The bright lights of the theater district, the glamour and danger of 1950s New York, and the wild scene at the iconic Chelsea Hotel come together in a dazzling new novel about a twenty-year friendship that will irrevocably change two women’s lives—from the New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue. From the dramatic redbrick facade to the sweeping staircase dripping with art, … the sweeping staircase dripping with art, the Chelsea Hotel has long been New York City’s creative oasis for the many artists, writers, musicians, actors, filmmakers, and poets who have called it home—a scene playwright Hazel Riley and actress Maxine Mead are determined to use to their advantage. Yet they soon discover that the greatest obstacle to putting up a show on Broadway has nothing to do with their art, and everything to do with politics. A Red Scare is sweeping across America, and Senator Joseph McCarthy has started a witch hunt for communists, with those in the entertainment industry in the crosshairs. As the pressure builds to name names, it is more than Hazel and Maxine’s Broadway dreams that may suffer as they grapple with the terrible consequences, but also their livelihood, their friendship, and even their freedom.
Spanning from the 1940s to the 1960s, The Chelsea Girls deftly pulls back the curtain on the desperate political pressures of McCarthyism, the complicated bonds of female friendship, and the siren call of the uninhibited Chelsea Hotel.
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Fiona Davis has captured the hearts of readers with the way she brings life to New York City landmarks through compelling historical fiction. Setting her sights on the Chelsea Hotel, she delves into the world of theater in the McCarthy era. As two women wrestle with wartime memories, fractured friendship, love, and trust, readers will find themselves immersed in the world that Davis created and will be eager for more.
The Chelsea Girls is an entirely delightful example of Fiona Davis’s inventive and winning approach to historical fiction. The dazzling allure of Broadway, the devastating consequences of McCarthyism, the delights of the legendary Chelsea Hotel, and above all the decades-long friendship of Hazel and Maxine — Davis weaves these narrative threads into a memorable, affecting and marvelously entertaining novel.
I read lots of historical fiction books but this is a time period that I haven’t read much about in the past — the early 50s when the government and McCarthy were trying to find and punish alleged communists in the entertainment business. I have read about what went on during this time period but this book makes it more personal and is about how it affected so many people in the entertainment business who were never able to find work again.
The three main characters of the book are:
-Hazel Riley who was a playwright. After acting as an understudy on Broadway and spending time in the USO in Europe during WWII, she finds that her true talent is in writing plays and gets a chance to open her play on Broadway.
-Maxine Mead is an actress. She met Hazel in Europe and they became close friends. She is going to star in Hazel’s new play but will her secret life cause problems?
-The Chelsea Hotel is the third main character – it was New York City’s creative oasis for the many artists, writers, musicians, actors, filmmakers, and poets who have called it home. As the witch hunt for communists in the entertainment industry gets more frenzied, it becomes apparent that it will affect the lives of Hazel, Maxine and the clientele at the Chelsea. Will any of them be able to survive?
I found reading about this time period to be very interesting and enlightening. This book shows not only the glamour of life on Broadway during this time but also the pain and degradation brought about McCarthyism and how it affected so many people. I enjoyed the two main characters and the friendship between them and was hoping for the best for both of them.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Wonderfully researched, a story well told with a few surprises. Well worth the read.
Fiona Davis has a true talent for finding and bringing to life unique and hidden aspects of New York history. She creates characters and a world that draw the reader in. So much so, in fact, it makes it hard to leave when the book ends.
The Chelsea Girls follows Hazel and Maxine from their time acting in the USO at the end of WWII through their time living at the Chelsea Hotel while working on Broadway during the McCarthy era, and then years later as they struggled with the aftermath of what happened. The girls developed a deep friendship, but were torn apart by secrets. Their careers are threatened and tainted by McCarthy’s witch hunt for communists in the entertainment industry. These characters were so well developed, I felt like I’d lost two friends when I finished the book.
This book has a different style than other books I’ve read by this author. This one is more linear from 1945 to 1967. The chapters alternate between Hazel and Maxine’s point of view. It works well for this story.
