Description

Juliette Fay—“one of the best authors of women’s fiction” (Library Journal)—transports us back to the Golden Age of Hollywood and the raucous Roaring Twenties, as three friends struggle to earn their places among the stars of the silent screen—perfect for fans of La La Land and Rules of Civility.

It’s July 1921, “flickers” are all the rage, and Irene Van Beck has just declared her own independence by jumping off a moving train to escape her fate in a traveling burlesque show. When her friends, fellow dancer Millie Martin and comedian Henry Weiss, leap after her, the trio finds their way to the bright lights of Hollywood with hopes of making it big in the burgeoning silent film industry.

At first glance, Hollywood in the 1920s is like no other place on earth—iridescent, scandalous, and utterly exhilarating—and the three friends yearn for a life they could only have dreamed of before. But despite the glamour and seduction of Tinseltown, success doesn’t come easy, and nothing can prepare Irene, Millie, and Henry for the poverty, temptation, and heartbreak that lie ahead. With their ambitions challenged by both the men above them and the prejudice surrounding them, their friendship is the only constant through desperate times, as each struggles to find their true calling in an uncertain world. What begins as a quest for fame and fortune soon becomes a collective search for love, acceptance, and fulfillment as they navigate the backlots and stage sets where the illusions of the silver screen are brought to life.

With her “trademark wit and grace” (Randy Susan Meyers, author of The Murderer’s Daughters), Juliette Fay crafts another radiant and fascinating historical novel as thrilling as the bygone era of Hollywood itself.

About the author(s)

Juliette Fay is the bestselling author of eight novels, including City of Flickering Light and the USA TODAY bestseller The Tumbling Turner Sisters. A graduate of Boston College and Harvard University, she lives in Massachusetts. Visit her at JulietteFay.com.

Reviews

"With humor, warmth, and an impeccable eye for historical detail, Juliette Fay has written a page-turning novel that's as radiant as its Hollywood setting. City of Flickering Light brings to life the wicked glamor of 1920s Tinseltown – and its story of friendship, love, and acceptance melts your heart." 

Ann Mah, bestselling author of The Lost Vintage

“Fay paints a vivid picture of newborn Hollywood and the bonds of friendship in this big hearted, wise tale of three appealing misfits bound by a desire to thwart misfortune and achieve their dreams.”

Therese Anne Fowler, New York Times bestselling author of A Well-Behaved Woman and Z.

“Fay spins the magic of Hollywood with the reality of 1920’s show business, creating a captivating story of three courageous friends scaling past Tinsel Town’s obstacles, battling the industry’s ever-present me-too, and cutting through the cultural and religious barriers lurking behind the glitter. With her pen dipped in equal amounts of page-turning gotta-know, thrilling behind-the-scenes revelations, and characters who capture the heart, Fay delivers a spectacular read.” 

Randy Susan Meyers, author of The Widow of Wall Street

"City of Flickering Light transports you to Hollywood in the 1920's--another time and place where so much is different and yet so much is sadly the same. We'll always go chasing dreams, and we'll always have to cope with reality... but in the end Fay gives us hope and that's what makes this novel so very special." 

M.J. Rose, New York Times bestseller

More by Juliette Fay

More Historical

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More Friendship