John McClellan, head of security for Continental Pictures. An ex-cop for the LAPD, he spends his days and nights hushing up the sexual peccadilloes of actors and studio honchos, not to mention their rampant use of drugs and booze. Now our hero has his hands full with a Red-baiting Congressman who want to bring the studio down, the murder of a famous director’s wife, a columnist who will do anything for his next big story, and a sexy girl screenwriter who might be the love of his life—or the death of him.
Amazon UK
Amazon
This book is a step back in time to the golden age of Hollywood, a time where political correctness was an unheard of concept. This book is full of the prejudice and discrimination of the time but it is essential to draw the reader into the Noir world of the 1940’s. This is an atmospheric, realistic thriller with characters who mirror the players in Hollywood and Washington at the time.
The character of John McClellan, the head of studio security is easy to identify with as he calmly fixes the various scandals the film stars’ embroil themselves in. The story has plenty of twists with vivid dialogue and characters to hold your interest. The secondary characters are well written and believable, notably the ambitious journalist and the ruthless moving moguls. There is even a sprinkle of romance, an essential ingredient of a 1940’s film.
There is an unpleasant scene in a slaughter house which upset me; I understand why it was included but it was too graphic for me.
If you fancy something different, with a definite air of authenticity then this is for you.
I received a copy of this book from Asahina & Wallace Publishing via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The Studio Kill by Charles Fleming
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
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