Rating: 
Summary: It REALLY is a suprise ending!
Review: This book was a page turner and grabs you from the very beginning. It's plot twists were well thought out. It didn't seem like it often does that the author is just making it up as they go. Often times it feels that the author is forcing a close to a book just so it won't go on forever. Death By Hollywood wrapped up PERFECTLY well and I was completely satisfied.
Rating: 
Summary: UNDER-APPRECIATED & WELL WORTH READING
Review: This is an under-appreciated novel by Steven Bochco of NYPD BLUE fame, about a screenwriter named Bobby Newman, in Hollywood who witnesses the wife of a movie mogul clock and kill her washed-up, acting instructor, love slave, while peeping through his telescope. Bobby thinks he's struck gold when he decides to write about the crime and get to know the people involved rather than call the police and report what he's witnessed.Bobby injects himself into the case and the good graces of the lead detective, Dennis Farentino, thinking he's being discrete, but really assisting Farentino with his investigation with his half-wit observations. Farentino plays Bobby more than Bobby thinks he's playing Farentino. There is plenty of sex, language, humor, plot twists, and more sex. Though some have claimed this to be a bit skimpy, I say, "Who cares?" It's an engaging story and a real page turner. I hope this is not Bochco's last effort as a novelist, because I really enjoy his turns of phrase in this tight, well-written novel. Well worth a read.
Rating: 
Summary: Dum de Dum Dum
Review: You know going back to when Hill Street Blues began most of us saw the salvation of the TV serial. It was powerful, sad, made you think, made you cry, moving, provocative. Excellent stuff. It was only to be surpassed by . . . NYPD Blue. Just fantastic TV. That show would finish and you would let out a big sigh, unaware that you had been holding your breath. Pushing the limits. And of course, the key was Steven Bochco. He was the genius behind those TV serials that rocked us and socked us and won Emmys galore. That's what he did and does. And what this book shows is that what he's NOT is an author. There's a gushy "I love you man" comment by Steven Cannell. Well I hope so. Cannell's probably thinking, "I'm still the only guy in Hollywood writing books that people read!" This book is a real letdown. The plot is a takeoff from Jimmy Stewart with a broken leg caused by photographing the end of the Indianaplois 500, recuperating, sitting by his . . . "Rear Window," watching the lives of other people. Kind of voyeuristic, but heck it was 1954. Besides Jimmy was always well shaven and presentable. And he had a Brooks Brothers bathrobe on over his cast. Enter Bobby Newman, who is by the very best accounts a self absorbed, drunk, self centered, nasty voyeur, playing with his telescope one night as he says 'just to see naked women' when, instead after a long and virtually pornographic sex act between two people, he sees a murder. And the plot goes on from there. Did I say plot? OK. A series of barely connected vingettes. Tiny scenes from who knows where. Every character is a comic book example of a promiscuous, foul mouthed, lying, trash talking, addicted to self abuse individual. There are no redeeming virtues in any of these characters. Each one, men and women alike, are emotional junkies. Even the cops whom you would think would have something of merit to offer since Bochco's heroes are detectives, are a huge letdown. The dialogue, what little there is of it, is stilted, one dimensional, and meaningless. The only character worthy of note is Jelko, Bobby's agent, and he comes across as an unbelievable good guy, father of the year and faithful husband. I guess he's Mr. Bochco. A big disappointment. Not worth the effort. Larry Scantlebury
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