Crimeline Hollywood
by
Thomas Collins
Comic mystery / Thriller / Humor
Publisher: MindStir Media
Publication Date: December 28, 2023
Page count: pages
SYNOPSIS:
Whoever thought an astrologer's life could be so dangerous? Especially when you're "Hollywood's Astrologer to the Stars." Yet he once crawled out on a 20-story beam to talk down a suicidal celebrity. And when he gave a Vegas casino owner a costly piece of advice, he found himself the target of a hitman.
Fortunately, he escaped only to face another crisis: the kidnapping of Sparklynn James, his most famous client. After the Feds falter on the case, the family asks him to assist Rebecca Fairway, a publicity-seeking P.I. (a.k.a. "The Glamorous Gumshoe) to find her. Not exactly the A Team.
But a coded ransom message from Sparklynn herself points them in the right direction...leading them straight into a web of corporate evil.
CLICK TO PURCHASE!
| Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Indigo |
REVIEW:
4 stars!
A fast-paced race through Hollywood for a missing
actress.
Crimeline Hollywood by Thomas Collins is a humorous
and thrilling mystery featuring the unlikely pairing of “The Astrologer to the
Stars” Dash Harwood and the “Gorgeous Gumshoe” Rebecca Fairway as they search
for a kidnapped actress. Dodging bullets and Vegas mobsters while following the
few clues available, the two clash their way across Hollywood, knowing time is
running out for the wanted outcome.
Dash is an interesting character. In reality, he’s a trained
clinical psychologist trying to make a living in Hollywood, where psychologists
are a dime a dozen and perceived as lower tier by the rich, famous,
media-centric pool of potential clients. However, being “The Astrologist to the
Stars” does more than pay the bills; it keeps him in demand by the elite crowd.
I liked how the author puts Dash in jeopardy right from the start, creating an
always-present atmosphere of danger. Teamed up with the attention-seeking
Rebecca Fairway, who dismisses his every breakthrough on the case, they still
make progress.
The story hits the ground running with Dash the target of a
disgruntled mobster-client, and never lets up. Even when he’s safely in hiding,
there is a romantic subplot that has its own conflicts that keep things moving
and readers entertained trying to second guess the two sleuths. The story needs
another review by a good editor, though. There were numerous instances of
missing words as well as some misspelled or, perhaps, entirely wrong word
choices, such as the use of taught when the sentence context requires taut and
intimating when imitating is needed. However, the commentary and dialogue
absolutely shine with humor.
With its quirky characters, clever narrative, and non-stop
plot, I recommend CRIMELINE HOLLYWOOD to readers of traditional-style mysteries
with a solid, comedic delivery.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Thomas Collins wrote his first book, The Adventures of Tom and Rom, at the
age of ten. (Now out of print) As an adult he gained valuable knowledge of
the inner workings of big business as corporate communications director for
a Fortune 500 company. Crimeline Hollywood is his first mystery though not
his last, especially since the hitman from Crimeline is still on the loose.
Like his hero, Dash Harwood, he is an Aquarian who likes to think outside
the box… once he cuts through all the packaging.
No comments:
Post a Comment