Jean is killed on the set by a gunshot that was supposed to be fake. With everyone having a motive and hiding secrets, it won’t be easy for Opal to get to the bottom of the truth. But she won’t stop until the killer is found!
The story comes in Opal’s third-person POV.

My Thoughts:
After Paris, the FMC is in Hollywood with her miniature black poodle, Napoleon. That little doggy is soon becoming a favorite! Who doesn’t like a pet that looks like a toy with a pom-pom tail? Aww!
Okay, so the book.
The Hollywood set from the 1930s comes alive on the pages. The studios and their competitiveness, the place where money wins over ethics, and where no one is a true friend. It’s very well done with the array of characters and the details of backstage working.
The FMC is a smart pie, sometimes a bit too smart, which leads to more trouble, but usually capable enough. She’s going about making friends, though her backstory says the opposite. Quite a contrast, which explains how she fits better in flashy settings than among the London ton.
The book should work as a standalone. That said, you’ll meet the guy the FMC has a crush on as well as see another development in the overarching plot dealing with her father. There is enough information to go with the flow.
Not everything is plausible, and I found a certain event rather strange given her profession, but okay, since it can be explained through the father’s profession. I’m being very vague to avoid spoilers, lol.
The mystery is decent, easy enough to guess. All clues are right there. The FMC takes some time to connect them, which is expected.
The pacing was good in the first half or until 65% or so. After that, it seemed to slow down quite a bit. Not sure why it took me more time to read the last section!
Don’t miss the author’s note!
To summarize, Murder in Hollywood is an easy and entertaining mystery with some red herrings, clues, drama, and a whole lot of suspects. I’ll be reading the next book since the FMC is easy to like.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

💋Review: Murder in Hollywood

💞Rate: 5 Stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

❤️Praise: Opal is back!! She is back! Napelolen is back! Yes! I was so happy to be given an early copy of book two! Millcnet's books sugary mystery gold! Opal must now navigate the beautiful world of Hollywood!! The mysterious murder of the famous actress Jane has everyone on edge! (And we are there ride along for the ride!) All I can think when reading this beautiful book was "Who really did this??!!" The descriptions of the costumes, descriptions of the scenery, and the descriptions of every heart pounding moment made me want to call Netflix and tell them to make this a series! Could it be the assistant? Or the husband? Could it be more than one person? When it comes to Millicent's mystery series Sherlock Holmes would have a run for his money! So many secrets and so little time! She has to help her dashing Augusto too! (Yes I want to marry him!! Lol)

☕Extra: Bravo Millicent!! 🥳 You make my mystery loving heart want to sing!!

"Lights, camera, action and... murder?

1934. Opal Laplume's star is on the rise when she gets a job making costumes for Hollywood's biggest talkie star, Jane Margeaux. But when Jane is fatally shot on set by a prop gun, and security guard Augusto finds a bullet missing from his pistol, it falls to Opal to save her favourite new friend from a wrongful murder accusation.

Opal soon discovers that Jane had a list of enemies as long as the train on her designer gown. Jane's co-star Betty envied her rise to fame, but did her jealousy take a deadly turn? Jane's loyal assistant Virginia was overworked and underpaid. Did she get Jane out of the way to get ahead at the studio? Or did Jane's fortune-hunting husband Carey see an opportunity to inherit his wife's jaw-dropping Sunset Boulevard mansion?

Just when Opal thinks she's found her prime suspect, a crew member is found dead in the California desert with a briefcase stuffed full of movie scripts. And a close look at the director's cut of Jane's latest picture reveals a secret message hidden in plain sight. Soon, Opal will find that Jane was hiding the biggest secret in Hollywood - one truly worth killing for.

Can Opal keep her English cool among the Tinseltown drama and crack the case before it's a wrap for the entire crew?

Grab a first-row seat to this fabulous and utterly charming Golden Age whodunnit full of glamour, intrigue and murder set in 1930s Hollywood. Fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Verity Bright won’t be able to put this down!"

Even in the past prop guns are dangerous.

