Download or read book Tinseltown written by William J. Mann and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2014-10-14 with total page 488 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New York Times Bestseller • Edgar Award winner for Best Fact Crime The Day of the Locust meets The Devil in the White City and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil in this juicy, untold Hollywood story: an addictive true tale of ambition, scandal, intrigue, murder, and the creation of the modern film industry. By 1920, the movies had suddenly become America’s new favorite pastime, and one of the nation’s largest industries. Never before had a medium possessed such power to influence. Yet Hollywood’s glittering ascendency was threatened by a string of headline-grabbing tragedies—including the murder of William Desmond Taylor, the popular president of the Motion Picture Directors Association, a legendary crime that has remained unsolved until now. In a fiendishly involving narrative, bestselling Hollywood chronicler William J. Mann draws on a rich host of sources, including recently released FBI files, to unpack the story of the enigmatic Taylor and the diverse cast that surrounded him—including three beautiful, ambitious actresses; a grasping stage mother; a devoted valet; and a gang of two-bit thugs, any of whom might have fired the fatal bullet. And overseeing this entire landscape of intrigue was Adolph Zukor, the brilliant and ruthless founder of Paramount, locked in a struggle for control of the industry and desperate to conceal the truth about the crime. Along the way, Mann brings to life Los Angeles in the Roaring Twenties: a sparkling yet schizophrenic town filled with party girls, drug dealers, religious zealots, newly-minted legends and starlets already past their prime—a dangerous place where the powerful could still run afoul of the desperate. A true story recreated with the suspense of a novel, Tinseltown is the work of a storyteller at the peak of his powers—and the solution to a crime that has stumped detectives and historians for nearly a century.

Download or read book Murder in Tinseltown written by Earl Hamner and published by Hawk Publishing Group. This book was released on 2000-01-15 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Emory Goode, a ruthless Hollywood producer, investigates the death of an actress.

Download or read book Murder in Hollywood written by Charles Higham and published by Terrace Books. This book was released on 2004-11-15 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For more than eighty years, the famous unsolved murder of William Desmond Taylor, the legendary bisexual film director, has generated debate and controversy. Now, best-selling author Charles Higham has solved the crime. Higham uncovers the corruption and intrigue of Los Angeles in the Roaring Twenties—and the film industry moguls’ complete domination of the city’s authorities. When it was discovered that a famous star of the day had probably killed Taylor, a massive cover-up began—from the removal of crucial evidence to the naming of innocent people as killers—which has continued until now to protect the truth. Murder in Hollywood goes beyond the killing to unearth unknown details about the life of Taylor before his arrival in Hollywood, as well as the stories and histories buried by the crooked authorities and criminals involved the case. The author’s exclusive interviews with the culpable star, his unique possession of long-vanished police records, and the support of the present-day Los Angeles county coroner—who examined the evidence as if the murder had taken place now—have ensured a hair-raising thriller. Charles Higham successfully presents the most plausible and convincing solution yet to the mystery. In the process he paints a vivid portrait of Hollywood in the 1920s—from its major stars to its bisexual subculture. The result is a compelling answer to a long-standing mystery and a fascinating study of a place, and an industry that, as today, let people reinvent themselves. Murder in Hollywood is more extraordinary than any crime of fiction and more exciting than any action adventure movie.

Download or read book Hollywood Horrors written by Andrea Van Landingham and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2021-11-01 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The name “Hollywood” conjures up fantastical images of bright lights, glamorous dreams, and impossible riches. From its humble beginnings as a ranch sprawling northwest of Los Angeles in the late 1800s, Hollywood has spanned lifetimes as a factory of dreams, a dazzling place where all things are possible. This collection of stories takes you on a journey into the golden age, illuminating the space between the airy fantasy and the gritty reality of life in Hollywood. In a transient city where nothing lasts, thousands of stories have taken place in their time here. From the offscreen debauchery of the silent era, to countless dramatic and mysterious deaths, to the sinister past lives of world-famous LA landmarks, vestiges of Hollywood’s checkered past can still be found all over the city. With generations of Tinseltown’s luminaries living and working under the sunny guise of paradisal prosperity, their real stories reveal the sordid underbelly lurking directly beneath the surface. A dangerous collusion between the studios, the press, the mob, and the LAPD forms an impenetrable behind-the-scenes network of corruption, power and control, where the truth is always up for sale. A network in which the most glamorous and well-known figures are merely players in this elaborate charade. It’s magical and gritty, it’s ugly and dirty, it’s the land of dreams...it’s Hollywood.

