The Night She Won Miss America

“Romance, intrigue, suspense—Michael Callahan’s latest has it all, and that’s not even counting the glorious, heady world of the Miss America pageant in its heyday.  Loosely inspired by real events, The Night She Won Miss America grabs you from the first chapter and takes you on a wild journey beginning in Atlantic City and ending in a showdown on a rocky cliff worthy of Hitchcock.  But the heart of the book always remains its remarkable protagonist, a naïve young woman whose passions come to the surface with remarkable ferocity the moment the crown is placed on her head and never really let her—or us—go.”—Melanie Benjamin, New York Times best-selling author of The Swans of Fifth Avenue “I can’t remember the last time I got so caught up in a novel. Michael Callahan’s gorgeous prose brings to life an intoxicating world of beauty queens and thwarted dreams that will sweep you away in a whirlwind of intrigue, passion, and secrets.”—Matthew Pearl, best-selling author of The Dante Club and The Last Bookaneer “A heady whirl of gowns, gloves, chaperones, lipstick, escorts, cocktails, and romance. This engaging tale paints an evocative picture of a bygone era and the post-war ideal of young American womanhood."—Helen Bryan, author of the international bestseller War Brides

"A wild tale ... Early in her pageant experience, Betty muses that 'Miss America does odd things to people.' Clearly, she had no idea. Callahan creates a story that is brisk-paced and fluid."—Kirkus Reviews “Callahan has crafted an intriguing suspense store marrying the frothy, fashion-fueled pageant world with the secrets people have to live with.”—?Booklist "This plot-driven story blends aspects of romance, mystery, and thriller... Fans of mid-century drama, beauty queens, and gripping romance will enjoy this adventurous read." —School Library Journal “Romance, intrigue, suspense—Michael Callahan’s latest has it all, and that’s not even counting the glorious, heady world of the Miss America pageant in its heyday.  Loosely inspired by real events, The Night She Won Miss America grabs you from the first chapter and takes you on a wild journey beginning in Atlantic City and ending in a showdown on a rocky cliff worthy of Hitchcock.  But the heart of the book always remains its remarkable protagonist, a naïve young woman whose passions come to the surface with remarkable ferocity the moment the crown is placed on her head and never really let her—or us—go.”—Melanie Benjamin, New York Times best-selling author of The Swans of Fifth Avenue “I can’t remember the last time I got so caught up in a novel. Michael Callahan’s gorgeous prose brings to life an intoxicating world of beauty queens and thwarted dreams that will sweep you away in a whirlwind of intrigue, passion, and secrets.”—Matthew Pearl, best-selling author of The Dante Club and The Last Bookaneer “A heady whirl of gowns, gloves, chaperones, lipstick, escorts, cocktails, and romance. This engaging tale paints an evocative picture of a bygone era and the post-war ideal of young American womanhood."—Helen Bryan, author of the international bestseller War Brides

"A wild tale ... Early in her pageant experience, Betty muses that 'Miss America does odd things to people.' Clearly, she had no idea. Callahan creates a story that is brisk-paced and fluid."—Kirkus Reviews “Callahan has crafted an intriguing suspense story marrying the frothy, fashion-fueled pageant world with the secrets people have to live with.”—?Booklist "This plot-driven story blends aspects of romance, mystery, and thriller... Fans of mid-century drama, beauty queens, and gripping romance will enjoy this adventurous read." —School Library Journal “Romance, intrigue, suspense—Michael Callahan’s latest has it all, and that’s not even counting the glorious, heady world of the Miss America pageant in its heyday.  Loosely inspired by real events, The Night She Won Miss America grabs you from the first chapter and takes you on a wild journey beginning in Atlantic City and ending in a showdown on a rocky cliff worthy of Hitchcock.  But the heart of the book always remains its remarkable protagonist, a naïve young woman whose passions come to the surface with remarkable ferocity the moment the crown is placed on her head and never really let her—or us—go.”—Melanie Benjamin, New York Times best-selling author of The Swans of Fifth Avenue “I can’t remember the last time I got so caught up in a novel. Michael Callahan’s gorgeous prose brings to life an intoxicating world of beauty queens and thwarted dreams that will sweep you away in a whirlwind of intrigue, passion, and secrets.”—Matthew Pearl, best-selling author of The Dante Club and The Last Bookaneer “A heady whirl of gowns, gloves, chaperones, lipstick, escorts, cocktails, and romance. This engaging tale paints an evocative picture of a bygone era and the post-war ideal of young American womanhood."—Helen Bryan, author of the international bestseller War Brides

