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Vivian in Red
Famed Broadway producer Milo Short may be eighty-eight but that doesn't stop him from going to the office every day. So when he steps out of his Upper West Side brownstone on one exceptionally hot morning, he's not expecting to see the impossible: a woman from his life sixty years ago, cherry red lips, bright red hat, winking at him on a New York sidewalk, looking just as beautiful as she did back in 1934.
The sight causes him to suffer a stroke. And when he comes to, the renowned lyricist discovers he has lost the ability to communicate. Milo believes he must unravel his complicated history with Vivian Adair in order to win back his words. But he needs help—in the form of his granddaughter Eleanor—failed journalist and family misfit. Tapped to write her grandfather’s definitive biography, Eleanor must dig into Milo’s colorful past to discover the real story behind Milo’s greatest song Love Me, I Guess, and the mysterious woman who inspired an amazing life.
A sweeping love story, family mystery and historical drama set eighty years apart, Vivian in Red will swell your heart like a favorite song while illuminating Broadway like you've never seen before.
The sight causes him to suffer a stroke. And when he comes to, the renowned lyricist discovers he has lost the ability to communicate. Milo believes he must unravel his complicated history with Vivian Adair in order to win back his words. But he needs help—in the form of his granddaughter Eleanor—failed journalist and family misfit. Tapped to write her grandfather’s definitive biography, Eleanor must dig into Milo’s colorful past to discover the real story behind Milo’s greatest song Love Me, I Guess, and the mysterious woman who inspired an amazing life.
A sweeping love story, family mystery and historical drama set eighty years apart, Vivian in Red will swell your heart like a favorite song while illuminating Broadway like you've never seen before.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published September 13, 2016
About the author
Kristina Riggle
8 books194 followersKristina Riggle lives in West Michigan, where she writes character-driven novels about complex personal dynamics. Her debut novel, Real Life & Liars, was a Target "Breakout" pick and a "Great Lakes, Great Reads" selection by the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association. Her latest novel, Vivian in Red, is a story of 1930s Broadway and today about a lyricist, the clouded history of his most famous song, and the woman who inspired it.
Kristina has published short stories in the Cimarron Review, Literary Mama, Espresso Fiction, and elsewhere, and is a former co-editor for fiction at Literary Mama. As well as writing, she enjoys reading, yoga, dabbling in (very) amateur musical theatre, and spending lots of time with her husband, two kids and dog.
She appreciates readers who spread the word about her books, through reviews here and around the Web at the various book retail sites!
Kristina has published short stories in the Cimarron Review, Literary Mama, Espresso Fiction, and elsewhere, and is a former co-editor for fiction at Literary Mama. As well as writing, she enjoys reading, yoga, dabbling in (very) amateur musical theatre, and spending lots of time with her husband, two kids and dog.
She appreciates readers who spread the word about her books, through reviews here and around the Web at the various book retail sites!
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
September 28, 2016
Hard not to fall for the irrepressible Milo Short, 88, and feisty, still in possession of all his marbles. Famous for a hit musical, notable songwriter and producer in his day, if fact he still goes into his office. Now the head of family that includes many grandchildren and greats, he is doing fine until...... he sees a ghost from the past, Vivian Adair, a dark haired beauty wearing a red hat, the only problem, Vivian Adair is dead, died long ago. Milo has a stroke and now he is not doing so fine, what does Vivian's ghost want?
I was attracted to cover, love the black, white with the red, very visual. Also the subject matter was a novel one for me, back in the earlier 1900's, the heyday of the big musical productions and the atmosphere really takes the reader back. Singers, actors, songwriters, Milo and his partner, their stories separately and together, and the advent of Vivian. Modern day story, a granddaughter charged with writing a book about her grandfather's life happens upon a discrepancy, and sets out to discover what is troubling him from the past. Of course, she has help, much to the dismay of the rest of the family.
A lighter book. family secrets, a tromp back to Broadway times and a wonderful character in Milo, an old man with secrets and retreats of his own. Slowly paced, but an entertaining read.
