Dorothy was born in a Midwestern Lutheran home, playing
piano for her father's church. Secretly she indulged in her passion: Hollywood
movies. Inspired by her idol Carol Landis, she moved to Los Angeles, married
into money, and set up house in Pacific Palisades near the homes of legends
like Judy Garland and Angela Lansbury. Now eighty-three years old, she
continues to live out her delusions of grandeur and motherhood.
Ruth grew up in a foster home, didn't know her biological
parents, and dreamed of having a real family some day. As an adult she
worked in nursing facilities but was fired due to the high death rate of her
patients. Now, at sixty-six, she works as a health aide in the homes of
well-to-do women hoping they’ll leave her something when they pass away.
Strangely, Ruth knows a lot about Dorothy and her house before she starts work
as Dorothy's "lady's maid."
The Palisades is a story of two
very disturbed women, reminiscent of the movie “What Ever Happened to
Baby Jane?” Dorothy has her Norma Desmond-esque delusions, and Ruth tries
to navigate Dorothy's ever-changing moods while battling demons of her own.
I gobbled up this dark and disturbing book. I enjoyed all the references to Hollywood and ended up with a list of movies I need to watch. The details of Dorothy’s and Ruth's lives were unveiled a little at a time, keeping me interested, but there were some slow bits. I can't say I found the ending satisfactory, but I'm not sure I would have liked any possible outcome. On a lighter note, Angela Lansbury is not only a character in the book, but gets the last word.
I received this book from the publisher through LibraryThing in exchange for a review. The release date for The Palisades is October 24, 2023.
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