Winter reading

Travel back to the 50s with Lisa Ireland's Studio Girls.

The Hollywood Studio Club

By Lisa Ireland

Gippsland-based writer Lisa Ireland’s eighth novel The Studio Girls takes the reader on journey back to Hollywood’s Golden Age and the intoxicating world of Tinseltown.

It’s 1955, and four talented young women forge a strong friendship while residing at the iconic Hollywood Studio Club in Los Angeles – a boarding house for aspiring movie stars. Julia, the ‘new Grace Kelly’, is a rising star seeking companionship.

Peggy feels forever stuck navigating the challenges of constant auditions and bit-parts. Vivienne, the most talented actress, battles the limitations of her roles, while aspiring scriptwriter Sadie is exposed to the perils of her friends’ dreams and has little interest in the trappings of fame.

As their lives intertwine, secrets are unveiled, friendships tested, and dreams pursued in a city where nothing is quite what it seems.

The Studio Girls is inspired by the real life history of The Hollywood Studio Club.

After working for many years as a teacher (and a brief stint as a professional organiser – before Marie Kondo made it cool), Ireland is now a full-time writer. Lisa lives with her husband in a small town in Gippsland, Victoria.

When not writing, she spends her days mentoring aspiring authors, drinking coffee and playing minion to her incredibly spoiled dog, Lulu.