I was attracted to cover, love the black, white with the red, very visual. Also the subject matter was a novel one for me, back in the earlier 1900's, the heyday of the big musical productions and the atmosphere really takes the reader back. Singers, actors, songwriters, Milo and his partner, their stories separately and together, and the advent of Vivian. Modern day story, a granddaughter charged with writing a book about her grandfather's life happens upon a discrepancy, and sets out to discover what is troubling him from the past. Of course, she has help, much to the dismay of the rest of the family.
A lighter book. family secrets, a tromp back to Broadway times and a wonderful character in Milo, an old man with secrets and retreats of his own. Slowly paced, but an entertaining read.
October 9, 2016
So many engrossing novels about the entertainment industry in the 1920’s and 1930’s have been written this year. Vivian in Red focuses on the magic of Broadway in its early years, and the evolution from vaudeville to staged musicals. Riggle also weaves in the role Tin Pan Alley played in contributing to the theater.
As the book opens, 88-year-old Milo Short, a Broadway lyricist and producer, still participates in his family business Milo Short Productions. As he is leaving work one day, he sees a woman from his past, Vivian Adair, as she would have looked when he knew her in the 1930’s. Startled, he collapses and is rushed to the hospital. Diagnosed with a stroke, Milo recovers the use of his limbs, but not his voice. Meanwhile he continues to see and hear Vivian speak to him. As the story oscillates between the 1930’s and 1999, the story of Milo’s life and relationship with Vivian unfold.
Since I love going to see Broadway shows, I particularly loved the sections relating to the early Broadway shows and Tin Pan Alley. Milo’s show for which he wrote the lyrics, The High Hat, ran at the New Amsterdam, a theater I have been to many times. I was mesmerized by the references to Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, the Gershwins, and other famous people from that era. Riggle works the real life details in seamlessly, and I found it all truly fascinating.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it. For theatre lovers, it is a must read. I am already looking forward to Kristina Riggle’s next book.
As the book opens, 88-year-old Milo Short, a Broadway lyricist and producer, still participates in his family business Milo Short Productions. As he is leaving work one day, he sees a woman from his past, Vivian Adair, as she would have looked when he knew her in the 1930’s. Startled, he collapses and is rushed to the hospital. Diagnosed with a stroke, Milo recovers the use of his limbs, but not his voice. Meanwhile he continues to see and hear Vivian speak to him. As the story oscillates between the 1930’s and 1999, the story of Milo’s life and relationship with Vivian unfold.
Since I love going to see Broadway shows, I particularly loved the sections relating to the early Broadway shows and Tin Pan Alley. Milo’s show for which he wrote the lyrics, The High Hat, ran at the New Amsterdam, a theater I have been to many times. I was mesmerized by the references to Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, the Gershwins, and other famous people from that era. Riggle works the real life details in seamlessly, and I found it all truly fascinating.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it. For theatre lovers, it is a must read. I am already looking forward to Kristina Riggle’s next book.
October 26, 2022
Vivian in Red was a dual timeline historical fiction book set in modern and 1930s NY. Kristina had a way of making me feel like I was experiencing the story. Also, her characters were well developed and likable. Highly recommended for fans of Broadway and theatre lovers in general. It was a nice book with themes of family, following your dream, confronting the past, and secrets. 3.5★s though I hovered over 4★s for a bit. By the way, Xe Sands and Chris Lutkin did a good job of narrating.
August 27, 2016
What a wonderful novel about confronting your past when it rears its head. It's about family bonds and how they can survive even the smallest glimmer of doubt.
I loved Mili, Vivian and Eleanor they were all very distinct characters that were bound together by family and history.
I loved Mili, Vivian and Eleanor they were all very distinct characters that were bound together by family and history.
June 5, 2017
This was the first novel I have sat down with and throughly enjoyed reading. I wish I had taken the time to write down all the amazing one liners in this story but I was too caught up in the reading. I adore that Milo and Eleanor. Such a delicious read.
September 29, 2016
Outstanding.
December 23, 2016
At first I was intrigued but I am not one to like "ghosts." I tried to adapt to that concept...I kept reading until the story began to drag on and on, becoming quite predictable. Meh.
Read
February 27, 2023Loved this book--didn't want to put it down!
