From the author of The Color of Secrets and The Woman on the Orient Express comes a poignant novel inspired by the Hollywood legend—and the secrets of—actress Merle Oberon, famous for playing Cathy to Laurence Olivier’s Heathcliff in the film Wuthering Heights.For nineteen-year-old Estelle Thompson, going to the cinema is more than a way to pass the time…it’s a way out. In 1931 in Calcutta, … a way out. In 1931 in Calcutta, Anglo-Indian girls like Estelle are considered half-breeds, shunned by both English and Indian society. Her only escape is through the silver screen, where she can forget the world around her.
When Estelle catches the eye of a dashing American heir with connections to a major motion-picture studio, he also captures her heart. Soon, Estelle has a one-way ticket to London and a recommendation for a screen test.
To get to the top, she must keep her Indian heritage concealed—and so begins her new identity as movie goddess Merle Oberon. But just as her dreams are poised to come true, she discovers that her own family is keeping a much more shocking secret from her—one that changes everything she’s believed about her past.
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Whisper of the Moon Moth by Lindsay Jayne Ashford is the mysterious story behind one of Hollywood’s legend, actress Merle Oberon, and the secrets she fought desperately to hide. The story opens at nineteen-year-old Estelle Thompson is an Anglo-Indian, a half-breed that is shunned by both English and Indian society. Her only escape is through going to the cinema, the silver screen offers her brief moments to forget who she is and the world around her. When Estelle catches the eye of Ben Finney, a dashing American heir with connections to a major motion picture studio, he also captures her heart. Soon, Estelle has a one-way ticket to London and a recommendation for a screen test. As her career takes off, she must keep her Indian heritage a secret. She is no longer Estelle Thompson and becomes Merle Oberon. She will soon learn that her family is keeping an even greater secret from her, one that changes everything she believes about her own past.
When Whisper of the Moon Moth came up as a suggested reading for me, I went back and forth whether or not to read it. I was vaguely familiar with Merle Oberon’s work as she played Cathy opposite Laurence Olivier’s Heathcliff in 1939’s Wuthering Heights. But I wasn’t aware of her story, so I took a chance and I am so glad I did. Her story is one of courage and perseverance against unbelievable odds. Her striking beauty won her adoring fans but despite her fame, she was plagued with loneliness and fear as she knew if her secret ever came out, she would never work in Hollywood again. It was also thrilling to see the big names of the day, and the names that would become bigger, interact with Merle. Actors like Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford as well as David Niven, Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh. Overall, Whisper of the Moon Moth is a great story about the woman who would become Merle Oberon. I enjoyed it so much that I am going back and watching her movies again. I recommend Whisper of the Moon Moth.
Whisper of the Moon Moth is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook.
In order to escape her half breed status in India Estelle Thompson took a big chance and accepted a ticket to travel to England with a man she thought loved her. He was also going to introduce her to a movie producer, which was her life long dream-to become an actress. When she got to the boat he was no where to be found–nor was he in England when she got there-alone and friendless.
This is partly historical and partly the imagination of the author I believe. Estelle lucked out and became Merle Oberon-an accomplished actress. But she had to keep her real identity and the identity of her mother a secret which disturbed her no end.
She became an accomplished and well known actress. Just when she thought all her dreams were going to come true–a deep dark secret was told to her first by a woman she thought was her sister-and it was confirmed by her mother as she lay dying.
With the help of her then husband she was able to reconcile the real truth about her life which makes for a somewhat happy ending.
This novel will have you grabbing for the tissues–Estelle/Merle did not have an easy life!
A very solid biography of a famous Hollywood star, Merle Oberon, with full details of the twisted path she was forced to take to stardom. It is an easy good read that will make you laugh and cry, one filled with people and events that will feel all too familiar and troubling. A story opens during the last troubled days of British control in India and continues to London and, of course, Hollywood. It is well worth your attention.