“Inspired by a true story, this delightful novel is like an old black-and-white movie translated to the page, perfectly capturing the era as it serves up breathless romance and a heart-pounding plot.” - People Magazine  "The latest from Searching for Grace Kelly author (and former T&C editor) Michael Callahan, The Night She Won Miss America, follows a reluctant beauty queen as she falls in love with her pageant escort and finds herself on the run from ho-hum Delaware to Manhattan, Newport, and beyond. Expect glamour, grit, and some truly unpredictable twists and turns." - Town & Country (online) "Callahan nimbly guides the reader from the rounds of the Miss America competition to Times Square to a climax on a seaside cliff during a masquerade ball. The Night She Won Miss America is a delightfully dramatic and fast-paced summer read, with just the right amount of darkness to balance out the fluff." - BookPage A Vanity Fair "Hot Type" selection, April 2017   "Truth plus fiction equals an entertaining read"—Philadelphia Magazine   "A page-turner"—New Jersey Monthly "A wild tale ... Early in her pageant experience, Betty muses that 'Miss America does odd things to people.' Clearly, she had no idea. Callahan creates a story that is brisk-paced and fluid."—Kirkus Reviews “Callahan has crafted an intriguing suspense story marrying the frothy, fashion-fueled pageant world with the secrets people have to live with.”—?Booklist "This plot-driven story blends aspects of romance, mystery, and thriller... Fans of mid-century drama, beauty queens, and gripping romance will enjoy this adventurous read." —School Library Journal “Romance, intrigue, suspense—Michael Callahan’s latest has it all, and that’s not even counting the glorious, heady world of the Miss America pageant in its heyday.  Loosely inspired by real events, The Night She Won Miss America grabs you from the first chapter and takes you on a wild journey beginning in Atlantic City and ending in a showdown on a rocky cliff worthy of Hitchcock.  But the heart of the book always remains its remarkable protagonist, a naïve young woman whose passions come to the surface with remarkable ferocity the moment the crown is placed on her head and never really let her—or us—go.”—Melanie Benjamin, New York Times best-selling author of The Swans of Fifth Avenue “I can’t remember the last time I got so caught up in a novel. Michael Callahan’s gorgeous prose brings to life an intoxicating world of beauty queens and thwarted dreams that will sweep you away in a whirlwind of intrigue, passion, and secrets.”—Matthew Pearl, best-selling author of The Dante Club and The Last Bookaneer “A heady whirl of gowns, gloves, chaperones, lipstick, escorts, cocktails, and romance. This engaging tale paints an evocative picture of a bygone era and the post-war ideal of young American womanhood."—Helen Bryan, author of the international bestseller War Brides

