Book Review: ‘A Map To Paradise: A Novel’ By Susan Meissner

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The book is in stores on Tuesday, March 18th from Berkley. Click on the link to buy a copy. https://amzn.to/3D7jAad

The year is 1956 and for actress Melanie Cole things should be looking up. She just had a starring role in a hit film, alongside heartthrob Carson Edwards, who has suddenly been accused of being a communist by the McCarthy hearings. She’s living in a big house in Malibu, thanks to Edwards paying for things. She has a housekeeper named Eva, who claims to be a displaced Polish woman because of WWII, who is hiding her true identity. Next door is writer Elwood Blankenship and his sister-in-law June, who looks after him because of psychological issues he has. Melanie has become friends with him and often asks for his advice, but something is off with him and June will not let anyone see him. Soon the three women are entangled in each other’s lives, as secrets are revealed, a raging fire sweeps through Malibu and from the fire a Phoenix may just rise for all three. This is another great character-driven novel, with three strong females, that only author Meissner can write. Nobody writes these kinds of books like her. This one is a winner!