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Winging IT
By H.P.
Oliver
In the
opening chapter the reader is introduced to the main protagonist, Edward.
J. Markham, whose amazing journal
documented an unknown piece of film history involving silent film actress Clara
Bow.
Edward
Markham’s career began in 1918 as a pilot in the Great War. After demonstrating superior skills while serving in France, he
was then posted to California for temporary duty as an instructor of advanced
pursuit tactics. When he completed his
service to Uncle Sam he then returned to Los Angeles to resume a fledging
writing career. Seven years on from the
Great War he managed to have several short stories published, two novels
proclaimed as best sellers and another completed manuscript and his literacy
career looked very promising. He began
writing for the major film studios in Los Angeles and this is when he met up
with an old army friend once again.
Edwards pal, William, or better known as WB, asks for Edwards help in
directing a motion picture called, Wings, as Paramount Famous Lasky has given
WB around two million dollars to make Wings and the film company
expect it to be a an epic War film that will break the box office. Edwards’s job is to aid WB and his crew to
help keep an honest and exact account of what happened in the air war over
France, the carnage, the destruction and devastation and this is where the real
adventure begins. Edward boards a train
to San Antonio where the WB and his crew have reconstructed the French Village
of Mervale as this will be the main place where they shoot Wings.
Edward is
introduced to the rest of the film crew and its cast and meets the leading
Lady, Clara Bow, who he immediately judges at face value and turns down her
sexual advances. However from here on events take a turn for the worst, when an
antique war plane makes an attempt to kill Clara on set and Edward is the only
person who goes on to rescue the leading lady from dying. Clara in turn then develops a strong
attachment to Edward as he saved her live and then refuses to go anywhere
without him. Edward reluctantly agrees
to escort Clara back to Hollywood as WB and the film studio want to protect
Clara at all costs. However, another
attempt is made to kill Clara on their journey back to Hollywood which leads
them to conclude that somebody somewhere wants her dead and will go to any
extreme to fulfil that mission. As the
body count rises and negative speculation soon points towards Edward and
Clara’s innocence, they find themselves fleeing to many Landmarks in an attempt
to stay conspicuous until they can figure out who wants her dead. In the
meantime Edward soon discovers that Clara is not the actress who everyone knows
as she reveals another side to Edward as she drops her thick Brooklyn accent
and reveals her true intellectual self which leads Edward growing really fond
of Clara and struggles to put his feelings to one side while trying to focus on
the mission of keeping her safe. However,
as further unexpected events unfold they go on to develop a romantic
relationship in the process.
Can Edward
save Clara from another cold-blooded attempt on her life? And if so, at what
cost? Will they discover the shocking truth in time before it’s too late? And
will they get a chance of clearing both their good names?
These are many
of the questions that prevail frequently throughout the book as the twist and
turns keep you guessing the outcome. I
couldn’t help falling in love with the deep descriptive landmarks, automobiles
and the remarkable era of the early twentieth century and recommend the
wonderful visualizations that depict this era on H.P. Oliver’s website.
As a reader
I really did feel part of the landscape and that I had been transported back in
a time I found hard to escape or ever forget.
This well written remarkable story will stay with me for a long while
and I will definitely read more of H.P. Oliver work in the near future.
H.P. Oliver
is a genius story-teller as he depicts a significant era, one of which I wish I
could be a part of and many other readers will when they read this
unforgettable tale or mystery and romance in a time that’s almost forgotten
these days.
My Ranking:
5 Stars
My reviews
Sites:
Amazon &
Goodreads