The research for this book is thorough and the fictional characters really bring this pice of history to life.
As with any Fiona Davis books, I highly recommend this one! I can’t wait to read her new one!
Another winner by Fiona Davis who never disappoints with her characters, storylines, and insight into New York’s most interesting locations.
The Chelsea Girls by Fiona Davis is Historical Fiction with romance, spies, intrigue, politics, suspense, friendship and betrayal. The story starts out in World War II with American‘s fighting the national socialists of Germany. The story continues into the 1950‘s with the fight against the communist socialists from Russia stealing our technological secrets. It ends in the late 1960‘s with the effect on the characters lives caused by the socialist spies, the overzealous prosecution by the anti-socialists and by each person manipulating others to accomplish what they desire. I enjoyed the book especially because of all the historical information. At first the story seemed to be a slow starter but then the action started revealing more with each intriguing plot.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book.
In her most impressive and ambitious novel yet, Davis has given us an expertly plotted and emotional tale of the aftermath of war, the insidious way that fear-mongering can divide us, and the unexpected ways that art brings us together. THE CHELSEA GIRLS is a masterfully crafted story of a bond between two women that is strong enough to overcome the heartache of war, the pressures of fame, and the gut-wrenching betrayal that accompanies dangerous secrets. This is one of the most powerful and moving stories of female friendship I have ever read.
A dazzling story of loyalty, friendship, and betrayal in 1950s Bohemian New York amid the danger of the Red Scare. It will leave readers wishing they could spend a night at the Chelsea Hotel for a taste of Broadway glamor and a well-shaken cocktail.
This is a marvelous story that takes the reader from the war zones of Naples during WWII to Broadway, during the McCarthy era. We meet Maxine Mead, an up and coming actress, and Hazel Ripley, also an aspiring actress who has foundered in the role of understudies. They are part of an USO troop in Naples Italy, as the war is winding down.
Returning to New York, Hazel starts writing, working meaningless radio spots and Maxine is off to Hollywood And stardom. They reunite in NY at the iconic
Chelsea Hotel, and Maxine’s determination to star in Hazel’s debut play
This is a journey of best friends that embraces deep friendship, secrets, and betrayals that tear many lives apart. It was a dark and cruel time in our history and Fiona Davis managed to weave a wonderful story into those turbulent times. She has developed strong, likable and interesting characters, while introducing us to the historic Chelsea, and the glittering world of the Broadway era, post WWII.
I loved this book and am grateful to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC, for my honest review. It’s a 5 star effort!
#TheChelseaGirls #PenquinRandomHouse
Hazel Ripley left her unfulfilling career as a constant understudy to join the USO Tour during World War II. Her new job takes her to the Old World where she meets Maxine Mead, a vivacious and outspoken actress. The two women bond over their love of theater and mutual formative experiences in Italy.
Their friendship endures beyond their stint abroad; the two cross paths again at the iconic Chelsea Hotel – a haven for artists and creators – in the 1950s. Hazel catches a break as a playwright, and Maxine returns as a Hollywood starlet. But as the era of McCarthyism and blacklisting of the entertainment industry develops, Hazel and Maxine find themselves caught in the cross-fire. As the pressure builds, Hazel and Maxine face life-changing decisions about loyalty, morality, and freedom, all of which unfold before the Victorian facade of the Chelsea Hotel. Will the hunt for communists break these women apart?
Fiona Davis, the bestselling author of The Dollhouse, The Address, and The Masterpiece, crafts another exciting narrative rich in historical detail and unexpected twists. The Chelsea Girls shines a light on the glamour of the theater world and the power of standing up for creative freedom. This is a perfect read for lovers of historical fiction, theater, and New York City.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is about a place & time that seem so long ago… the McCarthy Communist Witch Hunt days & how the lives of many artists were destroyed because of it.
The book is about the Chelsea Hotel in the 40’s & 50’s & some of the folks that lived there. There is romance, history, & a spy story. I found it worth the time it took to read.