Murder In Hollywood, is the second book in An Opal Laplume Mystery by Millicent Binks, Opal has fled to Hollywood after some shenanigans with a kidnapper back in London. she has an appointment of course for a job at a local studio to work in their milinary department. when she arrives three days late she learns the job has been given to a redhead called Bonfire, but the honorable Opal Laplume will not be kept down her and her beloved poodle Napoleon are there to make it in Hollywood and so when she has sent to another department despite it not being her specialty that’s where she goes. Going with the flow is what gets her to become friends with Jane Margot and many other people associated with the studio but Jane Margot will soon be murdered by a live round that should’ve been a blank and when opals beloved Antonio is penned for the murder she takes it upon herself to find the real killer. Sadly Jane will not be the only one murdered and finding the murderer will not be the only mystery the honorable opal Laplume has to solve. Opal learns not everything that shines is gold and not every friend she meets will be honest as a matter of fact one may be out to kill her. let me start by saying I really liked the very accurate historical detail for the most part the author was spot on but I found every clue she found was so coincidental it was almost glaringly obvious and that whole thing with her wanting to save the spider that was put in her purse just to kill her it just seemed especially for that era not to mention if she was so animal and insect friendly you would think she would be in a different business besides one that would put real birds and pluck real feathers out of birds to put in their beautiful out of the box hats. I would be lying if I said I did not enjoy this book because I absolutely did there were just some things I found out of place I just had me rolling my eyes especially how she found the clues and got into places she shouldn’t have been. Still a very entertaining read though. #NetGalley,#Bookoucher, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #MillicentBinks, #AnOpalLaplumeMystery, #MurderInHollywood,

Murder In Hollywood was such a fun read,,.Read it over the weekend enjoyed from first to last page.#netgalley #bookouture

Murder in Hollywood was fabulous! Wow
the entire time i was reading it (i WHIPPED through it in roughly 4 hours) my heart was pounding and i had so many theories and questions. if you love insanely well written and fast paced books with crazy plot twists and well developed, shady, and secretive characters - PLEASE READ THIS !!!!!

Murder in Hollywood is the second in a series of cozy mysteries by Millicent Binx. Set in the 1930's, Opal comes to Hollywood to further her family's millinery business (hat making) by looking for work on a movie production studio lot. On this lot, she makes friends and enemies, as is the nature of Hollywood. She is extremely happy when her crush gets a job as security on the set as well. Things soon go south as one of the biggest movie stars, Jane Margeaux, gets shot during a scene with a live round instead of the blank. On the trail to find the murder and clear her crush's name, Opal realizes not all that glitters in Hollywood is gold.

I really love reading cozy mysteries after some of the horror and psychological thrillers I read and this one was great. It's set in my favorite place in my favorite time period and the characters are so realistic, I expected them to walk off the page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this trip down the Hollywood Boulevard of 1930s glamour, a setting that is pure catnip for anyone who loves vintage cozy mysteries.

Millicent Binks has a real knack for evoking the era. The descriptions of costumes are lush and meticulous, and Opal herself is a joy to follow.

There’s a healthy dose of Hollywood intrigue: secret affairs, hidden fortunes, and the ever-present threat of scandal with a mystery that keeps you guessing.

If I had one minor complaint, it would be that the pacing is slightly off. So you get a well thought out investigation, but an ending that seemed rushed.

All the threads are tied up quickly, almost too quickly, given the leisurely pace of the rest of the book.

As I said, it's a small complaint, and it wouldn't stop me from reading the next book in the series.

With thanks to NetGalley for the early copy in return for an honest review.

Murder in Hollywood is the second book in the Opal Laplume Mystery series by Millicent Binks.

Opal has a millinery job with a Hollywood movie, but when she arrives late, finds the job is no longer hers. She makes the best of the situation and is able to find another job on the set. She also discovered her friend Augusto (from book 1) is in town. When the movie's lead actress is killed and Augusto is suspected, Opal uses her keen observation skills to seek out the actual murderer.

This book continues the great cozy mystery vibes of the first book. Fun characters, great setting, and a clever mystery!

(While I enjoyed the story, I was a bit perplexed by the historical content. The story takes place in the United States in 1930, and yet there is zero mention of Prohibition, despite there being alcohol in the story.)