Whisper of the Moon Moth: the story of the woman who became Merle Oberon

Whisper of the Moon Moth by Lindsay Jayne Ashford is the mysterious story behind one of Hollywood’s legend, actress Merle Oberon, and the secrets she fought desperately to hide. The story opens at nineteen-year-old Estelle Thompson is an Anglo-Indian, a half-breed that is shunned by both English and Indian society. Her only escape is through going to the cinema, the silver screen offers her brief moments to forget who she is and the world around her. When Estelle catches the eye of Ben Finney, a dashing American heir with connections to a major motion picture studio, he also captures her heart. Soon, Estelle has a one-way ticket to London and a recommendation for a screen test. As her career takes off, she must keep her Indian heritage a secret. She is no longer Estelle Thompson and becomes Merle Oberon. She will soon learn that her family is keeping an even greater secret from her, one that changes everything she believes about her own past. 

When Whisper of the Moon Moth came up as a suggested reading for me, I went back and forth whether or not to read it. I was vaguely familiar with Merle Oberon’s work as she played Cathy opposite Laurence Olivier’s Heathcliff in 1939’s Wuthering Heights. But I wasn’t aware of her story, so I took a chance and I am so glad I did. Her story is one of courage and perseverance against unbelievable odds. Her striking beauty won her adoring fans but despite her fame, she was plagued with loneliness and fear as she knew if her secret ever came out, she would never work in Hollywood again. It was also thrilling to see the big names of the day, and the names that would become bigger, interact with Merle. Actors like Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford as well as David Niven, Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh. Overall, Whisper of the Moon Moth is a great story about the woman who would become Merle Oberon. I enjoyed it so much that I am going back and watching her movies again. I recommend Whisper of the Moon Moth. 

Whisper of the Moon Moth is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook.