Historical Fiction Society Book Review

Triple Threat: The Story of a 1920s Broadway Star
Written by Leisha Douglas
Review by Deborah Cay Wilding

Set in the glittering jazz-age world of 1920s New York City, Triple Threat chronicles the true-life career of Elizabeth Hines in her dazzling rise to Broadway stardom. Her stage debut at sixteen brings her to the attention of legendary theatrical producer George M. Cohan, who casts her in some of his longest running musical comedies. As a leading lady she sings, she dances, she acts—a “triple threat.” However, long hours of rehearsal coupled with performances six days each week leave her without much free time for socializing or romance. Not that she’s interested in marriage or a future outside of the theater. It’s a shipboard conversation with a handsome fellow passenger, and a meeting in New York with Mr. Flo Ziegfeld that will unexpectedly complicate her life.
This fictionalized biography, written by Elizabeth Hines’ own granddaughter, captures the glamour, hard work, heartbreak and achievements of a talented young woman as she strives for success without compromising her values. Because the author weaves current events, theater politics, and social issues into her account, the story has many layers of depth. The theme of balancing career and marriage is also sensitively handled through the decisions of Hines and other well-drawn characters among her circle of friends. In the author’s fascinating concluding notes, she remembers her grandmother and tells of inheriting several scrapbooks filled with yellowing press releases and personal notes to her grandmother from admirers. Lovely writing made this a truly enjoyable read.