Customer Reviews

Natural causes

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This is one of the lighter toned books in the Harry Stoner detective series as Harry leaves his native Ciccinnati and goes to Los Angeles to investigate the murder of a soap opera writer. The Hollywood types Stoner matches wits with here just are not as menacing as the street toughs he usually tackles in Cincinnati. Nevertheless, as with all Stoner books, you get a first rate detective story in the bargain.

Cincinnati PI, Harry Stoner, has been hired by a company called United American to find out how head soap opera writer, Quentin Dover, really died. His body was found in a LA hotel room, badly cut from having apparently fallen through the glass while showering. Since Dover had had heart problems, an accidental death is probable. Head of production, Frank Glendora, however, wants to stop the nasty rumors which could ultimately hurt the TV show United American spends a lot of money sponsoring.

As Harry delves into the world of soap opera production, he learns far more than he wants to about paranoid, greedy, backstabbing people whose self-esteem and careers depend on shallow plotlines, great piles of money and, not surprisingly, drugs.

Unfortunately, the plot is almost as shallow as the people Harry investigates. We do learn what motivates some of the characters to do the things they do, but the more I read the less I liked almost everyone in the story. Shallow lives and shallow people who are neither smart or complicated just isn't interesting. The story unfolds with Stoner interviewing one person after another, and the red herrings aren't strong enough to supply good twists. The killer's identity left me thinking "so what?" Even Harry isn't really fleshed out, although I did like him. All I really remember about him is that he lives in Cincinnati, used to be a cop, likes women, and knows how to handle a gun. But shouldn't there be more?

Valin is a terrific writer.

His prose is poetic, but tough and lean as Hammett's and Chandler's.

Harry Stoner, his tough-guy detective, is smart, uncompromising, relentless, and ever-watchful.

Even though he has to go to L.A. to pursue the dubious death of a soap-opera writer, he is hardly dazzled by the glitz-dope-and-egos of those around him.

Instead, he pursues the dark underbelly of L.A. and T.V. to a horrifying, near tragic conclusion.

The scenes in L.A. are harsh and unsparing; the scenes in the desert are gorgeous and shocking.

Fine characters, wonderful writing, a dark and scary plot.