Reviewed by Craig Sisterson
Dayna Anderson doesn’t set out to solve a murder. All the semi-famous, mega-broke black actress wants is to help her parents keep their house. After witnessing a deadly hit-and-run, she figures pursuing the fifteen-grand reward isn’t the craziest thing a Hollywood actress has done for some cash.
But what starts as simply trying to remember a speeding car soon blossoms into a full-on investigation. As Dayna digs deeper into the victim’s life, she wants more than just reward money. She’s determined to find the poor woman’s killer too. When she connects the accident to a notorious Hollywood crime spree, Dayna chases down leads at paparazzi hot spots, celeb homes and movie premieres. She loves every second—until someone tries to kill her.
And there are no second takes in real life.
You often see reviewers and readers saying things like 'this book made me stay up all night, I just had to read more', but in this case my first taste of award-winning American author Kellye Garrett's crime writing made me walk for miles and miles. Living through the COVID pandemic in London, I've taken to daily walks through local parks; it's great to be around some nature (trees, creeks, pigeons and crows, a few squirrels or the occasional fox, recently the first flowers of spring, etc) and walking is just flat-out good for mind and soul as well as body. As my walks got longer as the pandemic lengthened I started listening to audiobooks at times too, enjoying a great story among the fresh air and scenery.
I was enjoying HOLLYWOOD HOMICIDE so much I lengthened my daily walks that particular weekend and finished the whole thing (10+ hours of narration, though I may have sped it up slightly, but still 8-9 hours) in two days. Lots of miles under the feet that weekend!
Garrett's debut novel made quite the splash following its paperback release in 2017, going on to win an impressive quartet of awards (Agatha, Anthony, Lefty, and IBBY prizes for best first novel) along with nominations for the Barry and Macavity Awards. That's a huge haul, and a rare feat for any author.
Lighter in tone than many of the crime and thriller tales I read, HOLLYWOOD HOMICIDE has a rich vein of humour and some memorable characters that had me smiling and intrigued throughout.
After having her 15 minutes of fame as the face of Chubby's Chicken, now-retired actress Dayna Anderson is struggling financially and living in a small room at a friend's house.
Scraping together jobs for fuel and food, and desperate to find money so her parents don't lose their home, Dayna embarks on a scheme to earn the $15,000 reward for information on a deadly hit and run, leading to a series of hilarious and dangerous situations.
I got into this more and more as I read (listened). Bahni Turpin's narration is on point, and there's just something eminently enjoyable about Garrett's storytelling. Dayna and her pals - fashionista and wannabe reality star Sienna, computer geek Emme who's an identical twin to an A-list actress, and budding TV cop drama star Omari - are a hoot. There's hijinks and humanity.
Garrett crafts an intriguing vibe with the characters she creates and throws together, and the situations they stumble into. Dayna's hunt for the reward, then deeper thoughts of justice, takes readers (listeners) all over Hollywood. The reality not just the glamour seen on screen. From mansions to cramped rooms, TV sets to auto mechanics. The fame and the falling short (for so many).
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed HOLLYWOOD HOMICIDE, and fully intend to read the other two books in what became a trilogy, in future (HOLLYWOOD ENDING and HOLLYWOOD HACK).
Craig Sisterson is a lapsed Kiwi lawyer who now lives in London and writes for magazines and newspapers in several countries. He’s interviewed hundreds of crime writers and talked about the genre on national radio, top podcasts, and onstage at festivals on three continents. Craig's been a judge of the Ned Kelly Awards, McIlvanney Prize, is founder of the Ngaio Marsh Awards and co-founder of Rotorua Noir. His book SOUTHERN CROSS CRIME, was published in 2020.
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