Guy Bolton’s Hollywood fixer takes on ‘The Syndicate’

My review of “The Syndicate,” a mystery novel set in 1940s Tinseltown featuring a onetime cop-turned-Hollywood fixer, appears in the latest online post of Mystery Scene magazine.

I enjoyed what British author Guy Bolton did with the book’s protagonist, Jonathan Craine – and the plot machinations, with details about stars and starry locales – probably more so because of my special interest in fixers. See, I’ve created a character with the same occupation. Casey Cummings made her print debut not long ago in a short story that ran in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, reluctantly accepting a case brought to her by a once-famous blaxploitation actor with a pack of Chihuahua sidekicks. I’m presently at work on a follow-up adventure. Hope to hit the “send” button soon!