“Inspired by a true story, this delightful novel is like an old black-and-white movie translated to the page, perfectly capturing the era as it serves up breathless romance and a heart-pounding plot.”—People Magazine  “The latest from Searching for Grace Kelly author (and former T&C editor) Michael Callahan, The Night She Won Miss America, follows a reluctant beauty queen as she falls in love with her pageant escort and finds herself on the run from ho-hum Delaware to Manhattan, Newport, and beyond. Expect glamour, grit, and some truly unpredictable twists and turns.”—Town & Country (online) “A cinematic tale in the tradition of a Douglas Sirk movie, and the perfect book to pack away in your beach bag.”—Adweek “Callahan nimbly guides the reader from the rounds of the Miss America competition to Times Square to a climax on a seaside cliff during a masquerade ball. The Night She Won Miss America is a delightfully dramatic and fast-paced summer read, with just the right amount of darkness to balance out the fluff.”—BookPage A Vanity Fair“Hot Type" selection, April 2017   “Truth plus fiction equals an entertaining read”—Philadelphia Magazine   “A page-turner”—New Jersey Monthly “A wild tale ... Early in her pageant experience, Betty muses that 'Miss America does odd things to people.' Clearly, she had no idea. Callahan creates a story that is brisk-paced and fluid.”—Kirkus Reviews “Callahan has crafted an intriguing suspense story marrying the frothy, fashion-fueled pageant world with the secrets people have to live with.”—?Booklist “This plot-driven story blends aspects of romance, mystery, and thriller... Fans of mid-century drama, beauty queens, and gripping romance will enjoy this adventurous read.” —School Library Journal “Romance, intrigue, suspense—Michael Callahan’s latest has it all, and that’s not even counting the glorious, heady world of the Miss America pageant in its heyday.  Loosely inspired by real events, The Night She Won Miss America grabs you from the first chapter and takes you on a wild journey beginning in Atlantic City and ending in a showdown on a rocky cliff worthy of Hitchcock.  But the heart of the book always remains its remarkable protagonist, a naïve young woman whose passions come to the surface with remarkable ferocity the moment the crown is placed on her head and never really let her—or us—go.”—Melanie Benjamin, New York Times best-selling author of The Swans of Fifth Avenue “I can’t remember the last time I got so caught up in a novel. Michael Callahan’s gorgeous prose brings to life an intoxicating world of beauty queens and thwarted dreams that will sweep you away in a whirlwind of intrigue, passion, and secrets.”—Matthew Pearl, best-selling author of The Dante Club and The Last Bookaneer “A heady whirl of gowns, gloves, chaperones, lipstick, escorts, cocktails, and romance. This engaging tale paints an evocative picture of a bygone era and the post-war ideal of young American womanhood."—Helen Bryan, author of the international bestseller War Brides

“The New York of the 1950s shines through Callahan’s pages. His characters’ breathless excitement with their new lives pulls you into that time and place, and his deft plotting holds you there.” —New York Times Book Review "Perfect for your next girls' night."—Good Housekeeping "Callahan, who has convincingly researched the era. . .writes page-turning prose and gets the characters' big arcs right."—ELLE "Thanks to Callahan's flawless evocation of the place and time, you understand how high the stakes are for these women, who have to break every rule their mothers taught them to discover who they really are."—More "You'll rip through this novel, inspired by Grace Kelly's pre-princess Barbizon stay."—Marie Claire "Callahan's debut is a delight."—People Magazine “Michael Callahan weaves together the lives of three young women who discover Beat New York City while dorming at the famed Barbizon Hotel—sorority of sorts that brought up some of the city's most storied starlets-to-be and housed the cultural hub that was Stork Club—in a novel we won't be putting down.”—Harper’s Bazaar “Pour yourself a highball and settle in: Searching is a fun, frothy romp through time.”—Manhattan Magazine Vanity Fair "Hot Type"  

Praise for Searching for Grace Kelly: “The New York of the 1950s shines through Callahan’s pages. His characters’ breathless excitement with their new lives pulls you into that time and place, and his deft plotting holds you there.” —New York Times Book Review "Perfect for your next girls' night."—Good Housekeeping "Callahan, who has convincingly researched the era. . .writes page-turning prose and gets the characters' big arcs right."—ELLE "Thanks to Callahan's flawless evocation of the place and time, you understand how high the stakes are for these women, who have to break every rule their mothers taught them to discover who they really are."—More "You'll rip through this novel, inspired by Grace Kelly's pre-princess Barbizon stay."—Marie Claire "Callahan's debut is a delight."—People Magazine “Michael Callahan weaves together the lives of three young women who discover Beat New York City while dorming at the famed Barbizon Hotel—sorority of sorts that brought up some of the city's most storied starlets-to-be and housed the cultural hub that was Stork Club—in a novel we won't be putting down.”—Harper’s Bazaar “Pour yourself a highball and settle in: Searching is a fun, frothy romp through time.”—Manhattan Magazine Vanity Fair "Hot Type"  

A Vanity Fair "Hot Type" selection, April 2017   "Truth plus fiction equals an entertaining read"—Philadelphia Magazine   "A page-turner"—New Jersey Monthly "A wild tale ... Early in her pageant experience, Betty muses that 'Miss America does odd things to people.' C...