Detective Craine works for the LAPD as a fixer—bailing actors out of jail after a DUI and covering up instances of domestic violence among MGM’s stars. After the death of his wife, who was a minor actress, he wants to get out of the business, but when a producer dies in an apparent suicide, he’s called in to keep the press away as much as possible and spin whatever information does get out: The guy was a junkie and gay and had battled depression is the studio’s go-to story line.

For the first part of the book, it’s difficult to know who to root for. For example, a completely innocent black kid gets blamed for a brutal crime he didn’t commit. He, too, is found dead by apparent suicide.

The wife of the dead producer is Gail Goodwin. Craine realizes that something more is going on that the fact that several folks decided to commit suicide or are gruesomely murdered—he realizes it when he’s shot at a hotel while checking into things. Katherine Hepburn, Mae West, and Groucho have Cameo’s in the book, so if you’re a fine of this period in history of LA, you might like the mystery. For me, it was a little slow.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Hollywood, 1939. MGM is putting the finishing touches on a movie it has high hopes for, The Wizard of Oz, although studio head Louis Mayer isn't sure about that "Over the Rainbow" number.

LAPD detective Jonathan Craine has just returned to his job after the unexpected death of his actress wife, and he's still a bit of a mess. Not only are his feelings of grief, guilt, and anger all mixed up and residing a little too close to the surface for comfort, but he doesn't know how to handle his young son, Michael, who has gone mute in his own grief.

Craine has been unofficially employed by the LAPD as a "fixer" for the Hollywood studios. He steps in when a star has gotten themselves into a bit of trouble and makes sure the press doesn't catch wind of it, and ensures investigations are closed quickly before anyone can ask any questions. It's a good job, although one not entirely on the up-and-up, and it was a bone of contention between him and his late wife.

He agreed to come back to work if he didn't have to do that job anymore, but he gets pressed into service one more time. When an MGM producer is found dead of an apparent suicide, Craine is asked to smooth out any questions the investigation might uncover, as the producer was married to Gale Goodwin, one of the studio's up-and-coming stars. As always, Craine is the loyal soldier, even if he is starting to realize that things aren't just adding up in this case. But if getting the case to put to bed is all that needs to happen before he can get out from under the studios' thumb, he's happy to do as he's told.

When a dogged young detective keeps peppering Craine with questions and inconsistencies in the case, he decides to do a little bit of investigating just to pacify him. But when Craine realizes the producer's death might be connected with a brutal murder the night prior, and then he gets caught in a gunfight when following what appears to be an innocent lead, he has a real dilemma on his hands. Should he do what he always has done, and put the needs and wishes of the studio ahead of the need for justice, or is it time for him to pursue what is right, not what is desired? And if he chooses the latter path, is he prepared to face whatever consequences might lie ahead?

Guy Bolton's The Pictures is a fascinating look at old Hollywood, the time when the studio heads controlled everything in LA, even the police. While the mystery component of the plot might not be entirely surprising, Bolton's storytelling and character development really shines through. Craine is definitely a flawed character, but he's a man with so much on his shoulders, and he just can't seem to do the right thing with everyone. His story was very compelling, and I would have loved even more background on him, so it would be great if Bolton considers another book featuring him.

The other thing I loved about the book was how effectively Bolton conveyed the mood and setting of Hollywood in 1939. While I didn't read with an eagle eye to make sure every detail was entirely accurate (he obviously took some liberties while keeping some elements of real events), I could just picture the book in my head so well. I could see Mayer raging, the scenes in nightclubs and studio parties. That worked so well.

NetGalley and ONEWorld Publications provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!

The Pictures is a well composed noir thriller set against the glimmering backdrop of Los Angeles’ past.  The Golden Age of Hollywood still attracts attention with its glamour, larger than life celebrities and its mystery.  The motion picture industry, unlike most of America recovering from the depression, was successful, generating wealth and influence by creating a means of escape for a suffering public.  Movie stars of the time were essentially idols, whose appearance could not be tarnished by scandal.  “Fixers” were paid, and paid well to prevent unwelcome facts from becoming public.  With its hidden corruption and cellulite femme fatales, it makes a perfect setting for a tale of gangsters, murder, blackmail and lust.  