Download or read book Murder at Hotel Cinema written by Daniel Edward Craig and published by Llewellyn Worldwide. This book was released on 2011-10-08 with total page 433 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this star-studded sequel to Murder at the Universe, Daniel Edward Craig pokes good-humored fun at the celebrity-crazed Los Angeles culture. Dedicated hotelier Trevor Lambert takes a job at Hotel Cinema, a multi-million dollar rejuvenation of an Old Hollywood motor inn. It's a fabulous opening party until Tinseltown's hottest star, Chelsea Fricks, takes a fatal dive from her penthouse balcony. Was it a reckless publicity stunt or did fame drive her to suicide? Chelsea's stab wounds tell another story. Suddenly Hotel Cinema is the setting of a hilarious Hollywood murder mystery, starring Chelsea's former pit bull publicist; a star-struck detective; tasteless tabloid reporters; and Trevor's incompetent boss, who breaks every rule in the hotel handbook. Cristal champagne is flowing. Business is booming. But when the hotel staff are targeted as murder suspects, the party turns into a publicity nightmare.

Download or read book Death by Hollywood written by Steven Bochco and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2009-08-17 with total page 133 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One evening, spying on his Hollywood Hills neighbours through his $4,000 electronic telescope, Bobby witnesses a beautiful woman making love to a handsome Latin actor called Ramon. As their pillow talk turns ugly, Bobby watches in horror as the woman appears to bludgeon her lover to death with his own acting trophy. Instead of rushing to the cops, Bobby decides to find out more about the events that led up to the crime, and to use the material for his next movie screenplay. However, when he sneaks into the actor's apartment, the discovery he makes changes his life forever. Empowered by his secret knowledge, Bobby is able to seduce the beautiful woman, while forging a unique friendship with Detective Dennis Farentino, the cop in charge of the investigation. Before long Bobby has dragged the detective, his wife, his lover, and his agent into a Hollywood fun-house hall of mirrors, where only the most manipulative player will survive.

Download or read book Hallowed Murder written by Ellen Hart and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2003-12-11 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When the bodies start to drop, Jane Lawless realizes it might not be love at all that brought a young diva and an aged director together, but something perhaps more sinister.

Download or read book Murder In Hollywood written by Gary C. King and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2001-08-20 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Her husband was Robert Blake, the award-winning star of In Cold Blood. But she found her own fame at point-blank range... Obsessed with glamour and wealth, she followed her dream to Hollywood, and finally found fame-- in death. Bonny Lee Bakley's dream was to marry a movie star. Using sex and guts, the ruthless small-town blonde finally struck it rich by wedding Robert Blake, the Emmy Award-winning actor who scored in the hit show "Baretta." When Blake found his bride of six months with a bullet in her head outside a Los Angeles restaurant, he was thrust back into the spotlight, and Bonny Lee was exposed for the manipulative woman she was-- a grifter with a sordid criminal history of sex swindles, credit-card fraud, and Social Security scams. But her specialty was fleecing wealthy men for quick cash-- a lucrative sting that finally brought Bonny Lee Bakley to Hollywood to live-- and die-- among the rich and famous... But who really murdered Bonny Lee in cold blood? How did it play into Robert and Bonny's turbulent marriage? Was she a victim of her own con-- or something more sinister? What was the truth behind her fears of being stalked? And what secrets were hidden in Bonny's past that she found impossible to outrun? Now, in this riveting, fascinating account, Gary C. King brings you the inside details of the most talked-about Tinseltown murder in years. With 8 pages of unforgettable photos!

