When Michael Crichton passed away in 2008, readers lost one of the great masters of the techno-thriller, an author with a unique ability to merge cutting-edge science and technology with pulse-pounding storytelling. Yet even after his death, Crichton’s literary output has remained surprisingly active. Unpublished manuscripts have surfaced, unfinished concepts have been completed by other writers, and we’ve even seen unlikely collaborations, including a posthumous novel with James Patterson just a few years ago.
So perhaps it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that, eighteen years after his passing, a “new” Crichton novel has arrived. A Murder in Hollywood, originally written under a pseudonym back in 1973, is finally seeing the light of day.
Publicist Harvey Jason is no stranger to troubled productions. It’s the 1970s, and Hollywood is overflowing with oversized egos, rampant excess, and enough sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll to derail even the most carefully managed film set. Harvey’s job is to keep the chaos under control.
His latest project, the would-be Western blockbuster Bloodrock, has been cursed from the start. Endless rewrites and a screenwriter who keeps demanding more money have ballooned the budget and pushed the production behind schedule. And now things have gone from disastrous to deadly.
That very screenwriter has been found murdered in the bathtub of his motel room.
As the studio scrambles to keep the film afloat, Harvey finds himself caught between managing the increasingly volatile production and staying out of the way of Harlow Perkins, a brilliant and notoriously ruthless investigator determined to uncover who killed the writer.
At first glance, A Murder in Hollywood reads like a throwback murder mystery steeped in nostalgia for a bygone era of glitz, glamour, and Hollywood excess. But then I reminded myself that when Michael Crichton originally wrote the novel back in 1973, this wasn’t nostalgia at all—it was contemporary fiction, offering a snapshot of the very industry he was beginning to break into himself.
That realization reframed the entire novel for me. What initially felt like a fairly straightforward murder investigation revealed itself to be something much more quintessentially Crichton. No, it doesn’t revolve around cutting-edge technology the way many of his later works would, but it still contains all the hallmarks of his storytelling: a compelling premise, brisk pacing, and a colorful cast of characters navigating a system built on ambition, ego, and illusion.
There’s also something fascinating about seeing traces of the writer Crichton would eventually become. Even this early in his career, you can feel his instinct for momentum and entertainment taking shape on the page. A Murder in Hollywood is an entertaining and intriguing time capsule, offering readers a glimpse into both 1970s Hollywood and the early evolution of one of thriller fiction’s most influential voices.
For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2026, 39)
I really miss Michael Crichton. I did love reading his books. The fact that they keep publishing more of 'his' books is a little strange, but I get why they are. And it's nice that this one is at least one he wrote and finished himself.
ReplyDeleteI definitely question how much of his books that were finished with a different author were actually him, but it was cool that this one was actually his from years ago.
DeleteI don't know why I didn't realize he died! I was offered an audio copy and I think I'll grab it up after reading your review. Interesting that they keep grabbing up older manuscripts, finishing and publishing them! His name still sells well, apparently!
ReplyDeleteThis made for a fun mystery, even if its not his best work that I've read.
DeleteIt's cool that his unpublished manuscripts were given life for his fans.
ReplyDeleteI agree. It's a cool way for his legacy to live on.
DeleteI really miss Michael Crichton. I am definitely getting this one from the library!
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy it. It is quite different from his usual books.
DeleteThere's a huge queue for it, it will be a while but I will get it!
DeleteHe's still so popular!
DeleteI love the idea of this book being a "time capsule", and of fans to be able to see, in retrospect, how the more mature Crichton came into being.
ReplyDeleteIt was really cool to read something from so early in his career!
DeleteI also had no idea Crichton died, but it's great for his fans that they are reviving his work. I enjoyed your insights as a longtime reader.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteIt's with shame that I admit I've never read any Crichton! I absolutely have his works on my TBR; maybe this summer will be when I finally tackle one.
ReplyDeleteJurassic Park is a classic! Give that one a go. It's pretty different from the movie, too.
DeleteIt's been such a long time, yet he's still publishing fairly regularly. So I understand the confusion!
ReplyDelete