Detective Jonathan Craine is the archetypal noir antihero.  He is as corrupt as it comes, willingly taking money from the studios in exchange for keeping their stars out of trouble whether by losing evidence or framing someone convenient.  Faced with a brutal murder, he refuses to investigate, forcing a confession from a “likely” suspect.  But that death is only the beginning.  An eminent producer for MGM commits suicide, but oddly doesn’t leave a note, and an earnest young detective keeps pointing out the inconsistencies in the cases.  Craine doesn’t want to stir up trouble, but reluctantly finds himself investigating.  He isn’t a likable figure, but over the course of the novel he finds a degree of redemption.  The novel’s pace is slow, but not tedious.  As expected of every noir thriller, there is “the woman” - in this case the actress Gale Goodwin who may save Craine or destroy him.

The Pictures is an enjoyable competently written novel written in a style that harkens back to pulp detective novels, and authors such as Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett.  If you like noir, The Pictures is for you.

4/5

I received a copy of The Pictures from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

-Crittermom

This is an assured debut from Guy Bolton set in Los Angeles in 1939. It is in the hard boiled noir tradition focusing on the heart of the movie business in Hollywood. It crawls beneath its brittle facade and reveals the criminal connections, its seedy underbelly and rotten corruption. It has the glamorous stars such as Joan Crawford, Katherine Hepburn, and Spencer Tracy. We meet Detective Jonathan Craine, a grieving widower whose wife, the actress Celia Raymond, committed suicide. He has been a studio fixer for MGM run by Louis Mayer, where he made sleaze and criminal charges for financially lucrative actors and actresses disappear.

Craine is not a sympathetic character as he is someone who closes cases, not solves them. This is how he handles the discovery of the gruesome murder of a young woman, Florence Lloyd, shot in the face. He goes looking for a black man to pin the murder on,# and finds homeless Leonard Stone who denies murder, but convinces him to confess. Stone later commits suicide whilst in police custody. In Craine's defence, City Hall and the Chief of Police make it difficult to have integrity. This is a city where Hollywood and its stars are protected at all costs. Craine is assigned to ensure the smooth coverage of the suicide of Herbert Stanley, a Hollywood writer. However, there turn out to be connections with the murder of Florence Lloyd. It is here that Craine begins to change direction and actually investigate when he is pushed by Detective Patrick O'Neill to do so. It is not easy for Craine to go against the grain as he struggles to do the right thing and a string of further murders take place. Craine and O'Neill go up alone against the Mafia who have a stake in Hollywood, uncover an assassin, blackmail, prostitution, drugs, and intrigue in the movie business. The investigation comes close to Craine's private life and his tentative relationship with an actress and brings danger to his son, Michael, heavily traumatised by discovering his dead mother in a bath.

This is a dark, violent and brutal novel that is atmospheric and compelling reading. It harks back to a golden age of movie making and slips beneath the gloss and hype to its tawdry nature. The writing is gripping and the narrative is full of tension and suspense. Craine is a flawed hero, who knows that he is failing his son and late in the day wants to be a real investigator despite facing ruthless foes willing to kill indiscriminately. Los Angeles is a place where truth is a rare commodity and you pay a heavy price for going up against the vested interests. I hope there is a sequel to this soon. Highly recommended read. Many thanks to Oneworld for an ARC.

4 and ½ Stars

Hollywood in 1939: A young woman’s body in found horribly mutilated.

Jonathan Craine a detective is a former “fixer” for the Hollywood studios is called to the scene. He quickly arrests someone and forces him to confess. Another suspicious death finds Craine at the home of a movie producer and his movie star wife. The studio asks him to cover over the death and Craine does.

Meanwhile, another detective, new to the squad O’Neill has questions about the death, but Craine steam rolls him. At the same time, Craine’s young son is at boarding school, mainly because Craine can’t bear to be around him after his wife’s death.

After a violent altercation in an apartment house, Craine finally begins to question the two previous deaths in a way he hasn’t before.

Slowly and following the clues left behind, Craine and O’Neill start closing the gap to discover the killer.

Craine and O’Neill make a great team. They are both very interesting characters and given great backstories. This book was very well written and plotted. I very much look forward to reading more of Guy Bolton’s novels.

Thanking Netgalley and Oneworld Publishing/Point Blank for forwarding to me a copy of this very nice book to read.