From 1947 to 1955, Jean Peters (1926-2000) appeared in films opposite such Hollywood leading men as Tyrone Power, Marlon Brando, Burt Lancaster, Spencer Tracy, Richard Widmark, and Robert Wagner, as well as international stars including Louis Jourdan and Rossano Brazzi. Despite her talent and status, Peters eschewed the star-studded lifestyle of 1950s Hollywood, turning down roles that were "too sexy" and refusing to socialize with other actors, discuss her private life in the press, or lead the glamorous lifestyle often associated with her peers. She was seen as a mystery to reporters, who constantly tried to discover tidbits about her personal life.

In 1957, her marriage to Howard Hughes led to her retirement from acting and her further withdrawal from social events in Hollywood. Instead, she shifted her attention to charitable work, arts and crafts, and university studies in psychology and anthropology. Her status as an enigma only grew as she agreed never to speak of her marriage with Hughes. After her divorce, however, Peters attempted to resume her acting career in television but never regained her previous level of stardom. Jean Peters: Hollywood's Mystery Girl grants an in-depth analysis of each of her nineteen films and is enriched by several high-quality photographs from the author's personal collection.

Michelangelo Capua is author of several biographies of Hollywood film stars, including Jean Simmons, Janet Leigh, Deborah Kerr, and Montgomery Clift. He lives in London.