5+ stars for The Starlet in Cabin Number Seven by Chrysteen Braun #historicalmystery #bookreview
top of page
  • N. N. Light
    • Oct 11, 2023
    • 4 min read

5+ stars for The Starlet in Cabin Number Seven by Chrysteen Braun #historicalmystery #bookreview



Title: The Starlet in Cabin Number Seven

Author: Chrysteen Braun

Genre: Historical Mystery, Women’s Fiction


Book Blurb:


Return to picturesque 1980s Lake Arrowhead, California where another cozy cabin sheltered amongst the sweeping pine-lined vistas holds a long-buried secret, waiting to be divulged.


In this third installment of The Guest Book Trilogy, a young Annie Parker is struggling to overcome her grief over the recent loss of her sister, when a childhood friend unexpectedly turns up seeking refuge from an ill-fated marriage. It would have been easy for Annie to sink deeper into sadness, but when she learns her newest design client, Hudson Fisher, is the son of the late film actress Celeste Williams, her curiosity is peaked. As it turns out, the Roaring 20s starlet was no stranger to the Lake Arrowhead cabins—and this revelation sparks the unraveling of a scandalous story from Hollywood’s bygone era. Did an illicit romance between this leading lady and her dashing costar take place in Cabin No. 7? What really went on behind-the-scenes during the filming of that silent picture? Will discovering a piece of the past bring closure to Annie’s present?


A heartwarming tale of friendships, forgiveness, and a touch of old Hollywood glamour, The Starlet in Cabin Number Seven will have readers captivated from beginning to end.


My Review:


There’s another secret waiting to be uncovered in cabin number seven. Harken back to the glamour of 1920s Hollywood with Annie in book three of this series. Chrysteen Braun weaves a story filled with friendship, grief, love, romance, and mystery. The narration and characters captivated me, and I couldn’t stop reading. The setting, though, is the best part and becomes a character in its own right.


Let’s start with the setting. It’s breathtaking Lake Arrowhead. As someone who’s visited this lush area years ago, reading this book is like transporting back to the lakeside town. The narration is so visual, so vivid in detail, I want to reach out and touch it. Chrysteen Braun uses words to soak you in her story and it’s such an immersive experience.


The characters are well-written and are a fountain of emotion. I connected with them all but especially Annie. She’s a wonderful heroine and so realistic. She’s gone through such turmoil but it’s her strength which truly makes me love reading from her point of view. The other characters fill out the story and add depth.


The intrigue behind the starlet from the 1920s captured my imagination. I wanted to know everything, and I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Each cabin’s story is masterfully written. I enjoy this subplot because it doesn’t overtake the story. Each storyline interplays with the rest to create an unforgettable read.


My Rating: 5+ stars


Buy it Now:








Author Biography:


Chrysteen Braun is a California native, born and raised in Long Beach.


The Lake Arrowhead mountains, where she and her husband had a second home, were the inspiration for her first three books, The Guestbook Trilogy. These fictional restored cabins from the late 1920s all had their own stories to tell. Through their children, readers get their first glimpse of who stayed in the cabins, but not why.


Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty's The Husband's Secret and Linda Holmes's Evvie Drake Starts Over.


"A touching novel charting two women’s parallel lives, tied together by mysteries, transformation, and a cabin." —Booklife


"Braun delivers a moving portrayal of a young woman searching for herself amid personal upheaval." —Booklife


"Masterfully written, intriguing, mystifying, and spooky are how I would classify The Man in Cabin Number Five by Chrysteen Braun. As a great background, Braun uses the mountainous area and cabins to her advantage in telling the stories of Annie and Alyce. This is an exceptional plot, never leading the reader too far from the original storyline. Her character development is outstanding. I was able to feel everything Annie felt." Teresa Syms for Readers' Favorite Book Reviews and Awards.


"In The Man in Cabin Number Five, Chrysteen Braun narrates a deeply compelling, inspiring, and adorable narrative about the mountainside cabins of Lake Arrowhead, shocking secrets, and two women that are linked to the cabins in different ways—one by a buried past and the other by optimistic plans for the future.


"Chrysteen Braun does a mind-blowing job of building the characters and making them lifelike and easy to relate to. The first-person narrative is done to perfection as it reads like the narrators are speaking to friends—natural, lively, and jovial. I laughed out loud when I read the part where Anne claims that a bag of chips and a soda are "just what the doctor ordered.


"The Man in Cabin Number Five inspires anyone recovering from betrayal and infidelity to keep living and working towards a better future. The picturesque descriptions of the scenes and characters will appeal to readers who wish to get completely immersed in and escape into a fictional world. Chrysteen Braun creates a masterpiece with smooth storytelling that juxtaposes the serenity of the mountains with the eruptive chaos of dangerous secrets and ends with a bang. What a terrific story! What a talented writer!" Foluso Falaye, for the San Francisco Book Review.


Her writing crosses genres with Women's Fiction with relationships, and a little mystery and intrigue. She's published articles about her field of interior design and remodeling, both for trade publications and her local newspaper and has just received a Book Excellence Award for The Man in Cabin Number Five.


Braun lives in Coto de Caza, California (southern Orange County) with her husband Larry and two Siamese cats.


Social Media Links:



Reviewed by: Nancy

Tags:

bottom of page