May 6, 2017
Famed Broadway producer Milo Short may be eighty-eight but that doesn't stop him from going to the office every day. So when he steps out of his Upper West Side brownstone on one exceptionally hot morning, he's not expecting to see the impossible: a woman from his life sixty years ago, cherry red lips, bright red hat, winking at him on a New York sidewalk, looking just as beautiful as she did back in 1934.
The sight causes him to suffer a stroke. And when he comes to, the renowned lyricist discovers he has lost the ability to communicate. Milo believes he must unravel his complicated history with Vivian Adair in order to win back his words. But he needs help—in the form of his granddaughter Eleanor—failed journalist and family misfit. Tapped to write her grandfather’s definitive biography, Eleanor must dig into Milo’s colorful past to discover the real story behind Milo’s greatest song Love Me, I Guess, and the mysterious woman who inspired an amazing life.
MY THOUGHTS:
A dual time line story with a mystery at its core, Vivian in Red captured my interest immediately. Why did the vision of Vivian Adair topple poor Milo, and catapult him into the past via visions he now sees and cannot describe, as he has lost his voice?
Granddaughter Eleanor is aware of the visions, although she does not know the meaning. She may be onto something, however, as a stranger named Alexander has called to ask about Milo, and to suggest a more than passing connection between Milo and Vivian.
I liked how the story unfolded by showing us moments in the past, along with Eleanor’s searches from the present while interviewing Milo as best she can. Through gestures and yes and no questions, she finds out more than any of the others have managed. I felt a connection with Eleanor, the grandchild without parents, the condescension she feels from the aunts, uncles, and cousins. The one they now turn to for this final tribute to Milo: a biography that will come out at the same time as a musical revival from the past.
Milo’s son Paul and daughter Rebekah were annoying in the way they demanded things from Eleanor, so I was happy when she started standing up for herself, making them realize that she will do what she can, but at her own pace.
Her boyfriend Daniel has left her, so moving into her grandfather’s home feels right. While interviewing Milo and doing her research, she has time to ponder her choices.
From the glimpses into the past that revealed Vivian’s layers, I had mixed feelings about her. She seemed like a manipulative user who somehow captivated Milo, and is now holding him hostage in his silence. What were the secrets between them? How can Milo be freed from the past? Another brilliant book from an author I enjoy, this one earned 5 stars.
The sight causes him to suffer a stroke. And when he comes to, the renowned lyricist discovers he has lost the ability to communicate. Milo believes he must unravel his complicated history with Vivian Adair in order to win back his words. But he needs help—in the form of his granddaughter Eleanor—failed journalist and family misfit. Tapped to write her grandfather’s definitive biography, Eleanor must dig into Milo’s colorful past to discover the real story behind Milo’s greatest song Love Me, I Guess, and the mysterious woman who inspired an amazing life.
MY THOUGHTS:
A dual time line story with a mystery at its core, Vivian in Red captured my interest immediately. Why did the vision of Vivian Adair topple poor Milo, and catapult him into the past via visions he now sees and cannot describe, as he has lost his voice?
Granddaughter Eleanor is aware of the visions, although she does not know the meaning. She may be onto something, however, as a stranger named Alexander has called to ask about Milo, and to suggest a more than passing connection between Milo and Vivian.
I liked how the story unfolded by showing us moments in the past, along with Eleanor’s searches from the present while interviewing Milo as best she can. Through gestures and yes and no questions, she finds out more than any of the others have managed. I felt a connection with Eleanor, the grandchild without parents, the condescension she feels from the aunts, uncles, and cousins. The one they now turn to for this final tribute to Milo: a biography that will come out at the same time as a musical revival from the past.
Milo’s son Paul and daughter Rebekah were annoying in the way they demanded things from Eleanor, so I was happy when she started standing up for herself, making them realize that she will do what she can, but at her own pace.
Her boyfriend Daniel has left her, so moving into her grandfather’s home feels right. While interviewing Milo and doing her research, she has time to ponder her choices.
From the glimpses into the past that revealed Vivian’s layers, I had mixed feelings about her. She seemed like a manipulative user who somehow captivated Milo, and is now holding him hostage in his silence. What were the secrets between them? How can Milo be freed from the past? Another brilliant book from an author I enjoy, this one earned 5 stars.