Download or read book Prime Time Murder A FREE Cozy Celebrity Murder Mystery written by Brittany E. Brinegar and published by Britt Lizz Publishing. This book was released on 2020-12-26 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Enjoy this FREE murder mystery series starter from Brittany E. Brinegar, author of witty whodunits... She's little. She's feisty. Spoiler alert, she's not the killer. Move to Hollywood. Catch her big break. Become a movie star. Nowhere on Becky Robinson's to-do list does it say discover a dead body or become the prime suspect. Becky's first day on set is anything but glamorous. Between coffee runs and walking the star dog, she discovers the body of a prominent actress. Not exactly how she pictured seeing her name in the papers. And they didn't even spell it right. After finding evidence at the crime scene, the cops are on her trail and a Hollywood hunk is in the hot seat. To clear her name and discover whodunit, Becky rubs elbows with Tinseltown insiders. With the help of her best friend and an adorable puppy, they attempt to expose the killer before he claims his next victim. ----------------------------------- Prime Time Murder is the whimsical first installment in the Hollywood Whodunit cozy mystery series. If you love clumsy heroines, a Hollywood backdrop, quirky suspects, and an adorable rescue puppy this series is for you! Hollywood Whodunit Series Order Book 1: Prime Time Murder Book 2: Stand-In Murder Book 3: Music City Murder Book 4. Trap Door Murder Book 5: Fool's Gold Murder Book 6: Holly Jolly Murder Book 7: Blue Suede Murder Book 8: Family Reunion Murder Book 9: Summer Vacation Murder Book 10: Sunlight Swindler Murder Book 11: Castle Island Murder Book 12: Fixer-Upper Murder Book 13: Hometown Murder Book 14: Big Apple Murder Book 15: Devil Wears Murder

Download or read book Not Just Evil written by David Wilson and published by Diversion Books. This book was released on 2016-12-06 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1927, a schoolgirl’s murder leads to a Hollywood manhunt, a bizarre confession, and a landmark trial in this historical true crime. Twelve-year-old Marion Parker was kidnapped from her Los Angeles school by an unknown assailant on December 15, 1927. The killer dropped her off a few days later, fleeing with the ransom money before Marion’s father discovered she had been brutally murdered. When William Edward Hickman was hunted down and charged with the killing, he admitted to all of it, in terrifying detail, but that was only the start. Hickman’s insanity plea was the first of its kind in California, and it led to a national media frenzy. His lawyers argued that their client lived in a fantasy world, inspired by movies and unable to tell right from wrong. In a year when the first talking picture had just been released, the movie industry scrambled to protect itself from ruinous publicity. As scandals threatened the proceedings from the start, the death of a young girl grew into a referendum on the state of America at the birth of mass media culture. Author and private investigator David Wilson captures the maelstrom surrounding Marion Parker’s death in vivid detail. From the crime itself to the manhunt that followed, the unprecedented trial, and its dramatic aftermath, Wilson draws readers into this fascinating true account of the birth of the celebrity criminal.

Download or read book A Killing in Costumes written by Zac Bissonnette and published by Crooked Lane Books. This book was released on 2022-08-09 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Stardom fades fast when you’re on the line for murder, in this debut cozy mystery perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Jenn McKinlay. Jay Allan and Cindy Cooper were soap opera stars in the late ’90s, a wholesome young husband-and-wife duo who combined musical talent with humor and charisma. When the truth about their sexual orientations came to light, their marriage and TV careers ended, but decades later they have remained friends. Together, they open Palm Springs’ chicest movie memorabilia store, Hooray for Hollywood--but no customers and dwindling finances spell trouble. A Hail Mary arrives in the form of Yana Tosh, a ninety-year-old diva of the silver screen who has amassed a valuable collection of costumes and props and is looking to sell. But first, Jay and Cindy have to beat their competition, a vice president from a mega-auction house with ten times their resources. And when he winds up dead, they become prime suspects in the murder. With their freedom and livelihoods on the line, Jay and Cindy desperately need to clear their names. There are plenty of other potential suspects, but they'll have to solve it soon before they're forced to trade in their vintage costume collection for two orange jumpsuits.

Download or read book Deadly Illusions written by Samuel Marx and published by Random House (NY). This book was released on 1990 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents compelling evidence that Bern was murdered and why.

