Shadow Games  by Ed Gorman 

The predominant theme in this book is vengeance. Ed Gorman’s writing is brilliant, as always. But this book is a raw, gritty exposé of Hollywood, especially focused on child actors. In Gorman’s introduction (make sure you read it) he talks about his experience in Hollywood and that this book was on his mind for many years. While it is a crime story, it’s not a happy ever after, bad guy comes to justice story. It’s a modern tragedy. If you like happy endings, this is not a book for you.

Cobey Daniels is a former child television star who continually gets into trouble. He drinks. He does drugs. He’s a womanizer. And the relationship he has with his agent is disgusting. The mystery of the story surrounds a woman who is murdered in her apartment. All evidence points to Cobey. The first part of the book reveals Cobey’s background after falling from stardom, as well as introducing all the other demented characters orbiting Cobey’s tragic life.

There is only one redeeming character in this entire book. The former secret service agent, now private detective, William James Puckett. He’s not Hollywood, though he lives in Los Angeles and often works for stars as a bodyguard and other odd jobs. He comes into the story when he is hired to escort Cobey home from an institution and gets sucked into trying to solve the murder. The rest of the characters are depraved, immoral, and often nasty.

This was not my favorite Gorman. Not even close. It’s a story, though, Mr. Gorman had to tell. The mystery in it is well done. I didn’t have it figured out until Puckett had it figured out. I missed a key clue, though. Still trying to figure out where I missed it.

This is far from a clean read. It contains copious profanity and on page sex, often pornographic in description. Gorman uses alcohol, sex, and backstabbing people to portray the corruption, greed, and immorality of Hollywood.

There isn’t that much more I can say about it. If you don’t like any of the above, don’t read it.

I’ll rank this one eleventh so far this year, only on strength of Ed Gorman’s writing.

1. Rooms by James L. Rubart
2. The First Lady by Ed Gorman
3. Every Dead Thing by John Connolly
4. I’ll Be Seeing You by Mary Higgins Clark
5. In Darkness Cast by Jonathan Shuerger
6. Several Deaths Later by Ed Gorman
7. Citadel (Palladium Wars Book 3) by Marko Kloos
8. Redemption by Deborah J. Ledford
9. Death of a Messenger by Robert McCaw
10. The Little Grave by Carolyn Arnold
11. Shadow Games by Ed Gorman
12. Barrier Island by John D. MacDonald
13. Serial Killer by Perry Martin
14. Jake of All Trades by A.T. Mahon
15. Fireplay by Steve P. Vincent
16. Wrong Place Wrong Time by David P. Perlmutter
17. Nowhere Safe by Kate Bold
18. The Bone Key Curse by Mike Scantlebury
19. Run for Your Life by C.M. Sutter

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