Chosen because it was partially based in the Chelsea, one of my favourite reading subjects.
This was a book of three acts.
Act One
It begins with a USO (WWII theatre productions for the troops). The troop is based in Italy when Hazel joins the group of travelling actresses. Here she starts of misliking Maxine, and then they become the closest of friends. But then it took a few horrendous actions for that to come to pass.
We learn of the strength of Maxine’s character and the brilliance of Hazels words.
Act Two
McCarthy Era, another of the endless madness`s that seem to infest human psyche, reds under the bed, anyone?
Maxine is up and coming as an actress. Hazel, through some friends, gets her script recognised and, with Maxine’s help, wangles the position as director of her own play. And it looks like a sure-fire hit, but that would be too easy.
Hazel begins to gain that steel that becomes the core of who she is, and she needs it. Her brother flirted with communism before the war, as many did. Now, the paranoid Nixon and McCarthy hate mongers have found out that little fact and putting the squeeze on them.
But is there actually an actual communist nest of spies, and why the hell would they target actors anyway? Wouldn’t they prefer the rocket scientist?
It all begins to fall apart. The dream that seemed so close to fruition slips away due to a catastrophic series of external events.
Hazel retreats to the Chelsea, and Maxine heads off to Hollywood and the big time.
Act Three
1967 – My favourite era of Chelsea`s history, the hippies and the birth of so many diverse music and art forms all focussed at the Chelsea and Hazel still lives here hiding away but angry and righteous at the injustice committed against her.
I will not spoil the final plot unfolding beyond to say that it is very good and definitely a don’t put the book down moment.
I will say that there is a fine scene when they get into the lift, and there are two of the new-gen rock/music stars in it whispering. It may seem like a small scene, but this was obviously a nod to Leonard Cohen and Janis Joplin scene from the song Chelsea Hotel.
Overview
This is a great book, and I really enjoyed it, the feeling of uncertainty was well captured, and the wax and waning of the two characters natures are well written also. Maxine starts strong and ends so far from it, and equally, Hazel works the other way. Obviously, I suppose in any book like this, but if presented well, it is always a pleasure to read.
Love them all!
I loved reading about the Chelsea Hotel and the lives of the people who made it their home. What an eclectic group of individuals. The post-WWII era involving McCarthy’s reign of terror and the focus on the entertainment industry was informative. The twists and turns that are woven through the pages leaves you gasping in shock.
This is my second book I have read by Fiona Davis and I look forward to reading more books by her.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Publishers for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
THE CHELSEA GIRLS by Fiona Davis is a stand alone, historical, women’s fiction storyline focusing on three women: actress Maxine Mead, struggling actress/playwright/director Hazel Riley, and New York’s iconic Chelsea Hotel, where the who’s who of entertainment and art, party and live.
Told from first person perspective (Maxine Mead) and third person (Hazel Riley), based loosely in fact, THE CHELSEA GIRLS covers approximately twenty-two years in the life of actress Maxine Mead, and struggling actress/playwright/director Hazel Riley. In 1945 Hazel Riley had the opportunity to join the USO tour in Europe where she would meet actress Maxine Mead, and young artist Floyd Jenkins. A tight friendship would develop but the end of the war separated the trio until five years later when Hazel’s play Wartime Sonata, based upon their experiences in Europe, would be picked up by a Broadway producer, bringing Maxine, Floyd and Hazel back together again but all was not well in the United States as Senator Joseph McCarthy started a hunt for Communists in America. Targeting the entertainment industry, creating the HUAC House Un-American Activities Committee in an effort to takedown those believed to be members of, and support the Communist Party, Hazel would soon discover that a wolf in sheep’s clothing was about to destroy everything and more.
The majority of the story line is set in Manhattan, New York and The Chelsea Hotel . Hazel’s play has been commissioned by a Broadway producer, and the arrival of Hollywood starlet Maxine Mead pushes the production onwards and up but opening night is a disaster, and the fall-out finds Hazel facing the HUAC trying to prove she is innocent, and defend the lives of the people she loves.