Download or read book Tinseltown Riff written by Shelly Frome and published by Yellowback Mysteries. This book was released on 2000-09 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tinseltown Riff is a novel of suspense, crime, and Hollywood. Shelly Frome is a professor of dramatic arts emeritus, a former professional actor, a writer of mystery novels and articles and books on theatre and film. He also writes profiles of leading figures in the arts for a regional magazine covering the Berkshires, Hudson Valley and the Litchfield Hills

Download or read book The Joan Crawford Murders written by Peter Joseph Swanson and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2013-10-04 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Joan Crawford returns to MGM in 1953. Her comeback to her alma mater is to make the garish musical Torch Song. Joan suspects that it's hokum, and that she's getting too old for such parts, but she is desperate to make it work. That includes living at the studio in her dressing room during production. All the while, a psycho killer Joan Crawford drag queen stalks Hollywood to eliminate other Joan Crawford drag queens, and Joan is so strung out on vodka and super strength diet pills that she isn't sure if she has taken up murder herself. Her gay best friend is poised ready to help her party. A powerful gangster is only interested in saving her reputation until death, and her loyal hairdresser has a son who has his own sneaky Joan Crawford secrets. The final epic showdown between Joan Crawford and Joan Crawford is beyond any movie ending ever filmed. Followed by the sequel, The Joan Crawford Monsters.

Download or read book Abandoned Baton Rouge written by Colleen Kane and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Series statement from publisher's website.

Download or read book Murder in Retrospect written by Agatha Christie and published by . This book was released on 1979 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Hollywood Ending written by Kellye Garrett and published by Llewellyn Worldwide. This book was released on 2018-08-08 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: And the award goes to... ...Dayna Anderson, the semi-famous actress turned PI who steps up her sleuthing swagger in this follow-up to breakout hit Hollywood Homicide, winner of the Lefty Award and the Agatha Award for Best First Novel! Tinseltown's awards season is in full swing, and everyone is obsessed with dressing up, scoring free swag, and getting invited to the biggest awards shows of the year. But when celebrity publicist Lyla Davis is killed, the festive mood comes to an abrupt halt. Apprentice private eye Dayna Anderson thinks she's uncovered the killer. Unfortunately, what starts as an open-and-shut case turns out to be anything but. Diving deeper into the investigation, Dayna gets a backstage look at gossip blogging, Hollywood royalty, and one of entertainment's most respected awards shows—all while trying to avoid her own Hollywood ending. Praise for Hollywood Ending: A 2019 Lefty Award Nominee Named Best of 2018 by Suspense Magazine "Garrett continues to build an appealingly quirky crime-solving team."—Kirkus Reviews "Garrett, who wrote for TV's Cold Case, brings a smart insider's view of contemporary Hollywood to this lighthearted series."—Publishers Weekly "Fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series will feel right at home."—Library Journal "Day's funny and determined, the sort of woman who really WOULD make a wisecrack when faced with danger."—Donna Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of the Meg Langslow series "Kellye Garrett's Hollywood Ending glitters with stardust. A fun, fast-paced mystery, it's definitely an A-lister."—Elaine Viets, author of the Dead-End Job mysteries "Fasten your seatbelts. A star is born!"—Nancy Martin, author of the Blackbird Sisters mysteries "An entertaining whodunit that provides readers a peek behind Hollywood's star-studded curtain."—Diane Kelly, award-winning author Praise for Hollywood Homicide: Winner of the 2018 Agatha Award for Best First Novel Winner of the 2018 Anthony Award for Best First Novel Winner of the 2018 Lefty Award for Best Debut Winner of the 2018 IPPY Gold Medal for Best First Book "[A] winning first novel and series launch...Garrett writes with humor and insight about the Hollywood scene."—Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A smart, sassy debut."—Library Journal (starred review) and Debut of the Month "Veteran TV writer Garrett uses her Cold Case experience to inform her debut, which sets up more than one charming character and isn't afraid to go cynical on all things LA."—Kirkus Reviews "Funny, lively characters populate this new Detective by Day series."—RT Book Reviews "Dayna Anderson is a heroine readers will fall in love with."—Kyra Davis, New York Times bestselling author "A non-stop, fun read with humor sharp as a stiletto heel."—Ellen Byron, USA Today bestselling author "Toss in a hit-and-run, a steep reward, and more one-liners than a Marx Brothers marathon and you've got Hollywood Homicide."—Catriona McPherson, Agatha Award-winning author "Has a heart as big as Los Angeles."—Rachel Howzell Hall, author of the LAPD Detective Elouise Norton series "Garrett has written a novel with great voice, characters, hilarious moments, and a lot of Hollywood."—BookRiot