The Audrey Hepburn Heist: A Charlotte Donovan Mystery

A Classic Star Biography Mystery #2

by Mollie Cox Bryan

When it comes to writing Golden Age Hollywood biographies, the pen is deadlier than the sword.

Charlotte Donovan's life changed drastically when her boss died, leaving her a grand New York City apartment and a small fortune, but with stipulations. While writing an Audrey Hepburn biography, Charlotte consults on a new "Holly Golightly" miniseries, and a reality TV show where America selects the lead of the new series. When the actress who's the national favorite is murdered at Charlotte's cast party, she feels obligated to pursue justice for the young ingenue.

Charlotte, along with her detective boyfriend and best friend, follow a a dangerous trail of smoke and mirrors. Nothing is as it appears, and nobody is who they seem to be, starting with the murder victim. With each detail Charlotte unearths, the more frightened she becomes—and the more determined.

Genres: Cozy Mystery

294 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 24, 22

Reviews

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas's Thoughts

Charlotte Donovan is still adjusting to her life following her boss's death. She inherited Justine Turner's elite New York City apartment, some other treasures, and cash, but it comes with some conditions.

She is working on a biography of Audrey Hepburn and has been hired as a consultant for a new "Holly Golightly" miniseries and a reality TV show to select which actress will play the lead in the miniseries. One of Justine's stipulations was that she hold parties in the apartment so she decided to invite everyone connected to the project and other "Hollywood folks" to her new home. Charlotte has befriended Gemma, the national favorite for the Hepburn role, and is shocked when the young woman collapses, stops breathing and dies in the middle of the party.  Her death is ruled a homicide and Charlotte, Den, her detective boyfriend, and her best friend Kate vow to get justice for Gemma but they soon see it isn't going easy.

____

Charlotte has the drive to do many things but her body sometimes holds her back. She suffers from Lyme Disease and stress can lead to some brutal flareups and trailing a murderer is extremely stressful. The people around her understand and push her to take care of herself. Her boyfriend, Sergeant Den Brophy tries to keep her out of danger but she is a stubborn woman. She also has mad research skills which he appreciates. Her BFF Kate is usually her sleuthing partner and is up for anything but strives to keep her out of trouble too.

Ms. Bryan has put forth a complex mystery. It seems nothing is as it appears and the more Charlotte, Den, and Kate dig into the case the more complicated it becomes. I was captivated with each turn of the page as all the mysteries were untangled, entangled, and untangled again. It led up to a surprising climax for both Charlotte and this reader. It also led to a wonderful little adventure for Den and Charlotte.

I love old movies but it has been a long time since I have watched Breakfast at Tiffany's or the 1954 version of Sabrina, My Fair Lady, or her other fabulous films.  While I knew of her humanitarian work I certainly wasn't familiar with her early history so I was not only drawn in by the current mystery but also by Charlotte's research and her work on the new biography.

The Audrey Hepburn Heist is a supremely well-plotted mystery that keeps readers guessing until the very end. I have become invested in Charlotte Donovan's life and now look forward to seeing what Ms. Bryan has in store for her in Book 3, Hedy Lamarr's Lost Ecstasy. It hits bookstores on June 15, 2024.

Note: the book contains some explicit language.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the first book in this series I couldn't wait for this one. Charlotte is such an interesting character with a fascinating career writing biographies of famous Hollywood icons. I loved learning about Audrey Hepburn and all of the mysteries of her life that Charlotte uncovers throughout the book. The mystery had so many facets that I was kept wondering up to the end. I hope that there will be more books in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlotte Donovan has inherited Justine’s apartment, sort of. In order to live there it come with certain requirements. One requirement is to host a party.
What a party it turns out to be! Murder and a jewel heist. The party is an unforgettable event.
I learned some interesting things about Audrey Hepburn that had me doing more research into her.
The story drew me in and definitely kept me captivated until the end.

