The Old Cape Hollywood Secret

Struna’s workmanlike third mystery starring treasure hunter Nancy Caldwell (after The Old Cape Teapot) alternates between Cape Cod and Los Angeles, both past and present. In the present, after Nancy’s oldest son discovers the body of a young woman near his Venice Beach rental, she sets out to identify the victim and solve the crime. A happily married mother of five, she must discourage the romantic interest of a PI she befriends. Meanwhile, in 1947, Cape Cod cousins Maggie and Gertie travel to L.A. in the hopes that Gertie will become a film star. Their encounters with members of the Hollywood elite lead to tragedy for Gertie. Unfortunately, the villains are hyperbolic and hackneyed, clues come about rather too conveniently, and the story lingers on inconsequential interactions between characters. Struna is at her best when she focuses on endearing, self-aware Nancy and her intrepid sleuthing. Fans of her previous two Old Cape books will appreciate the way she captures the magnetic allure of Hollywood in the shadow of the Black Dahlia murder. [em](BookLife) [/em]