1950s Hollywood: Every actress wants to play Salome, the star-making role in a big-budget movie about the legendary woman whose story has inspired artists since ancient times.

So when the film’s mercurial director casts Vera Larios, an unknown Mexican ingenue, in the lead role, she quickly becomes the talk of the town. Vera also becomes an object of envy for Nancy Hartley, a bit player whose career has stalled and who will do anything to win the fame she believes she richly deserves.

Two actresses, both determined to make it to the top in Golden Age Hollywood—a city overflowing with gossip, scandal, and intrigue—make for a sizzling combination.

But this is the tale of three women, for it is also the story of the princess Salome herself, consumed with desire for the fiery prophet who foretells the doom of her stepfather, Herod: a woman torn between the decree of duty and the yearning of her heart.

Before the curtain comes down, there will be tears and tragedy aplenty in this sexy Technicolor saga.

Book Type:

Historical Fiction

Review: The Seventh Veil of Salome

A sensuous exploration of 1950s Hollywood through the eyes of a budding Mexican starlet and a jealous, struggling actress.

21-year-old Vera Larios, who was never meant to be the actress in her family, catches the eye of a director and lands the lead role in the “sword-and-sandal” epic, Salome. Her sudden rise to fame, fueled by her ingenuity, curiosity, and distinctive ethnicity, incites the ire of Nancy Hartley, a failed actress convinced that Vera has usurped the stardom she deserves.

Nancy, whose career has stalled, schemes to reclaim her rightful place in the limelight. The situation escalates when a wealthy jazz pianist, whom Nancy has been vying for, turns his attention to Vera.

As Vera battles the oppressive forces of Hollywood’s ‘Golden Age’—from an overbearing mother to racism, misogyny, and predatory advances—Nancy grapples with her crumbling career, financial woes, and the cold indifference of those around her.

Moreno-Garcia’s narrative deftly shifts between the perspectives of Vera, Nancy, and even the film’s Salome, weaving a shrewd, spellbinding tale that builds to an explosive crescendo as the two actresses’ lives collide.

With this latest, Silvia Moreno-Garcia once again proves her extraordinary prowess as a versatile storyteller and gifted prosaic writer. Her talent for crafting vivid, immersive worlds, building relentless suspense, and creating compelling characters is unparalleled.

Evocative, explosive, and darkly thrilling—THE SEVENTH VEIL OF SALOME is one of the year’s best.

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