Barbara Hambly excels at (among many other things) making minor characters very nearly as well-limned as the major ones, without cluttering up the story. It was a joy.Īnd the people were pretty wonderful too. They were gorgeously made real, from their rolling gait to their individual personalities. They were characters in their own right, without being little humans in fur jackets – not like some of the cat-fancier murder mysteries I’ve read. Often a book that features animals anthropomorphosizes them annoyingly, or leaves the reader covered with goo, or otherwise is less than it should be. Those three Pekingese are characters I will remember long after I’ve forgotten all about Face of the World: Black Jasmine, Buttercreme, and Changums – Chang Ming. She’s not a very good actress, but she’s a completely pragmatic about her lifestyle, and she’s a good person, a good friend to Norah despite driving her mad, and beloved of her three Pekingese. Christine is a very practical, very lovely gold-digger she has a history of marrying wealthy older men, and is currently the paramour of her producer. I suppose that outrageous as Hollywood is now, it had to be even more stunning in 1927, when this takes place. Christine married her brother a while ago, and then after his death – and those of the rest of Norah’s family – rescued her from misery with an aunt in Britain to whisk her off to Hollywood. Show More cover art … And it’s anything but B.Ĭhristine, aka Chrysanda Flamande, is the sister-in-law of Norah, whose point of view dominates.
This ebook features an illustrated biography of Barbara Hambly, including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author's personal collection. In Chinatown she receives warning that a curse has been placed on the actress as vengeance for wearing a sacred amulet in one of her films-and this curse could mean death for all who surround her. When a violent killing shocks Chrysanda's entourage, and other weird happenings swiftly follow, Norah begins to suspect that some strange power is stalking the star. She has always done her job well, but she was never equipped to deal with murder. Handling her falls to Norah, widow of Chrysanda's dead brother. Of all the starlets, none is more beloved than Chrysanda Flamande, a diva as brilliant as she is difficult to manage.
It is 1923, and silent film reigns in Hollywood. A suspense-filled fantasy from the New York Times-bestselling author "who can write well in any genre" (Charlaine Harris).
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