Glamour, intrigue, and the dark secrets of the fabulously wealthy collide in Enchanted Hill, a new novel from local author Emily Bain Murphy. This latest work of historical fiction from the author of Splinters of Scarlet and The Disappearances, out now from Union Square & Co., takes readers back in time to 1930 and the estate of Truman Byrd, a golden-age Hollywood magnate with plenty of skeletons in his abundant closets.
Out to search those closets is Cora McCavanagh, an aspiring private investigator who spent her childhood surrounded by the inmates of Pelican Island’s notorious prison and her prison-guard father. Not much fazes Cora, and she’s well on her way to getting what she needs for her client when a mysterious figure from her past, Jack Yates, comes waltzing into the mansion—and the middle of her investigation. A tenuous truce ensues, and both Cora and Jack have plenty of threads to follow and personalities to navigate during the Gatsby-esque week on the California coast.
Stay up-to-date with the local arts scene
Subscribe to the weekly St. Louis Arts+Culture newsletter to discover must-attend art exhibits, performances, festivals, and more.
Murphy’s particular blend of historical fiction, mystery, and romance hits all the right notes, and its twists make it a dangerous read for those who promise “just one more chapter” before finding themselves up all night. The journey through Enchanted Hill is an exciting one. Once it has been picked up, it’s hard to put down.
