In 'The Pictures,' The Story Slips Out Of Focus
With The Pictures, British author Guy Bolton kicks off a mystery series set in classic-era Hollywood. He's clearly done his research on 1930s America, but sometimes all that detail obscures the story.
Bethanne Patrick is a freelance writer and critic who tweets @TheBookMaven.
American authors Martha Grimes and Elizabeth George have made careers penning mysteries set across the pond; now English writer Guy Bolton is attempting to build a career of his own with a series set in Hollywood's golden age. The Pictures, his first novel featuring LAPD detective Jonathan Craine, takes place in 1939 — just as MGM is getting ready to release .
