Guest Blogger - Millicent Binks

I am thrilled to be introducing a lovely friend of mine and a fellow Bookouture author. Millicent Binks has the second book, Murder in Hollywood, in her fabulous series, The Opal Laplume series releasing on Monday 18th of August. You may have already seen or read her first book in the series, A Most Parisian Murder already! I asked her to stop by and tell us more about herself, the series and how and where she writes! Millicent is a writer, former costume designer and burlesque performer. Her work includes a column for The Evening Standard and a cover story for The Sunday Times Magazine that was optioned for TV by NBCUniversal. Her cosy crime series features English milliner and amateur sleuth, The Honourable Opal Laplume who has adventures in Paris, Hollywood and the Scottish Highlands. About Murder in Hollywood! Lights, camera, action and… murder?

1934. Opal Laplume’s star is on the rise when she gets a job making costumes for Hollywood’s biggest talkie star, Jane Margeaux. But when Jane is fatally shot on set by a prop gun, and security guard Augusto finds a bullet missing from his pistol, it falls to Opal to save her favourite new friend from a wrongful murder accusation. Opal soon discovers that Jane had a list of enemies as long as the train on her designer gown. Jane’s co-star Betty envied her rise to fame, but did her jealousy take a deadly turn? Jane’s loyal assistant Virginia was overworked and underpaid. Did she get Jane out of the way to get ahead at the studio? Or did Jane’s fortune-hunting husband Carey see an opportunity to inherit his wife’s jaw-dropping Sunset Boulevard mansion? Just when Opal thinks she’s found her prime suspect, a crew member is found dead in the California desert with a briefcase stuffed full of movie scripts. And a close look at the director’s cut of Jane’s latest picture reveals a secret message hidden in plain sight. Soon, Opal will find that Jane was hiding the biggest secret in Hollywood – one truly worth killing for. Can Opal keep her English cool among the Tinseltown drama and crack the case before it’s a wrap for the entire crew? Grab a first-row seat to this fabulous and utterly charming Golden Age whodunnit full of glamour, intrigue and murder set in 1930s Hollywood. Fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Verity Bright won’t be able to put this down! This sounds fabulous! I asked Millicent to tell us more about where she writes as she leads such an action packed life as a gal around town! I’m a nomadic writer with a laptop, roaming London for places to work. Cafés and hotel bars have taught me to tune out the noise, though the vibrancy of life around me can be inspiring- unless a very annoying song comes on! Libraries—especially the BFI—bring that school-like focus, everyone being productive together is contagious. Occasionally I write at Claridge’s, tucked behind a pillar in the corner. A pot of tea there isn’t too pricey once you realise what you get with it. They keep topping up biscuits and hot water all evening—a bargain for how good the tea and service is! The art deco charm of the place immerses me in the time period I write about. Part of me longs for a set desk and a solid writing routine, but I haven’t quite mastered that yet. My legs get fidgety so sometimes it’s nice to sit with my legs outstretched on the sofa with my laptop on a ‘gaming pillow’ a silly block type padded table. At home I’m always distracted by my cats; Madame de Pompadot and Tarquin, my hubby who’s always excited to tell me about his shoe customers (he works for Jospeh Cheaney Shoes) and I’m always on the lookout for something to improve on in the house. So a desk at home would have to include straps, blinkers and earmuffs to get me to focus properly! You can get Millicent's wonderful book Murder in Hollywood HERE