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Chicago Movie Girls
Desperation, Drama, Deception--Three sisters in 1914 fight for success in Chicago’s early movie industry, but face betrayal and danger. When Rae Kelly picks a pocket, the empty wallet contains only a list of mysterious numbers. After Lukas Krantz, a local gangster, buys the wallet and paper, he gives Rae and her two sisters an entry into RidgeW Pictures, where Matt Ridgewood struggles to make his studio competitive. Sensible Rae lies about her age to star as a child adventurer. Gorgeous Lily plays a sweet heroine in westerns while aiming for a rich society husband. Reckless Delia abandons her farmer-husband and takes off her clothes for the camera. Loyal to each other, the sisters struggle with misplaced passions, deception, looming World War I, and even murder.
374 pages, Paperback
Published July 25, 2017
About the author
Diana C. Reep
10 books39 followersDiana Reep, writing as D. C. Reep, has been a writer since she told horror stories to classmates in elementary school. As an English professor, she taught film, popular culture, technical writing, and the Arthurian legend. No longer grading papers, she’s writing historical fiction set around 1900. In her free time, she travels to historic sites, Civil War battlefields being a special favorite. Her books focus on real events. The Dangerous Summer of Jesse Turner, follows three teens into danger with Colonel Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War of 1898. Kiss’d, a YA adventure, combines a ghost, time travel, danger, and romance in World War I. Chicago Movie Girls is a story about three sisters in the early silent movie days when Chicago was a center for movie production. Luke Under Fire begins with the first big battle of WW1 and a regiment ordered to resist to the end. She lives in the Midwest and crosses her fingers every fall that the coming winter will be mild.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 20, 2020
As I usually say I would have finished this faster, but I binge read most of it in two days. This book is amazing.
It starts with a really good build, and makes you feel as though the plot will thicken quickly. While it does thicken quickly, what it really needs is its own chorus for the last eight chapters. It makes you feel like a sequel is indeed necessary. Alas...not sure they can create that, at least not one with this climax, but I dare ‘em to try...this book is co authored so you have a make and female POV on characters.
This book takes place Rt before the 1918 pandemic, it’s 1914 WWI Chicago. Rt before America entered the war.
This book is historical fiction, and although the characters most of which aren’t real, the studios, and concepts of corruption in Chicago’s “Hollywood” filled with corruption, gangsters, paid off politicians, paid off policeman, and snotty elitist society members are real.
I didn’t expect my favorite character to be Rae, she was the bread and butter of the book. I believe others will feel differently, as it just depends on what character/personality you gravitate to. I found myself rooting for the gangster, as I tend to not root for characters who are spineless and lead to no adventure within a story line.
The tale is about three sisters from no-where-ville making it in Chicago’s silent film industry. It is a rags to riches tale.
I couldn’t put it down, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
It starts with a really good build, and makes you feel as though the plot will thicken quickly. While it does thicken quickly, what it really needs is its own chorus for the last eight chapters. It makes you feel like a sequel is indeed necessary. Alas...not sure they can create that, at least not one with this climax, but I dare ‘em to try...this book is co authored so you have a make and female POV on characters.
This book takes place Rt before the 1918 pandemic, it’s 1914 WWI Chicago. Rt before America entered the war.
This book is historical fiction, and although the characters most of which aren’t real, the studios, and concepts of corruption in Chicago’s “Hollywood” filled with corruption, gangsters, paid off politicians, paid off policeman, and snotty elitist society members are real.
I didn’t expect my favorite character to be Rae, she was the bread and butter of the book. I believe others will feel differently, as it just depends on what character/personality you gravitate to. I found myself rooting for the gangster, as I tend to not root for characters who are spineless and lead to no adventure within a story line.
The tale is about three sisters from no-where-ville making it in Chicago’s silent film industry. It is a rags to riches tale.
I couldn’t put it down, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
March 9, 2026
This is a story about three sisters trying to become movie stars in Chicago, 1915. The fledgling movie studio is supported by a mobster who falls in love with one of the sisters. I enjoyed the book and was interested in the descriptions of making silent movies in 1915. Hollywood was not yet the center of movie making.
July 15, 2024
This. Was. AWESOME!!!!
