The Trouble with Scarlett

The Garden Of Allah series continues with this second instalment which focuses on many topics of its time, including the search for Scarlett O'Hara. The story picks up in 1936 when Hollywood (and the United States for that matter) is caught up in Gone With The Wind and 'Scarlett Fever.' Marcus Adler is back and as a result of an embarrassing visit to Hearst Castle his employment at MGM is in jeopardy. In this instalment Marcus befriends F. Scott Fitzgerald in a very enjoyable subplot. Gwendolyn Brick wants to play Scarlett and goes to great (and creative) lengths in an attempt to nab the most prized female role in movie history. Will she succeed? You'll have to read the book. Whilst this second instalment was enjoyable throughout I found the most enjoyment in the character of Kathryn Massey. Kathryn is working for the Hollywood Reporter and goes head to head with the ruthless (and most powerful woman in Hollywood) Louella Parsons. Who will out-scoop who when it comes to reporting which actress will play Scarlett? I particularly enjoyed Kathryn's encounter with Ida Koverman and the 'cat party.' As a result of this Kathryn is dragged into a caustic circle which includes an encounter with the great Joan Crawford. What amazes me most about this series is the research that has gone into recreating the era and in making sure that the facts are neatly woven into the narrative. This series is proving to be very enjoyable and I can't wait to read the next instalment - 'Citizen Hollywood.'

The first book in this series was a freebie on Amazon, so I took a chance on it. I enjoyed it very much, so I got book #2. And I am enjoying the series even more. I love the characters and their encounters with the stars of the past. This book was especially fun since GWTW is my favorite movie of all time. I read the book for the first time when I was about 10, and it started my love of historical fiction. I will definitely continue following the adventures of Marcus , Gwendolyn, and Kathryn into book #3.

To be honest with you, Gone With the Wind is a film I have little fondness for. I appreciate its historical significance in the history of film and the overall significance of the original novel it was based on, but there are so many other films that I gravitate more toward. That being said I am huge fan of the "The Trouble With Scarlett" by Martin Turnbull that uses the pre-production and casting of GWTW as a jumping off point for his three fictional characters in his Garden of Alllah series. This book is the second in the series, and in my opinion better than the first novel which I also enjoyed. The three main characters Marcus, Kathryn, and Gwendolyn are much more developed in this second book and have grown from their experiences in the first. Once again Martin shows his command of knowledge for Hollywood of this era by putting the reader in these authentic locations that the characters inhabit. Once again many famous faces from the era pop up here and there as our three characters stumble their way in attempting to conquer the movie industry in their own way. The strength of this second book over the first is now that we have gotten to know these characters better they inhabit this world more comfortably and freely than in the first novel. This allows the historical figures to be woven in more seamlessly and adds to the atmosphere of the period. By using the GWTW excitement that was going on during the year in the book, Martin provoked me to learn more about the production of the film. 1939 was a seminal year in Hollywood as many great films were released that year. This book's setting covers the pre-production of some of these films. If you are a big fan of GWTW you will want to read this book, but you will want to read "The Garden on Sunset" first. Overall, Martin has improved on the first novel and created interest in finding out what his characters will get into next. Highly recommended!

I couldn't put it down! This book had everything good that the previous book had: well-rounded sympathetic main characters, intrigue, the lavish descriptions of life in 1930s Hollywood. The book was tighter and more coherent than the first one. My main complaint about the first book was the time-jumping, where the author skipped large amounts of time with no clues or warnings. The passage of time was handled much better in this book - partly because it spanned fewer years than the first book did, but also because the author just wrote the transitions more smoothly. The story ended more suddenly than I was expecting. The overall plot was about the casting and filming of Gone with the Wind, which was concluded nicely at the end of the book. But because the main characters' lives were still in transition, I wasn't expecting the book to end right when it did. It was an ending that pointed obviously to the next book, though, which is fine for a series. It just means that this series should definitely be read in order, starting with the first book. An excellent read, and I'll be starting in on the next book soon!

Just like The Garden of Allah, I immediately knew I would very much enjoy reading this book. The characters are people you can relate to, warm to and easily join with in their journey, sharing with them their triumphs and struggles, the laughs and tears and their drive to succeed in Hollywood. I can easily see this as a movie or a TV series, much like Tales of the Cities. The book is fast paced and leaves you wanting more, at the end of each chapter, let alone at the end of the book! Make sure you buy this book, and its predecessor, and you will be swept up in the lives of all the characters. Looking forward to the 3rd book.

As a fan of "The Garden on Sunset," it was a joy to join again in the endearing story of the three Hollywood ascendants: Marcus, Kathryn, and Gwendolyn. Through an adept combination of skillful character development and evocative settings, Martin Turnbull has, in the second novel in a promised series, become even more of a solid and resonant storyteller. In "The Trouble with Scarlett," Turnbull's characters have become (as real people do over time) more stable and clearly defined, and what might have deteriorated to an expected "gimmick" of involving his fictional characters with real people in historic events has instead become even more seamless, what might have been a clumsy technical contrivance is now an organic and properly rhythmic narrative voice. Even when real people and events are portrayed, rather than retelling the same old warhorse tales that have been seen and heard a million times, Turnbull has chosen his supporting cast and settings wisely, in order to enhance and focus his narrative and deepen the reader's understanding of and affection for his characters. Rather than this calling attention to artifice, his deftness creates situations and events that ring absolutely true, and that range from the hilarious to the heartbreaking--sometimes in the same paragraph. In "The Trouble with Scarlett" and its predecessor, "The Garden on Sunset," Turnbull has created a gentle, deeply-felt, and intelligent construct for telling relatable human stories with endearing characters in a delicious and fascinating setting. These novels will delight movie buffs with their erudite references and meticulously accurate people and places; and educate neophytes (the right ones, anyway) to seek out the films, personalities, and historic events and places that are portrayed.

After reading the first book in this series, I was eager for more from these characters. But the many crises here seemed to me to be contrived and their resolutions seemed arbitrary. I’ll try the third book and see if it’s a trend.

This is book two in this series and I read it in a few days. It was so well written, the characters are so likeable and the story continues without any down time. There is always something going on or something happening that you don't expect. I absolutely love all of the movie stars, directors, producers and writers that are mentioned throughout this series. It makes you re-live the glory days of old Hollywood. I've always been a fan of early Hollywood and a fan of all the real movie stars that this series is something I've thoroughly enjoyed. I've already downloaded book number three and can't wait for the other installments in this series. Great book!

Fabulous read from part of the Garden of Allah collection

A must for those that love old Hollywood.

Really enjoyed this book (have read five of this series so far, all great). Loved the story and all the old film stars it mentions, I recognize more names from the old times than from today's so-called film stars.

Loving this series. So well-written. It really deserves 5 stars. The characterisation is wonderful and I'm very invested in the characters. Looking forward to the next.

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