Typewriter Beach - a moving dual-timeline story of friendship and sacrifice within an old Hollywood backdrop.

The setting for this dual timeline story is set in 1957 and 2018. Isabella Giori, a young actress on the brink of stardom, has just completed filming her debut in an Alfred Hitchcock film. The studio relocates her to a secluded cottage in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Upon hearing the sound of typing, she meets her neighbor Léon Chazan, a Hollywood screenwriter blacklisted for refusing to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). The two become friends. When the story shifts to 2018, Léon has recently passed away. His granddaughter Gemma, an aspiring screenwriter who had also lost her mother, returns to Carmel to clear out the cottage to prepare it for sale. As she explores the contents of Léon's hidden safe, she discovers there is a lot she doesn't know about him. When she meets his neighbor Isabella, it becomes clear that the elderly actress knows more about his past than Gemma does. 

Set against a picturesque backdrop and centered on old Hollywood during the Red Scare, Typewriter Beach by Meg Waite Clayton is a very worthwhile read. Isabella is a complex character who is focused on achieving her dream of Hollywood stardom, forced to deal with the sexist studio environment. Sixty years later, Gemma has to face similar challenges. Léon is the heart of the book, and his story greatly moved me. If you enjoy stories about Hollywood and the 1950s, this book is one not to miss.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Historical Fiction.

Publication Date: July 1, 2025.

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