November 27, 2016
The main character is just that--a character. Milo Short is eighty-eight but still goes to the office every day. He is a famed Broadway producer. He believes he must unravel his complicated history with Vivian Adair in order to win back his When he steps out of his Upper West Side brownstone one morning, he sees a woman from his life sixty years ago winking at him on a New York sidewalk, looking as beautiful as she did back in 1934. The shock causes him to suffer a stroke and lose the ability to communicate. He must win back his ability to speak , but he needs help from his granddaughter Eleanor who is a failed journalist and family misfit. She has been chosen to write her father's definitive biography, she must dig into his past and discover the real story behind Milo's greatest song Love Me, I Guess and the mysterious woman who inspired an amazing life. As Eleanor gets closer to the truth, what she uncovers is even more surprising than the twists in one of Milo's lauded plays. Here we have a love story, riveting mystery, and historical drama set eighty years apart. The reader discovers Broadway the way they never could have imagined and learn how two men collaborated to write enduring music.
July 31, 2017
I love the theatre and New York City. I love stories about pre-World War II Jewish families in New York. And I live in Michigan and even drove to Ludington for a weekend after a break-up. Plus I bought this book because it was a Michigan author. But it was nevertheless so dull that I kept having to make myself read it.
SPOILERS, A WARNING:
Having a lead author who has had a stroke and cannot take is hard, especially when that goes on for 4/5th or more of the book. I grew to sort of like Milo Schwartz/Short but only because of his love for his granddaughter Eleanor who is trying to write a biography of him. The device of having the "Vivian" being a ghost was also a drag, especially when the contrivance went on to having her out of Milo's life almost up to the day in which his beloved wife-to-be (Beatrice, or "Bee") becomes part of it. And a DNA test exonerates him as being the grandfather of the young Michigan man who becomes Eleanor's new love interest is also just too too contrived. I really think this book is a 2.5 but, hey, I will give it a 3 because I don't want to harm an aspiring Michigan author--but, oh no, even that isn't so. This person has published 4 or 5 other books, none of which I have heard of before.
SPOILERS, A WARNING:
Having a lead author who has had a stroke and cannot take is hard, especially when that goes on for 4/5th or more of the book. I grew to sort of like Milo Schwartz/Short but only because of his love for his granddaughter Eleanor who is trying to write a biography of him. The device of having the "Vivian" being a ghost was also a drag, especially when the contrivance went on to having her out of Milo's life almost up to the day in which his beloved wife-to-be (Beatrice, or "Bee") becomes part of it. And a DNA test exonerates him as being the grandfather of the young Michigan man who becomes Eleanor's new love interest is also just too too contrived. I really think this book is a 2.5 but, hey, I will give it a 3 because I don't want to harm an aspiring Michigan author--but, oh no, even that isn't so. This person has published 4 or 5 other books, none of which I have heard of before.
February 4, 2017
Another great book from Kristina Riggle!! I can tell the amount of time, effort and study goes into her books. My 2 favorite quotes: "Life is short, except when it's long, and then you have so many more years to regret.". And the one that is really stuck in my brain "...Are we telling ourselves lies and stories all the time? But if that's so, why don't we tell happier stories?". Everyone should read at least ONE Kristina Riggle book!!!
October 21, 2017
An unusual lead character (88 year old man who has had a stroke) and an interesting setting (Broadway 1936) kept me going through some slow places. It picked up as it went and my overall impression was "Good book!"
September 19, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed. Milo was my favorite character. He's one that I thought of during the day. I had to know how it ended, so I took a break from work to finish the last few chapters!
February 12, 2018
Vivian
An easy book with lots of sentiment but little depth. It might be a 30's movie musical with a struggling song writer but no stage honey.
An easy book with lots of sentiment but little depth. It might be a 30's movie musical with a struggling song writer but no stage honey.
August 20, 2018
Sadly I just couldn’t get into the book. Too much going on. Dual timelines with multiple voices. Ugh. Disappointed.
