The Studio Girls takes the reader to 1950s Hollywood, where the studios own the stars but everyone still wants to be a star. At its heart, this is a story about female friendship, secrets and betrayal behind the glamour.

The story is mainly set in the 1950s, with periodical jumps forward to the end of the century after the four main characters have made their mark on Hollywood. Sadie moves into the Hollywood Studio Club with an unusual dream amongst the young women who board there – she wants to be a writer, not an actress. She shares a room with Vivienne, who has the determination and drive to make it in Hollywood. Rising star Julia arrives soon after when her studio contract stipulates that she must reside at the club to protect her from big, bad Hollywood. They become friends with Peggy, a god-fearing woman who works hard but can’t catch her big break. The women help each other when it comes to work and life, sharing clothes and tips. But things start to get uncomfortable as one woman starts a love affair that would have a large chunk of Hollywood frowning, another realises how rife the sexism is in the system and another seems to try anything to make it on screen. The women begin to question each other and when a secret is spilled, their friendship becomes fractured and retaliation looks like the only option. It’s only when the women meet at the Studio Club reunion decades later that the truth will come to light.

I really enjoyed this story that explores the limitations of women in Hollywood in the 1950s – all about crafting that careful image (and to think, people do that voluntarily on social media these days!). The novel is also a testament to female friendship, something Lisa Ireland always does brilliantly. While I wasn’t a fan of Peggy (her actions didn’t always align with my own values), she is true to what she believes and holds steadfast. Vivienne was a fascinating character, but the reader didn’t get to know her as well as the other women because of plot devices. Julia was a strong woman behind her doubts over her ability and Sadie was much too smart for Hollywood – which made her insights all the more useful to her friends.

I would have liked some more period detail of the time as ‘window dressing’ – I felt I didn’t fully ‘see’ the (alleged) glamour of Hollywood beyond the nightclub the women go to or their residence. However, the reader gets to see a lot of the controlling side of the studio system which wouldn’t be tolerated in modern times – fake dates, choosing someone’s partner, racism and sexism. There is also a strong hint of violence as Hollywood closes ranks against what they see as tarnishing their image. Image is another theme that runs through the novel as some of the women bend to match Hollywood’s standards – meaning that of the men in control. Does that justify some of the characters’ actions at the time, or is it inexcusable?

Overall, The Studio Girls is a fun read. It’s easy to keep track of the characters through the alternating chapters and the pacing is fast enough to keep you interested but not so fast that you can’t remember what’s happened. I enjoyed this novel, which would make an excellent miniseries.

Thank you to Penguin for the copy of this book. My review is honest.

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