Windhall

Written by Ava Barry

Narrated by Seth Podowitz

1940s Hollywood was an era of decadence and director Theodore Langley was its king. Paired with Eleanor Hayes as his lead actress, Theo ruled the Golden Age of Hollywood. That ended when Eleanor’s mangled body was discovered in Theo’s rose garden and he was charged with her murder. The case was thrown out before it went to trial and Theo fled L.A., leaving his crawling estate, Windhall, to fall into ruin. He hasn’t been seen since.

Decades later, investigative journalist Max Hailey, raised by his gran on stories of old Hollywood, is sure that if he could meet Theo, he could prove once and for all that the famed director killed his leading lady. When a copycat murder takes place near Windhall, the long reclusive Theo returns to L.A., and it seems Hailey finally has his chance.

When Hailey gets his hands on Theo’s long-missing journals, he reads about Eleanor’s stalkers and her role in Theo’s final film, The Last Train to Avalon, a film so controversial it was never released to the public. In the months leading up to her death, something had left her so terrified she stopped coming to work. The more Hailey learns about Avalon, the more convinced he becomes that the film could tell him who killed Eleanor and why she had to die.  But the implications of Avalon reach far beyond Eleanor’s murder, and Hailey must race to piece together the murders of the past and present before it’s too late.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Everand Productions
• Release date: Dec 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781094435930

Ava Barry

Ava Barry was a script reader for Bold Films and Intrigue Entertainment, and an editorial assistant for Zoetrope: All-Story, Francis Ford Coppola’s literary magazine. She is the author of Windhall and Double Exposure, also available from Pegasus Books. She lives in Australia.

Reviews for Windhall

[Vicki Chaney · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was really surprised about this book! It was very enjoyable!! I was searching for a decent audiobook to listen to since I can't listen to any of my fav authors until monthly renewal. I found this one, and it had good reviews, so I thought I would give it a chance. I am so thrilled that I did!! I enjoyed this one immensely, and the narrator was very good also! I will read more from this author if I can find anymore. It's a great book!!

[tricia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The narrator made me think of Philip Seymour Hoffmann. It was an excellent story that kept my attention the entire time. I enjoyed trapping through old Hollywood and thinking about some of these larger themes.

[Margaret Squires · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Twist after twist...this is undoubtedly one of the finest mysteries I've ever read. I had no idea about the ending. An excellent book.

[Maureen Armstrong · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you love movies, the story grips your interest in an entertaining fashion...Great work for the first novel..I hope she writes more.

[Krista Crain · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Somebody get this book on Reese’s Book Club so she can inevitably make a movie or series based on it. Seriously Hollywood - I’m begging you, make this book come to life please and thank you

[Sharon Hall · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Oh, the twists and turns that make this smart book so enjoyable. Well performed by the narrator. I look forward to more from this writer.

[Nicole Fante · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is absolutely riveting. It would make an amazing show or movie. Extremely talented writer with a gift for detail and suspense.

[Karen Chandler · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a good must-read book. You have an interesting storyline. You have believable and likable characters that carry the storyline. You have many twists and turns, which keep you wondering. Great Book

[Lisa Moriah Chenthitta · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic story that keeps you guessing until the very last moment. I did guess the most major reveal very early in the story … but watching it unspool was really pleasurable, and there were tons of smaller twists I didn’t expect along the way. Highly recommended, especially if you love Noir, L.A. settings, and the golden age of Hollywood.

[sue1pritzker · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fun mystery. Like the narrator protagonist. Engaging plot. Well written and the audio book narration was excellent.

[Boots1983 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A book of many parts the interchange of personal relationships with the intrigue of old Hollywood interlaced with mystery and mayhem holds the interest throughout. An author new to me but one to follow.

[Patricia Melies · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Old fashioned film noir unfolded on the page-this Hollywood who-done-it keeps the reader guessing. Great narration.

[krystal tiger · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What a great story! Absolutely loved the old Hollywood shout outs. Beautiful whodunit that will keep you guessing the whole way through.

[Leah Barton Tew · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This could have been much better than it was. The writer clearly has talent, but there were so many ridiculous holes in the plot, outrageous suspensions of disbelief (e.g., a lab tech at Cedars Sinai being able to do DNA matching on some wallboard and clipped hair that’s 70 years old? C’mon!!!! Clearly this writer thinks we’re all idiots), superfluous characters and relationships that go absolutely nowhere… I could go on for hours.

[Shannon Whitt · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had just thrown this on to listen to while I moved the lawn. I had never read anything from this author before. It was good! I will look for more audiobooks by Ava Barry in the future.
A bit of mystery along side old time Hollywood.

[Peter Heicksen · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The actual writing was good, but the story itself was... pointless. The author never made me care in the slightest about the "mystery," and the characters were all shallow and unlikable. I didn't care what happened to any of them. They believed and did things for no apparent reason. It was sort of like, "and then this happened, and then this happened." No emotion or logic involved. Then the end just came out of nowhere. There was nothing leading up to it that made it feel right or satisfying. I finished it, but I'm not sure why. The narrator was good in that he made the characters sound real, but they were annoying people you would never want to spend any time with IRL, so that wasn't a good thing.

I would never recommend this book to someone.