Stars Over Sunset Boulevard

Praise for the Novels of Susan Meissner

A FALL OF MARIGOLDS

“A shimmering novel of love and acceptance . . .
A Fall of Marigolds
turns fate into a triumph of spirit.”

—Sandra Dallas,
New York Times
bestselling author of
A Quilt for Christmas

“Meissner has crafted a thoughtful story about lost loves and times past, illustrating how quickly disaster can take away what we hold most dear, and how ultimately we must move forward with hope in our hearts.”

—Margaret Dilloway, bestselling author of
The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns

“Hits all of the right emotional notes . . . seamlessly weaves a connection between two women whose broken hearts have left them in an in-between place. . . . For book groups, or for readers looking for a book of hope without schmaltz.”

—
Booklist
(starred review)

“A beautiful tapestry of human need and longing . . . a must-read novel. I highly recommend it.”

—Novel Reviews

“A transportive, heartwarming, and fascinating novel that will resonate with readers in search of emotionally satisfying stories connecting past and present, and demonstrating the healing power of love.”

—Erika Robuck, bestselling author of
The House of Hawthorne

“Susan Meissner knits the past and the present with the seamless skill of a master storyteller. A beautifully written, moving novel that had me gripped from the first page.”

—Kate Kerrigan,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Land of Dreams

“A courageous novel, moving with great insight between the haunting parallel stories of two women trying to recover from the losses of a terrible fire in 1911 New York City and the unforgettable fall of the twin towers on 9/11. An uncommon celebration of the human spirit.”

—Kimberly Brock, author of
The River Witch

“Weaves a compelling tapestry of past and present, of love and loss and learning to love again, of two women connected through time in a rich and unique way.”

—Lisa Wingate, bestselling author of
The Story Keeper

THE GIRL IN THE GLASS

“A delightful tale that will take readers into the heart of Florence, Italy. . . . Meissner blends Nora's, Sofia's, and Meg's stories with a deft hand, creating a layered work of art sure to enchant readers.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“Beautifully crafted and captivating,
The Girl in the Glass
is a story to savor and get lost in.”

—Sarah Jio,
New York Times
bestselling author of
The Look of Love

A SOUND AMONG THE TREES

“Meissner transports readers to another time and place to weave her lyrical tale of love, loss, forgiveness, and letting go. Her beautifully drawn characters are flawed yet likable, their courage and resilience echoing in the halls of Holly Oak for generations. A surprising conclusion and startling redemption make this book a page-turner, but the setting—the beautiful old Holly Oak and all of its ghosts—is what will seep into the reader's bones, making
A Sound Among the Trees
a book you don't want to put down.”

—Karen White,
New York Times
bestselling author of
The Sound of Glass

“My eyes welled up more than once! And I thought it especially fitting that, having already shown us the shape of mercy in a previous novel, Susan Meissner is now showing us the many shapes of love.
A Sound Among the Trees
is a hauntingly lyrical book that will make you believe a house can indeed have a memory . . . and maybe a heart. A beautiful story of love, loss, and sacrifice, and of the bonds that connect us through time.”

—Susanna Kearsley,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Season of Storms

LADY IN WAITING

“Both the history and the modern tale are enticing, with Meissner doing a masterful job blending the two.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“Meissner has an ability to mesh a present-day story with a parallel one in the past, creating a fascinating look at two lives where each tale is enhanced by the other. Intricately detailed characters make for a truly delightful novel.”

—
Romantic Times
(4½ stars)

THE SHAPE OF MERCY

“Meissner's newest novel is potentially life-changing, the kind of inspirational fiction that prompts readers to call up old friends, lost loves, or fallen-away family members to tell them that all is forgiven and that life is too short for holding grudges. Achingly romantic . . . Meissner's prose is exquisite and she is a stunning storyteller. This is a novel to be shared with friends.”

—
Publishers Weekly
(starred review)

OTHER NOVELS BY SUSAN MEISSNER

Secrets of a Charmed Life

A Fall of Marigolds

The Girl in the Glass

A Sound Among the Trees

Lady in Waiting

White Picket Fences

The Shape of Mercy

NEW AMERICAN LIB
RARY

Published by New American Library,

an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014

This book is an original publication of New American Library.

First Printing, January 2016

Copyright © Susan Meissner, 2016

Readers Guide copyright © Penguin Random House, 2016

Penguin Random House supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin Random House to continue to publish books for every reader.

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.

eBook ISBN: 978-0-698-19784-8

LIBRARY OF CONGR
ESS CATALOGING-IN-PU
BLICATION DATA:

Meissner, Susan, 1961–

Stars over Sunset Boulevard / Susan Meissner.

pages cm

ISBN 978-0-451-47599-2 (paperback)

I. Title.

PS3613.E435S73 2016

813'.6—dc23 2015030034

PUBLISHER'S NOTE

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

For Raechyl and Nicole,
two talented young women who possess old souls, artistic minds, and a love for nostalgia

That star-enchanted song falls through the air
From lawn to lawn down terraces of sound,
Darts in white arrows on the shadowed ground;
And all the night you sing.

—Harold Monro, “Nightingale Near the House”

Hollywood

March 9, 2012

C
hristine unfolds the tissue paper inside the pink-striped hatbox and the odor of lost years floats upward. She is well acquainted with the fragrance of antiquity. Her vintage-clothing boutique off West Sunset overflows with stylish remnants from golden years long since passed.

“I thought you were going to hold off estimating that lot until this afternoon,” her business partner, Stella, says as she joins Christine in the shop's back room. The two friends are surrounded on all sides by the wearable miscellany of spent lives.

“Mr. Garceau, the man who brought this stuff in last night, just called. There's apparently a hat in one of these boxes that wasn't supposed to be included. He told me what it looks like. I guess the family is anxious to have it back.”

Christine withdraws a paper-wrapped lump from inside the box, revealing at first just a flash of moss green and
shimmers of gold. Then she pulls away the rest of the layers. The Robin Hood–style hat in folds of soft velvet, amber-hued fringe, and iridescent feathers feels ghostly in her hands, as though if she put it to her ear, it might whisper a litany of old secrets.

She has seen this hat somewhere before, a long time ago.

“Is that it?” Stella asks.

“I think so. He said it was green with gold fringe and feathers.”

Stella moves closer, brow furrowed. “That hat looks familiar to me.”

“It does to me, too.” Christine turns the hat over to inspect its underside for signs of its designer—a label, a signature, a date. She sees only a single name in faded ink on a yellowed tag:

Scarlett #13