I received an ARC prior to publication and decided to voluntarily review it.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

To inherit her late boss’s estate, Charlotte Donovan is required to host a party. Murder and jewel heist make it an event to remember! This brilliantly crafted book draws you in and doesn’t let go until all is revealed in the end. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next one. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.

[Rose Mcclarin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book, it's fascinating to learn so much about Audrey Hepburn while a mystery unfolds. I was so caught up in the story that I read straight through the night. The characters are so relatable and the fast-paced action to the shocking reveal at the end of who the killer really was - it was mind
blowing. Hope this series continues, the book is so well written you leave wanting more.

[Rosemary K · Rating 5 out of 5]

When her employer was murdered, Charlotte Donovan inherited a luxury apartment in a historic Art Deco high rise which has a secret room filled with rare Hollywood memorabilia. Only her boyfriend and her BFF know about these treasures. During a party to promote a new reality show, one of the actresses is poisoned and Charlotte discovers that diamonds given to Audrey Hepburn were stolen. Den Brophy, her boyfriend and a police detective, is in charge of investigating the death of Gemma. He's concerned that Charlotte may have been the target. Why was Gemma murdered was it a mistake or to stop her getting the part of Holly Golightly? Only the killer knows. I was sure that Charlotte and her BFF would be investigating. Charlotte has great research skills. If anyone can find the connection between Audrey Hepburn's jewels and this current murder, it will be Charlotte. I was pulled into this complicated mystery by the references to Breakfast at Tiffany's and Holly Golightly. These factoids added spice to The Audrey Hepburn Heist. I loved the main characters. I was glad to see the romance between Charlotte and Den grow closer. In addition, the dialogue sparkles and the setting fascinates me. I'm enjoying this series. Mollie Cox Bryan weavers fact and fiction effortlessly. I'm looking forward to seeing Charlotte's next adventure. There are unanswered questions that need resolution.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever seen “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and do you remember Audrey Hepburn as Holly Go-Lightly? Mollie Cox Bryan’s latest Charlotte Donovan Mystery will delight you both in memory and her research of Audrey Hepburn. Charlotte has grown in her role as researcher/author not only in coming into her own after the death of her author boss but acknowledging her limitations with her Lyme disease. At a party for the reality tv show to find an actress to represent Audrey Hepburn, the leading contender is poisoned and dies in Charlotte’s deluxe apartment. Two questions stand emerge: the murderer had to be at the apartment at the time of the poisoning but the elimination of the suspects before another murder occurs because is it possible that the poisoned drink could have been meant for Charlotte? This is the second in the series and I’m thinking of endless movie stars for a long stand of this series. I received an ARC from the author and this is my honest review.

[Candy Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breakfast at Tiffanys revisited.

Good story. I enjoy reading historical fiction because it is an easy way to learn. Molly Cox Bryan has a great carries and I recommend it to any Hollywood/NYC fans.

[Judy Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Hollywood era icon mystery. You enjoy these characters as they continue to follow clues to solve the mystery

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun romp, and includes interesting background on Audrey Hepburn.

[dnsyl57 · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Charlotte Donovan's life changed drastically when her boss died, leaving her a grand New York City apartment and a small fortune, but with stipulations. While writing an Audrey Hepburn biography, Charlotte consults on a new "Holly Golightly" miniseries, and a reality TV show where America selects the lead of the new series. When the actress who's the national favorite is murdered at Charlotte's cast party, she feels obligated to pursue justice for the young ingenue.

Charlotte, along with her detective boyfriend and best friend, follow a a dangerous trail of smoke and mirrors. Nothing is as it appears, and nobody is who they seem to be, starting with the murder victim. With each detail Charlotte unearths, the more frightened she becomes—and the more determined."

My thoughts:
I recall watching several Audrey Hepburn movies in my younger years, knew a bit of her history during the war and her work with UNICEF. Mixing the facts of her real life with some intriguing fictional details created an interesting read. I had suspicions of who was behind the murder at the party but getting to the who and why, kept me turning the pages as secrets and lies were exposed as well as more questions that needed to be answered!