April 3, 2022
Just couldn't get into it. 100 pages in and back to the library she goes
July 28, 2016
"Famed Broadway producer Milo Short may be eighty-eight but that doesn't stop him from going to the office every day. So when he steps out of his Upper West Side brownstone on one exceptionally hot morning, he's not expecting to see the impossible: a woman from his life sixty years ago, cherry red lips, bright red hat, winking at him on a New York sidewalk, looking just as beautiful as she did back in 1934.
The sight causes him to suffer a stroke. And when he comes to, the renowned lyricist discovers he has lost the ability to communicate. Milo believes he must unravel his complicated history with Vivian Adair in order to win back his words. But he needs help—in the form of his granddaughter Eleanor— failed journalist and family misfit. Tapped to write her grandfather’s definitive biography, Eleanor must dig into Milo’s colorful past to discover the real story behind Milo’s greatest song Love Me, I Guess, and the mysterious woman who inspired an amazing life."
In 1999 Milo is the recently widowed patriarch of a high achieving family. He lives surrounded by children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He still goes into his production company even though his son is the running the place now. The business isn't doing as well as it used to and his son wants to do a revival of the last musical Milo wrote, The High Hat, along with commissioning a biography of Milo as a tie-in. Milo is opposed to both.
He's leaving the office after telling his son that when he sees a woman he knew in the 1930s. She looks exactly like she did then. She looks at him and he collapses. When he wakes up he is unable to speak or use his right hand. Robbed of ways to communicate, he has to figure out why Vivian Adair is haunting him without looking so confused that his family insists on a nursing home.
Now that Milo can't voice his objections, the plans for the revival go ahead. His granddaughter Eleanor is chosen to write the biography. She is the only person who seems to understand that Milo is still lucid and aware and she doesn't talk past him. In her interviews with the son of his writing partner she hears the name Vivian and starts to investigate why that family thinks that this Vivian ruined everything.
I loved Milo and Eleanor!
Milo's mind is fast, as fits a lyricist, and he has a great sense of humor that comes through even when he is locked inside himself. Eleanor has always been seen as the family misfit because she is quiet and she isn't ambitious. The rest of the family feels like they need to manage her life for her since she isn't doing it up to their standards on her own. She feels bad about being handed a book deal that is both a charity project for her and something that she knows her grandfather doesn't want. Now she's gone and uncovered a scandal so everyone will be mad at her.
The author writes both time periods well. There are little details from each era that anchor the writing firmly in that time. Some of the social attitudes of the characters are jarring to modern thinking but seem accurate for the time and the place.
I stayed up past my bedtime to find out more about Vivian role in Milo's past. The mystery was well done with no easy easy to guess answers.
I would recommend this to any historical fiction fans even if you aren't a fan of ghost stories. The ghost aspect is just a way to get Milo to start focusing on this aspect of his past. It isn't written as a scary or horror-type story. Ghost Vivian mostly just makes sarcastic comments that only Milo can hear.
This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story
The sight causes him to suffer a stroke. And when he comes to, the renowned lyricist discovers he has lost the ability to communicate. Milo believes he must unravel his complicated history with Vivian Adair in order to win back his words. But he needs help—in the form of his granddaughter Eleanor— failed journalist and family misfit. Tapped to write her grandfather’s definitive biography, Eleanor must dig into Milo’s colorful past to discover the real story behind Milo’s greatest song Love Me, I Guess, and the mysterious woman who inspired an amazing life."
In 1999 Milo is the recently widowed patriarch of a high achieving family. He lives surrounded by children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He still goes into his production company even though his son is the running the place now. The business isn't doing as well as it used to and his son wants to do a revival of the last musical Milo wrote, The High Hat, along with commissioning a biography of Milo as a tie-in. Milo is opposed to both.
He's leaving the office after telling his son that when he sees a woman he knew in the 1930s. She looks exactly like she did then. She looks at him and he collapses. When he wakes up he is unable to speak or use his right hand. Robbed of ways to communicate, he has to figure out why Vivian Adair is haunting him without looking so confused that his family insists on a nursing home.
Now that Milo can't voice his objections, the plans for the revival go ahead. His granddaughter Eleanor is chosen to write the biography. She is the only person who seems to understand that Milo is still lucid and aware and she doesn't talk past him. In her interviews with the son of his writing partner she hears the name Vivian and starts to investigate why that family thinks that this Vivian ruined everything.
