Take a photo of a barcode or cover
108 reviews for:
A Murder in Hollywood: The Untold Story of Tinseltown's Most Shocking Crime
Casey Sherman
3.69 AVERAGE
108 reviews for:
A Murder in Hollywood: The Untold Story of Tinseltown's Most Shocking Crime
Casey Sherman
3.69 AVERAGE
dark
informative
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
informative
sad
medium-paced
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
I enjoyed thus gritty yet glamorous behind-the-scenes look into 1930s Hollywood. I will say that 80% of the book is about Lana Turner and her life, with a small part actually dedicated to the murder scandal and the fallout, so be prepared for that. Also, I think the author’s note was a nice sentiment of acknowledging Lana’s pain and struggles, forming her into an early feminist figure, and I wish that was more present throughout the book. Some of the verbiage seemed purposefully sensationalist and I wish more care was taken throughout if advocacy was going to be the author’s lasting end statement. Overall, it was pretty good!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Abortion, Death of parent, Alcohol
Minor: Cancer
dark
informative
medium-paced
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Lana Turner, or Lana Turner type characters, have shown up in several of my reads lately. I saw this on Libby and thought, why not? This was very interesting and complete Hollywood trash, but it did hold my attention. If you like stories about Sean Connery punching a dude in the face, or a gentleman's appendage being compared to a coveted acting award then this might be the book for you.
It felt well researched but I do wonder, if I read HER actual books... would I get to know her better?
It felt well researched but I do wonder, if I read HER actual books... would I get to know her better?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse
informative
sad
medium-paced
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an Advanced Reader Copy - pub date 2/13/2024. Lana Turner was gorgeous and talented and rich and had the absolute worst taste in men. We're talking Go On Jerry Springer And Hang Your Head As The Audience Hoots taste. But she was scrappy and determined and has given us both one heck of a movie catalog and one of the Great Classic Hollywood Scandals... Involving a man, of course.
The author chose to approach the death of Johnny Stompanato from two sides, setting the format of this book as a sort of v, two lines converging to that fatal night and its fall-out. On one side, you have Lana Turner, formerly Julia Jean Turner, coming from poverty and a broken home and a father's unsolved murder to become the famous Sweater Girl, then the most glamourous actress, then, against all odds of the time, an independent woman with her own production company - paving the way for the likes of Marilyn Monroe (who, ironically, she gave advice to when Monroe was still young and new). On the other side, you have the mob and gangsters and the likes of Mickey Cohen, Johnny Stompanato's boss and buddy. Following this structure, the reader gets a really layered look at the various levels of Hollywood and how the worlds overlapped and interacted.
The book was well written and well researched and I really enjoyed the two prong approach. That said, every so often, there were points where it suddenly felt less like non-fiction and more like a would-be novel. Some of the rumor and hear-say presented as factual as the actual facts and some things handed to the reader as This Is What Happened. Plus a little redundancy in places but you can't fault the author for that when Lana's dating history is filled with a lot of abuse and cover-up. Blame the times and you understand why she avoided going to the police - even if every fiber of you screams at her to get a PFA immediately.
The author chose to approach the death of Johnny Stompanato from two sides, setting the format of this book as a sort of v, two lines converging to that fatal night and its fall-out. On one side, you have Lana Turner, formerly Julia Jean Turner, coming from poverty and a broken home and a father's unsolved murder to become the famous Sweater Girl, then the most glamourous actress, then, against all odds of the time, an independent woman with her own production company - paving the way for the likes of Marilyn Monroe (who, ironically, she gave advice to when Monroe was still young and new). On the other side, you have the mob and gangsters and the likes of Mickey Cohen, Johnny Stompanato's boss and buddy. Following this structure, the reader gets a really layered look at the various levels of Hollywood and how the worlds overlapped and interacted.
The book was well written and well researched and I really enjoyed the two prong approach. That said, every so often, there were points where it suddenly felt less like non-fiction and more like a would-be novel. Some of the rumor and hear-say presented as factual as the actual facts and some things handed to the reader as This Is What Happened. Plus a little redundancy in places but you can't fault the author for that when Lana's dating history is filled with a lot of abuse and cover-up. Blame the times and you understand why she avoided going to the police - even if every fiber of you screams at her to get a PFA immediately.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Sexual assault, Sexual violence