Typewriter Beach by Meg Waite Clayton is the unforgettable story of an unlikely friendship between an Oscar-nominated screenwriter and a young actress hoping to be Alfred Hitchcock’s new star.
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In This Spotlight On Typewriter Beach
About Typewriter Beach
Set in Carmel-by-the-Sea and in 1950s Hollywood—in the days of the studio system and McCarthy-era scaremongering about an America “riddled with communists and homosexuals.”
1957. Isabella Giori is ten months into a standard seven-year studio contract when she auditions with Hitchcock. Just weeks later, she is sequestered by the studio’s “fixer” in a charming little Carmel-by-the-Sea cottage for a secret rendezvous. There, she is awoken by the clack and ding of a typewriter at the cottage next door.
Léon Chazan is annoyed as hell when Iz interrupts his work on yet another screenplay he won’t be able to sell, because he’s been blacklisted. But soon he’s speeding down the fog-shrouded Carmel-San Simeon highway, headed for the isolated cliffs of Big Sur, with her in the passenger seat.
2018. Twenty-six-year-old screenwriter Gemma Chazan, in Carmel to sell her grandfather’s cottage, finds a hidden safe with a World War II-era French passport, an old camera with film still in it, two movie scripts, and a writing Oscar that is not in her grandfather’s name—raising questions about who the screenwriter known simply as Chazan really was.
In its exploration of Hollywood and Carmel-by-the-Sea, Typewriter Beach is a heartwarming tale of long-buried secrets; sisterhood and sexism; the importance of free speech, story, and name; and what it means to be family.
Praise for Typewriter Beach Author Meg Waite Clayton’s Previous Novels
“A true gem . . . and a testament to the power of good.”—Library Journal (starred review) on The Postmistress of Paris
“The very best kind of historical fiction: a complex and intriguing story that both highlights a little-known moment in the past and resonates powerfully in the present.”—Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Exiles on The Postmistress of Paris
“Lyrical, thought-provoking prose . . . .This sterling portrait of a complex woman stands head and shoulders above most contemporary WWII fiction.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Postmistress of Paris
“The work of an unsung heroine rises from the pages of The Postmistress of Paris, a story readers of historical fiction and strong female characters will devour.”—Lisa Wingate, # 1 New York Times bestselling author of Shelterwood on The Postmistress of Paris
“I loved Meg Waite Clayton’s The Postmistress of Paris, a novel of so many layers—a suspense story, a love story, and a story about the purpose of art. Meg Waite Clayton is a brilliant and deft writer, and I rooted for her strong, witty and brave heroine on her pulse-pounding mission.”—Lisa Scottoline, New York Times bestselling author of The Truth About the Devlins on The Postmistress of Paris
“An evocative love story layered with heroism and intrigue—the film Casablanca if Rick had an artsy bent . . . powerful.”—San Francisco Chronicle on The Postmistress of Paris
“Excellent . . . Smartly researched, perfectly paced, with wonderful characters.”—Hilary Gustafson of Literati Bookstore, in the Good Morning America Buzz Pick announcement on The Postmistress of Paris
“While Clayton superbly crafts banter, parlor games, romance and philosophical discussions among her cast of talented, intellectual characters, her writing is at its sharpest whenever Nanée faces great danger—which is often. Tension builds throughout the novel, culminating in a grueling, dangerous escape attempt that’s full of surprises. Fans of Kate Quinn and Kristin Hannah will want to dive right into The Postmistress of Paris.”—Alice Cary, BookPage on The Postmistress of Paris
“With its well-developed characters and race-against-the-clock plot, this fantastic novel should have broad appeal, especially with fans of historical fiction and thrillers.”—Library Journal (starred review) on The Last Train to London
“Riveting . . . . Clayton makes vivid Truus’s courage and resourcefulness in the face of growing danger as borders close throughout Europe.”—BBC on The Last Train to London
About Meg Waite Clayton, Author of Typewriter Beach
Meg Waite Clayton is the New York Times bestselling author of eight previous novels, including the Good Morning America Buzz Pick and New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice The Postmistress of Paris, The Last Train to London, and The Wednesday Sisters. Her books have been published in twenty-four languages, and have been finalists for the Bellwether Prize (now the PEN Bellwether), the National Jewish Book Award, and the Langum Prize. She also writes for major newspapers and magazines, mentors in the OpEd Project, and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle and the California bar. She lives in California and Connecticut.
You can connect with Meg Waite Clayton on their website, bluesky, facebook and instagram.
Source: Publisher
Publisher HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780063422148
Pub Date: July 1, 2025
Titles by Meg Waite Clayton
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