Glamorous Notions

A Novel

By: Megan Chance

Narrated by: Karen Peakes

A costume designer’s past casts a long shadow over her well-constructed lies in this intriguing story about stolen identities, friendship, and betrayal from the author of A Splendid Ruin and A Dangerous Education.

Hollywood, 1955. As head costume designer for Lux Pictures, Lena Taylor hears startling confessions from the biggest movie stars. She knows how to keep their secrets—after all, none of their scandals can match her own.

Lena was once Elsie Gruner, the daughter of an Ohio dressmaker. Her gift for fashion design helped her win a coveted spot at an art academy in Rome. While in Italy, she became enthralled by the charismatic Julia, who drew her into a shadowy world of jazz clubs, code words, and mysterious deliveries. When one of Julia’s intrigues ended in murder, Elsie found herself in the middle of a bewildering sinister international plot. So she ran.

After fleeing to LA, Elsie became Lena—but she’s never stopped looking over her shoulder. Now, as her engagement to a screenwriter throws her into the spotlight, she’s terrified her façade won’t hold up. Will she figure out the truth about her past before everything falls apart?

©2025 by Megan Chance. (P)2024 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“The plot is intense and dramatic, and it is always edifying to experience Chance’s scene-setting where she revels in minute detail to embed her characters firmly in time and place. The author writes superbly and never fails to weave a powerful story.”—Historical Novels Review (Editors’ Choice)

The characters

Love the story! It was very well written and enjoyed the story very much. Hope you will enjoy it too

She had a lot going on

this was good book. alot of twist and turns. long winded at times but it still was a good book

McCarthy and the Movies

Excellent narrator! Good depiction of McCarthy Era and its impact on society, especially on the movie industry. Interesting story arc.

Elsie's naivete was hard to believe

I enjoyed it overall, but it would have made a huge difference if the reader hadn't had such a little-girl-voice, which flattened any complexity right out of the characters and the plot.

Story is interesting but too drawn out.

I liked the basic storyline and the Hollywood example of McCarthyism, however the book was shallow. It seemed to repeat stories within stories so for me it was slow and sometimes boring. Too many repeated details like the smoking and the drinking.The subject and story was impressive but overall the book is forgettable.

Hollywood in the 1950’s

I really enjoyed this read. For those of you who
Read and liked The Seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo, you will definitely love this one. I remain Grateful for kindle unlimited, otherwise I wouldn’t have come across it. The story does require some suspension of belief, but it was very entertaining. Isn’t that what we look for in books?

Really Good

The title doesn't really hold a predictor of the story. This is about secrets, espionage, US culture, and Hollywood after the war. The main character is a talented designer carving out success on her way from small town to glittering city. The secret at the heart is revealed only in closing pages and holds unpredicted surprises.

Excellent, Book

This historical fiction was incredible.

It involved the Soviets during the 50s and start of the Cold War, spies, the design industry, and so much more.

Definitely fascinating

Excellent

love to story and the narrator, great lines I couldn't put the book done.