I had heard about most of these scandals but there were a few new to me. Also you get a history of Hollywood and how it all started.

This book was kind of disappointing. It deals with a lot of hold Hollywood scandals, some with vast public knowledge accumulated, such as the Black Dahlia murder. Most of the occurrences in this book take place before 1960 so younger audiences probably will not recognize the stars in this book. I am in my late 30s and adore old movies so I recognized most of the Hollywood stars and a fair number of the gangsters mentioned.

The organization of the book left a lot to be desired. On multiple occasions I found myself having to flip back a page or two because the transitions were utterly confusing. I'd be reading along about Lana Turner and then the next paragraph would say: "Susie so and so lived on Hollywood and Vine starting in 1918. She was born in XYZ town to Mom and Dad so and so..." and I was left going, who is this person, why did the get inserted in the middle of this chapter and why is it relevant? Often times, it took several pages to tie back into the original person I was reading about.

The author has clearly done meticulous research on her subjects and often times the stories were very interesting. I had no idea the number of divorces and marriages that occurred during the 1930s between Hollywood starlets and various suitors (though I am not terribly surprised).

Overall, this was a fascinating glimpse into old Hollywood but some of the stories I was familiar with and as mentioned, the organization really detracted from the overall book.

I didn't love it. I was hoping for a bit more true crime, and this was scandals in the time of the nuclear family. Also in my opinion, the format didn't do the content any favors. I found myself struggling to process the bite-sized stories. I imagine this iss going to be a much better book in physical format.
It was meticulously researched and covers a huge span of time. The events described might not be crimes but they were fascinating. I read it slowly to allow for a lot of Google searches and Wikipedia-holes

I couldn’t finish this. I got bored and loved on to other books. It wasn’t what I thought it would be so unfortunately did not finish this book.

This was a fun, interesting read about the sordid past of Hollywood. I'd heard about some of these stories, but many were new to me, as were the people the stories were about. I hadn't realized how much corruption and cover-up law enforcement was responsible for back then. I loved reading the history and really liked that the author added addresses several times so the reader not only knows where the events happened, but what is at the address now. Loved the photos at the end of the sections too.

On a whim, I requested Hollywood Horrors by Andrea Van Landingham because I enjoy reading about old Hollywood. The stories of the past really give you a sense of the history of Los Angeles and the people and celebrities, both famous and infamous, who populate it.

At first, though, I wondered if this was merely a tabloid book with seedy stories quickly rendered. So not accurate. This beautifully written book engages the reader with vivid descriptions of days gone by and the tawdry tales hiding behind the silver screen. Even if you already knew some of the stories, it draws you in and keeps you reading.

Of course, you'll hear about famous cases like the Black Dahlia and the Fatty Arbuckle story but other less known stories come to light. It's exciting to wonder what will come up next and fathom how these stories would turn out in today's world. With rampant social media, you know these unseemly crimes may result in very different outcomes.

When I finished the book, I wanted more, but the last chapter's story ends in the mid-1960s. I feel there could be more to uncover, maybe in a future edition. Also, maybe a continuation leading up to more contemporary cases like the O.J. Simpson case, for example, or the Phil Spector case.

My only issue with this book was that it abruptly ends without any type of epilogue or summary of Hollywood and the crime stories that seeped through its sunny exterior. Anyway, this was an enjoyable read for anyone who loves old Hollywood. It was well-worth the time I spent on it.

Thought this was an interesting take on some of Hollywood’s darker stories. I thought, while most were well known, that it provided some interesting facts on the cases. I do think some were not quite as complete and sort of lacked some details needed. Overall, those whom are interested in crime and Hollywood, I think will enjoy this take on it! Would definitely recommend to those!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hollywood Horrors is a collection of true crime stories that captivate. The history of hollywood is always fascinating, but these stories shine light on the dark side of the history.

Fun, dishy read. I was familiar with most of the stories, but a couple were new to me. Even those I’ve read about before were fun to revisit here.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC copy for my review.

An interesting, readable collection of Hollywood scandals, most of which I wasn't familiar with before reading. My only issue is that a few chapters felt incomplete and overlooked relevant questions.

Was I pleasantly surprised by this book! I used to gobble up everything on silent movies and Hollywood in general. I really wasn't expecting to read anything more than I've read in the past but thought it would be a fun read.

Was I mistaken. Hugely. There was all kinds of information I did not know about in just about every case in this book. I read this in just a few hours. Couldn't read fast enough. I will be purchasing this copy of this book


I highly recommend.

This is a fun book for readers who want an introduction to the most famous Hollywood scandals, murders, and a variety of other crimes. There’s a good amount of detail but little that hasn’t appeared elsewhere first…. “Tinseltown” already covered most of this ground. For the most part, mysteries remain mysteries in this book (the Black Dahlia murder was most plausibly solved by Steven Hodel). If you are new to this genre, you will find that Hollywood Horrors whets your appetite for more.

This is a serviceable, straightforward recounting of many infamous Old Hollywood scandals. The author conveys facts and theories of famous cases like the Fatty Arbuckle and Thomas Ince scandals as well as lesser known events that helped create the ugly underbelly of Hollywood.

Fans of movie history and true crime will enjoy this.

What an interesting book!!!! Had a great time reading through these crazy stories! Highly recommend this book!

A well researched and interesting chronicle of Hollywood’s hay day.
Dating back to its infancy from silent films through the days of bright lights, beautiful stars and glamour, I was dazzled by stories of numerous scandals, crimes, murders and the ‘underbelly’ of this iconic Tinseltown of celebrity. The studios hiring of ‘fixers’ handled the scandals and crime scenes with speed and precision long before the authorities arrived on the scene. With names like Thelma Todd, Errol Flynn,, Elizabeth Taylor and Loretta Young, Andrea Van Landingham keeps the reader engaged with writing that is crisp, clean and addictive.
Highly recommended.

Hollywood Horrors sets out in an extremely readable and enjoyable format the scandals that rocked glamorous old Hollywood. The chapters start with the silent film stars and take in everyone from the Dohenys to Loretta Young to Thelma Todd to Errol Flynn to Jean Harlow to Mickey Cohen to Lana Turner ending with Elizabeth Taylor herself. Each of these glamorous stars is brought to life by the crisp writing as the scandals unfold around them. Even if you don’t know anything about these characters other than their names, you won’t be disappointed.

A great true crime novel. The stories are interesting and will hold your attention. This is a great read!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was very pleasantly surprised by this collection of true stories regarding several old time Hollywood cases. The detail presented is like none other I've come across. i learned a lot. I highly recommend this book. It's not only full of details I hadn't heard before, it's also excellently written. I couldn't put it down and I was sad when it was over. I'd love to hear more from this author.

This book is a great retelling of Hollywood's most classic stories of murder, death, and mystery. From it's inception to modern knowledge, Van Landingham reviews the most thrilling and news worthy tales of celebrity scandal and death. The facts here line up with most "sensational" books on Hollywood history, that focus on the gorey details and sensation more than the facts or actual resolution of the mystery. It's a great, pulpy read with all the best of Hollywood's golden era deaths, but not necessarily much true horror.

I received an advance copy of, Hollywood Horrors, by Andrea Van Landingham. This was a really good informative book on horrors in Hollywood. You think of Hollywood as all glitz and glamour, but it does have its dark side. This book tells you all about them.