A Map to Paradise

Meissner (Only the Beautiful) returns with a post–World War II story set in California against the backdrop of the Red Scare. Blacklisted by association, actress Melanie Cole occupies her time pestering her housekeeper, Eva, and seeking the advice of her agoraphobic neighbor, Elwood, through their respective backyards. Eva is a displaced person from Europe, grieving her old life and trying to avoid entanglement with Melanie’s alleged Communist reputation. When Elwood stops appearing for their chats, Melanie sends Eva over to spy on him. The plan backfires, as Elwood’s caretaker, June, who is also his sister-in-law, has her own secrets to guard. The tension among the three women amplifies until they’re forced to trust each other out of necessity. The story moves at a fast clip; regular mystery readers will easily guess what happened to Elwood but will stick with the novel for the motivations behind each character’s choices. The epilogue, where the women reconnect under better circumstances, is nicely done.