Charlotte Donovan lives with the long term issues of Lyme disease. Her health struggles can limit her if she isn't careful. For those of us who live with disabilities, this makes her far more relatable. I love her independence but also understand her frustration with her (sometimes) limitations. Her BFF Kate is a force of nature, loyal and fiercely protective in watching out for her. Den and Charlotte make a great team - in both detecting and romance. The dialogue of these three characters feels real. The occasional lightness and humor is a welcome addition.

Though Ms. Bryan states in her Author's Notes that she isn't sure if there will be a follow-up to this book due to previous publishing issues, I sincerely hope that there is a third book at some point as there are MANY questions yet to be explored and answered with the main characters!

However, as much as I enjoyed this book, I was also distracted by a large number of typos. Most of them were quite minor. A small word added or missing. The wrong tense of a word. A letter dropped from a word (hip rather than chip or rip rather than trip). A handful of wrong words and a couple of places where a characters name was changed. All in all, I noted just over 40 typos which was far too distracting.

If I were rating the book strictly on the story, I'd give it 5 stars but I can't ignore that many typos so can only give this otherwise interesting read 3 stars. JMO

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Audrey Hepburn Heist is book #2 in the Charlotte Donovan Mystery series by Mollie Cox Bryan.

Charlotte is hosting a party as stipulation of her former boss’ will. The guests are part of a new reality show where America chooses the new Holly Golightly.

I am familiar with Audrey Hepburn’s work with UNICEF, but not a lot about her early years. It was interesting to hear more about her early years. I didn’t care for Charlotte. She seemed very self-centered and didn’t care about the feelings of others. Even though this is a stand-alone story, I think I would have benefited from reading the The Jean Harlow: Bombshell book first. There were a lot of references to Justine, her former boss, and I think it may have given more context about why Charlotte acts the way she does.

Thank you to the author for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Kaitlyn Dunnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warning: May contain spoilers.



I mostly enjoyed this sequel to The Jean Harlow Bombshell, but the presence of many many typos was very distracting. I also really wish, since the author note stated this is probably the end of the series, that the two issues with Charlotte's past had been resolved. She needed to confess to her past as a "badge bunny" to Den and also deal with her father's reappearance. There's no real reason both issues couldn't have been resolved in this book. Also never explained was the significance, if there was one, of Zoe sharing a psychologist with Charlotte's enemy from the first book.

[Debbie Hagedorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second in a Series

This is the second novel in the Charlotte Donovan mystery series. The first centered on Jean Harlow. The premise revolves around a celebrity biographer around whom murder and other crimes often happen. Charlotte has a police detective boyfriend who is usually on the case. Her strengths lie in her research ability, which can be helpful, but also deadly.
These are interesting mysteries with the added twist of celebrity tidbits. If you are a fan of traditional whodunit with an old Hollywood twist, you’ll enjoy the Charlotte Donovan series.

[Virginia Kessen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another delightful book about a writer of celebrity biographies and the mysteries that present themselves to her. The book needed a little closer proof-reading. A few times I had to stop and figure what word was meant instead of the word on the page but the plot and execution more than make up for those few flaws. I certainly hope there are more books in the series. I want to know what's happening with Charlotte's father and the story behind the mystery room.

[Susan Barno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mystery with great characters and a mystery story line centered around an iconic legend. Well written and easy to follow. Nice twist I didn’t see coming based on history. I recently read the biography by Audrey Hepburns son so had learned a lot about her life as a child and the Nazis which added to my understanding of why the plot had any mention of Nazis. It wasn’t as random as someone might think.

I definitely would read more historical fiction by this author.

[Jennifer Thompson-Thalasinos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book about a reality show to pick the next Holly Golightly for a new miniseries on what happens after Breakfast at Tiffany’s and author Charlotte Donovan who is writing a biography on Audrey Hepburn’s life while overseeing this show. I loved all the Audrey Hepburn references and the idea that someone has an apartment full of the priceless belongings of actresses from yesterday.