Sold By: Uzor books

Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen is a 2023 historical mystery novel by Sarah James, set in 1943 Hollywood and centered on the real-life Hollywood Canteen—a glamorous, star‑studded club where servicemen were entertained for free during World War II.

⭐ Core Premise

The story follows Annie Laurence, a Broadway murder‑mystery playwright who arrives in Hollywood after a painful breakup, hoping to break into the movie business. While volunteering at the Canteen, she becomes entangled in a real murder case when infamous film critic Fiona Farris is found dead in the kitchen. The police call it suicide, but Annie—and several members of Fiona’s sharp‑tongued social circle, the Ambassador’s Club—suspect otherwise.

🎭 Tone & Style

Readers and reviewers describe the novel as:

• Glamorous and suspenseful, capturing the absurdity and charm of wartime Hollywood.
• A twisty whodunit full of secrets, ambition, and sharp dialogue.
• A blend of historical fiction, mystery, and dark humor, with a cast of flawed, witty characters.

📚 Themes

• The contrast between Hollywood’s glittering façade and its darker undercurrents
• Ambition, reinvention, and the cost of fame
• Friendship, betrayal, and the power dynamics of creative circles
• The difficulty of solving a real murder versus writing one

📖 Publication Details

• Author: Sarah James
• Published: November 7, 2023
• Genre: Historical Mystery / WWII-era Hollywood
• Length: ~300 pages (varies slightly by edition)

If you’d like, I can also:

• Summarize the plot in more detail
• Compare it to similar Hollywood‑era mysteries
• Help you decide whether it fits your reading tastes

What would you like to explore next about this book?