It needed an editor for a few easy fixes, but this was a fun, terrific read with an excellent plot that I couldn't put down. Every part was was interesting, and I want to read it again. Books like this are why I read.
This had a place on my Favorite Books shelf before I was halfway done.
Authors, I love you for this. THANK YOU.
My nerdy little girl heart who is now an adult thanks you for this.
Hearts everywhere! SQUEE!!!
It needed an editor for a few easy fixes, but this was a fun, terrific read with an excellent plot that I couldn't put down. Every part was was interesting, and I want to read it again. Books like this are why I read.
This had a place on my Favorite Books shelf before I was halfway done.
Authors, I love you for this. THANK YOU.
My nerdy little girl heart who is now an adult thanks you for this.
Hearts everywhere! SQUEE!!!
June 24, 2026
Chicago Movie Girls by Diana C. Reep and E.A. Allen delivers a compelling blend of historical fiction and character-driven drama set against the backdrop of the early film industry.
What stands out is the dynamic between the three sisters, each with distinct ambitions and personalities, navigating a world filled with opportunity, risk, and moral complexity. Their individual paths create a layered narrative that keeps things engaging throughout.
The setting adds strong atmosphere, bringing to life a time of change and ambition, while the underlying tension of secrets and shifting loyalties keeps the story moving.
For readers who enjoy historical drama with strong character arcs and emotional stakes, this is an engaging and immersive read.
What stands out is the dynamic between the three sisters, each with distinct ambitions and personalities, navigating a world filled with opportunity, risk, and moral complexity. Their individual paths create a layered narrative that keeps things engaging throughout.
The setting adds strong atmosphere, bringing to life a time of change and ambition, while the underlying tension of secrets and shifting loyalties keeps the story moving.
For readers who enjoy historical drama with strong character arcs and emotional stakes, this is an engaging and immersive read.
October 3, 2021
This was a fun read about the movie industry in Chicago. With all the seedy parts of Chicago exposed as well as movie making. I liked the characters and wanted to know what was happening to them so it kept me reading.
It was a worth my time.
It was a worth my time.
February 3, 2023
I liked the book. There needs to be another book about what happened in Hollywood.
March 18, 2021
What a great book!
Such an excellent story. Impossible to put down. Brilliant characters. Would make a great movie. Very well researched. Loved the ending.
Such an excellent story. Impossible to put down. Brilliant characters. Would make a great movie. Very well researched. Loved the ending.
December 8, 2018
Different
Different kind of historical fiction than I usually read. I had no idea movies began production in Chicago, moving to California because of the year round weather and because land was cheap there (!!!). This story covers a lot of history from the 1920s and remains interesting and entertaining. I loved the characters and their surviving spirits. No goody two shoes characters, but good people, all the main characters. The book was well written. Only one misuse of a word that I noticed. ( "poured" instead of "pored") Not bad in these days of lazy editing.
Different kind of historical fiction than I usually read. I had no idea movies began production in Chicago, moving to California because of the year round weather and because land was cheap there (!!!). This story covers a lot of history from the 1920s and remains interesting and entertaining. I loved the characters and their surviving spirits. No goody two shoes characters, but good people, all the main characters. The book was well written. Only one misuse of a word that I noticed. ( "poured" instead of "pored") Not bad in these days of lazy editing.
July 10, 2019
Interesting story of sisters surviving in the early 1900's Chicago.
Three sisters in early 20th century Chicago struggle to survive after being abandoned by their father. Many interesting plot twists and turns make this a book I could not put down. Well defined characters present a picture of the early movie industry in Chicago before it moved to California. Centered on gangsters, actors, and the highest levels of society, you won't be disappointed by this story.
Three sisters in early 20th century Chicago struggle to survive after being abandoned by their father. Many interesting plot twists and turns make this a book I could not put down. Well defined characters present a picture of the early movie industry in Chicago before it moved to California. Centered on gangsters, actors, and the highest levels of society, you won't be disappointed by this story.
August 24, 2019
Read twice
Kept me so interested until the finish .so nice to read a book with no swearing and no dirty sex only a little titillating
Kept me so interested until the finish .so nice to read a book with no swearing and no dirty sex only a little titillating
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews