WHAT AMAZON MYSTERY LOVERS ARE SAYING ABOUT

WINGING IT

Winging IT

I fully recommend Winging IT, an excellent read, a little bit of everything, mystery, suspense, thrills and a romance that is true love. I needed to find out what happened next and found I was 'rooting' for Eddie and Clara all the way through the book. I think the story is well written, as I've found with all the H P Oliver novels that I have read.

~Peter Kennedy

Winging IT

Really enjoyed this book.

~Hettie Barker & Jenny Jumper

Winging IT

As a fan of the movie WINGS and it's female star, I was excited to see how this book took on those two topics. It is obvious to me that H. P. Oliver knows the *real* Clara Bow, as well as the classic old movies. This book takes you on an adventure from that captured me from the start.

One of the things I enjoyed most about Oliver's books is the fantastic description of Los Angeles and surrounding area in the late 1920's through the early 1940's.

~Les Cook

Highly recommend

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Love books about early Hollywood,whether fact or fiction,and this one lived up to expectations. Love Clara Bow and film "Wings". Book doesn't really go into making of movie but behind the scenes before film was made. Tells of a lovely romance between Ms.Bow & WW1 flying Ace Eddie Markham that would have made a wonderful true life story. If only. Ms.Bow deserved a much better life than she was dealt. Book contained no profanity or overtly sexual scenes,which was nice. Very sweet. Recommend highly. Am buying more of Mr.Oliver's books.

~Kim Dunn

Winging It: Reading a Movie in Technicolor and Surround Sound!

I have just read a movie in book form, Winging IT. This book should be a screen writer’s delight. The background story about is about the making of the move Wings in 1927 by Director William Wellman. The melody of the book is the enigmatic story of Clara Bow, early cinema’s great actress and comedian. It is also a story of the early processes, production, and intrigue of picture making.

I love the movies: all kinds of movies. I especially like movies with a great visuals and story line. The problem with good movies is it one evening’s entertainment.

I purposely drug out reading this book—I allowed myself a Chapter a Day. I wanted have this wonderful visual experience for as long as possible. Once again, H.P. Oliver has crafted a captivating reading experience with great: historical detail; intimate knowledge of the period; flying scenes that allowed me to take the ride; new insight into the career of Clara Bow: and, as usual, superior story telling.

~Lilly

This Book's Got IT!

I must confess: I’m a Hollywood trivia junkie, so as soon as I knew the premise of H.P. Oliver’s latest “Mysteries in History” novel Winging IT, I was sold. And sure enough, from the beginning of the book, I found myself hooked. On the setting, on the dialogue, on the characters, particularly the book’s “leading man” Edward Markham, who I immediately found fascinating as he brings his talents to the set of the film WINGS as an aviation consultant. It is within the context of this setting that Eddie crosses paths with the delightful and unforgettable silent screen beauty Clara Bow, who stars in the film, and I found myself awaiting with great anticipation their first interaction.

I enjoyed the dynamic between the two main characters in this wonderful blend of suspense, intrigue and romance. Some of the most suspenseful scenes had me on the edge of my seat, clicking through my e-reader faster than usual to learn the outcome. Readers get an up-close view of Hollywood magic right from the set and experience every beautiful nuance of flight straight from the cockpit. Oliver does a wonderful job pulling the reader deeper and deeper into the mystery surrounding a series of frightening and deadly incidents involving our box office superstar.. But who is behind it all? The author keeps us guessing until the end, and even if we think we are sure we know precisely how this great bit of storytelling will come to a close, not so fast! Suspenseful to the final page.

I highly recommend Winging IT for serious Hollywood film buffs and any reader who enjoys a thoughtful, intriguing mystery told through the voices of well-drawn characters in rich, textured settings. Can't wait for H.P. Oliver's next release!

~C. Kuhn "Cankuhn"

I Fully Recommend Winging IT!

I fully recommend Winging IT, an excellent read, a little bit of everything, mystery, suspense, thrills and a romance that is true love. I needed to find out what happened next and found I was 'rooting' for Eddie and Clara all the way through the book. I think the story is well written, as I've found with all the H P Oliver novels that I have read.

~Peter Kennedy (Amazon UK)

Epic!

Riveting drama! I literally couldn't put it down!! So many things going on! Having to use body English to hang on!! So much action. The ending will be more than a surprise. Have lots of popcorn handy!

~Diana S Johnsonon

Highly Engaging & Enjoyable Read!

In the opening chapter the reader is introduced to the main protagonist, Edward. J. Markham, whose amazing journal documented an unknown piece of film history involving silent film actress Clara Bow.

Edward Markham’s career began in 1918 as a pilot in the Great War. After demonstrating superior skills while serving in France, he was then posted to California for temporary duty as an instructor of advanced pursuit tactics. When he completed his service to Uncle Sam he then returned to Los Angeles to resume a fledging writing career. Seven years on from the Great War he managed to have several short stories published, two novels proclaimed as best sellers and another completed manuscript and his literacy career looked very promising. He began writing for the major film studios in Los Angeles and this is when he met up with an old army friend once again. Edwards pal, William Wellman, or better known as Wild Bill, asks for Edwards help in directing a motion picture called, Wings, as Paramount Famous Lasky has given Wellman around two million dollars to make Wings and the film company expects it to be a an epic War film that will break the box office. Edwards’s job is to aid WB and his crew to help keep an honest and exact account of what happened in the air war over France, the carnage, the destruction and devastation and this is where the real adventure begins. Edward boards a train to San Antonio where the Wellman and his crew have reconstructed the French Village of Mervale as this will be the main place where they shoot Wings.

Edward is introduced to the rest of the film crew and its cast and meets the leading lady, Clara Bow, who he immediately judges at face value and turns down her sexual advances. However from here on events take a turn for the worst, when an antique war plane makes an attempt to kill Clara on set and Edward is the only person who goes on to rescue the leading lady from dying. Clara in turn then develops a strong attachment to Edward as he saved her life and then refuses to go anywhere without him. Edward reluctantly agrees to escort Clara back to Hollywood as the studio wants to protect Clara at all costs. However, another attempt is made to kill Clara on their journey back to Hollywood which leads them to conclude that somebody somewhere wants her dead and will go to any extreme to fulfil that mission. As the body count rises and negative speculation soon points towards Edward and Clara’s innocence, they find themselves fleeing to many Landmarks in an attempt to stay conspicuous until they can figure out who wants her dead. In the meantime Edward soon discovers that Clara is not the actress who everyone knows as she reveals another side to Edward as she drops her thick Brooklyn accent and reveals her true intellectual self which leads Edward growing really fond of Clara and struggles to put his feelings to one side while trying to focus on the mission of keeping her safe. However, as further unexpected events unfold they go on to develop a romantic relationship in the process.

Can Edward save Clara from another cold-blooded attempt on her life? And if so, at what cost? Will they discover the shocking truth in time before it’s too late? And will they get a chance of clearing both their good names?

These are many of the questions that prevail frequently throughout the book as the twist and turns keep you guessing the outcome. I couldn’t help falling in love with the deep descriptive landmarks, automobiles and the remarkable era of the early twentieth century and recommend the wonderful visualizations that depict this era on H.P. Oliver’s website.

As a reader I really did feel part of the landscape and that I had been transported back in a time I found hard to escape or ever forget. This well written remarkable story will stay with me for a long while and I will definitely read more of H.P. Oliver work in the near future.

H.P. Oliver is a genius story-teller as he depicts a significant era, one of which I wish I could be a part of and many other readers will when they read this unforgettable tale of mystery and romance in a time that’s almost forgotten these days.

~Catherine Putsche

Unsung Heroes

From the shores of southern California to the battlefields of San Antonio, Texas, comes a true history mystery from the early days of the motion picture business. In this fascinating tale H. P. Oliver weaves an enthralling account of the relationship of the famous actress Clara Bow and little known World War I pilot and author, Edward J. Markham. From previously unknown diaries Mr. Oliver retells a love story, that had a amazing impact on the motion picture industry.

So step aboard this book disguised as a time machine and catch a glimpse of the flare and flavor of the 1920 through the eye's of one of the unsung hero's of the motion picture business. Relive the excitement, betrayal, passion and love as retold through the pen of H.P. Oliver, writer of Hollywood's untold history mysteries.

~By William Struse

Winging IT is H. P. Oliver's best work to date

Winging IT by H.P. Oliver continues his wonderful series of Mysteries in History, and this novel is certainly his best work to date. More than a mystery, it is also a love story, while full of entertaining action in planes, trains and automobiles. Along the way, you are accurately placed into 1927 – the hotels, motor inns, restaurants, landmarks, etc. I suggest following along with the author’s website “visualizations” page for Winging IT – the images are from the period and wonderfully assist in the reader’s mental image of the scenes.

The opening is strong, and lays a foundation that is interwoven throughout the story. The book held my interest to the degree that 400 plus pages flew by in only a couple of readings.

I knew a little about Clara Bow (I was very young when she passed – which was 30 years after she left the movie business). While reading, I was drawn to researching her life and viewing video clips of her movie roles. She did not always have a happy life, as a child or an adult. The public persona versus real life personality is nicely portrayed in this novel, and I found myself wanting her to be happy, for her dreams to be fulfilled.

The other main character, Edward Markham, war hero, writer, and a nice guy . . . was he real, or derived from HPO’s imagination? Is the journal he maintains each day in the story the real life basis for this novel? I do not know . . . when you read the book you will have to make your own decision.

HPO skillfully develops the characters and storyline, pulling bits and pieces from throughout the story together, and the reader thinks, “Now I understand why that occurred, or he/she said that.” Still, as I read, I kept wondering how does this possibly end? The mystery of who is trying to kill Clara Bow, while the driving force for the story, for me, was secondary to the characters and their emotions about not only the danger, but also what develops between them. I knew the mystery would be solved, but how does this end so that it ties into documented history?

This is one of those books that take a while to sink in after finishing, of which I run across only a few that keep me pondering the story from the hundred or so books I read every year. I really enjoyed this book and hope you do as well.