Fiona Davis blends fact with fiction in a story line sweeping in the grandeur of The Chelsea Hotel-the secrets, the parties, the artists, and the reality of McCarthyism, and the witch hunt for Communists in America. THE CHELSEA GIRLS is character driven, imaginative and wondrous story line that focuses on a period in time where lives were destroyed by accusation and innuendo without proof or evidence to the contrary.
The Chelsea Girls by Fiona Davis takes us back in time with Hazel Ripley and Maxine Mead. From 1945 through the late 1960s we join Hazel and Maxine on their journeys. Hazel joined the USO in 1945 to finally get a chance to be on stage instead of being an understudy. She meets Maxine Mead in Italy where she is the star performer of their all-female troupe. A terrible incident forms a bond between the ladies that aids them in their careers. The Chelsea Hotel in New York City is a haven for creative types (writers, artists, musicians, actors, singers, etc.). Hazel ends up at the Chelsea Hotel in 1950 when she needs a place to write a play that is bursting to come out. Maxine needs an escape from California and soon joins her. Hazel’s play is about to be produced when communism rears its ugly head and FBI agents are patrolling the Great White Way. The 1950s is not the best time to be in the entertainment industry as Senator McCarthy begins his witch hunt for communists. Many careers are ruined in McCarthy’s search. I thought The Chelsea Girls was well-written with developed characters. The author provides detailed descriptions which brings the characters and scenes to life. The pacing was gentle which went with the story. I like how the author made the Chelsea a character. It became a living and breathing entity. We get to know its history of the establishment along with the various characters who have lived and worked there. I enjoyed the variety of intriguing and lively characters that inhabited the hotel. It was interesting learning more about Broadway and how a play comes to life. Fiona Davis captured the time period along the feelings of the people being questioned and persecuted by McCarthy. The emotions poured from the pages. It was fascinating to read about this time period. It is not an era that is usually addressed in fiction. I liked that there was a good twist later in the book. We get to see two women whose friendship is tested during a tumultuous time. I do not want to say too much and spoil the story for you. The Chelsea Girls is a complex novel that transports readers to New York City during the 1950s and early 1960s. I am curious where Fiona Davis will take us next time.
Broadway Lives in a Turbulent Era
This book follows the lives of two women from USO entertainers in WWII to NYC theatre and through the blacklisting of the 1950s. It is an honest look at life in such a different era. These women had to struggle for work in writing and directing the plays as well as trying to get good roles without the casting couch. The Red Scare and blacklisting affected several generations of artists from all areas. The author takes an honest look at all of this using the Chelsea Hotel as a backdrop. The Chelsea was an artist’s oasis almost since it was built. It was a secluded home for rising stars in all areas. A place where they were left alone to learn their lines, write the lines, paint the pictures, or compose their masterpieces. The book in an intriguing look at the history, a glimpse into life as it was. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
Fiona Davis is certainly a dominant force in the historical fiction genre and an absolute favorite of mine. She not only tackles important historical issues that affect women and the generations that follow but also delivers this through her brilliant and masterful writing. Davis gives the voice of empathy and strength through her astonishing characters you will absolutely love reading about. Also, the stunning world she builds with beautiful descriptions that are rich and vivid in detail of whatever time frame she is writing about, always transports and immerses me into the read. With an impeccable attention to historical facts, her stories are always a winner for me. I love her writing style and she always delivers.
In the Chelsea Girls, the famed Chelsea Hotel is brought to life following Hazel, a talented writer, and Maxine a captivating and beautiful actress. Their stories in this immersive read captures elements about the Red Scare and post McCarthyism world at the final years of WWII. This was such an enjoyable read for me that truly captured my heart for these characters whose hopes, dreams, and friendship has come to be realized. Davis captures both the glamour and the dark underbelly of what was happening in the entertainment industry at the time. I absolutely adored this historical fiction read.
Not my favorite story by this author, but excellent historical awareness to the political suppression and fear-mongering around the 1950s.