I loved Milo and Eleanor!
Milo's mind is fast, as fits a lyricist, and he has a great sense of humor that comes through even when he is locked inside himself. Eleanor has always been seen as the family misfit because she is quiet and she isn't ambitious. The rest of the family feels like they need to manage her life for her since she isn't doing it up to their standards on her own. She feels bad about being handed a book deal that is both a charity project for her and something that she knows her grandfather doesn't want. Now she's gone and uncovered a scandal so everyone will be mad at her.
The author writes both time periods well. There are little details from each era that anchor the writing firmly in that time. Some of the social attitudes of the characters are jarring to modern thinking but seem accurate for the time and the place.
I stayed up past my bedtime to find out more about Vivian role in Milo's past. The mystery was well done with no easy easy to guess answers.
I would recommend this to any historical fiction fans even if you aren't a fan of ghost stories. The ghost aspect is just a way to get Milo to start focusing on this aspect of his past. It isn't written as a scary or horror-type story. Ghost Vivian mostly just makes sarcastic comments that only Milo can hear.
This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story
September 22, 2016
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway. I follow Kristina Riggle on goodreads and have read almost all her books so I was looking forward to reading this book . It's a good historical fiction based on New York in the 1930's jazz age. A family drama with some famous composers mentioned. I really enjoyed it....
October 23, 2016
A beautiful read about a decades old mystery, Vivian in Red is the story of famed Broadway producer Milo Short. One day, as he's strolling down a New York City street, he sees a woman from his past: Vivian Adair. But seeing Vivian isn't what makes Milo's heart stop. It's the fact that Vivian looks exactly the same as she did 60 years ago.
With this intro, Kristina Riggle takes us on a journey of Milo's past and his story with Vivian, alongside the story of Milo's granddaughter Eleanor who is recovering from a broken heart, while trying to find out more about her grandfather's past for a book she has been commissioned to write about his life.
A beautiful but heartbreaking story, Vivian in Red is a superb novel of New York in the 1930s and how our past can come back to haunt us until we put things right.
With this intro, Kristina Riggle takes us on a journey of Milo's past and his story with Vivian, alongside the story of Milo's granddaughter Eleanor who is recovering from a broken heart, while trying to find out more about her grandfather's past for a book she has been commissioned to write about his life.
A beautiful but heartbreaking story, Vivian in Red is a superb novel of New York in the 1930s and how our past can come back to haunt us until we put things right.
January 15, 2017
Having recently visited Broadway, I was especially excited to read this novel. While something of a departure for Riggle -- it takes place in NYC, as opposed to somewhere in Michigan, and spans decades, as opposed to a matter of days or weeks -- her usual understanding of family dynamics, humor, and deft plotting come into play. This one kept me entertained and guessing till the end. Loved it!
August 22, 2017
I have read all of Kristina's books, and this is my favorite! It kept my interest all the way through, I loved the character Milo, he is funny, and I could totally picture him, that comes with great writing, and detail. The flashbacks, the present, how he saw Vivian now, all came together Beautifully ;) I'm looking forward to your next book, and supporting a fellow Michigander😊
December 10, 2016
I'm a huge fan of Kristina Riggle but I will be honest and say the first fifty pages were a bit hard for me. However, that's where writing other great books pays off because I stuck with it because I trust her as an author and really ended up enjoying this book a lot and I definitely recommend it!
September 17, 2017
Loved this book! Great story about the writing of a musicals. Love the comic side of Milo and the serious granddaughter. Vivian was the vision that held the story together. Looking forward to reading more books by this author and it's a plus that she is from Michigan!
September 20, 2016
Enjoyable reading
I have read all of this author's books and found them all enjoyable. She doesn't stick to one particular genre or topic so I never know what to expect.
I have read all of this author's books and found them all enjoyable. She doesn't stick to one particular genre or topic so I never know what to expect.
August 1, 2018
I really enjoyed it, but the constant back and forth was very hard for me to read it consistently
December 14, 2016
Leaning towards 3.5 to 3.75 Highly enjoyable, if not deep.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews