Hooray for Hollywood

‘In My Own Time’

We have two local celebrities dropping memoirs this month. The first is the immensely talented Christopher Lloyd, who between the covers of In My Own Time introduces us to his wealthy Connecticut childhood, growing up with mostly absent parents. Chris takes us through his years on Taxi and into the trilogy that so many associate with him as Doc Brown, Back to the Future. This is a heartfelt, unexpected delight of a memoir from one of the kindest, sometimes shyest, and most talented of current living legends. 

‘One Helluva Ride’

Another legend, actor Michael Douglas, drops his memoir One Helluva Ride this month. From classics such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Chris Lloyd’s film debut) to Wall Street, Basic Instinct, and Romancing the Stone Douglas made his name as both actor and producer. Along the way he’s had his ups and downs, most notably the public struggles of his son Cameron and his complicated relationship with his own father, Kirk Douglas. I can attest he is a helluva a nice man with one helluva career.

‘Tear the City Down’

Andre Hardy has a terrific new noir thriller out, Tear the City Down. Hardy, an ex-NFL running back, brings us Coltrane Davis, a “fixer” for some nasty characters. While he is trying to leave the hustling life behind, he is pulled into the disappearance of a Chargers star running back. The dialogue is snappy, and the twists keep coming. I seriously could not put this down. 

‘Sleuth-Hound’

Fans of Sherlock Holmes will find themselves caught up in fascinating history in Lindsey Fitzharris’ latest, Sleuth-Hound. Apparently, Arthur Conan Doyle was a medical student before trying his hand at writing one of the more famous (and ultimately iconic) detectives in literary history. Doyle was inspired by his teacher, renowned surgeon Joseph Bell, whose remarkable powers of observation enabled him to identify root causes of illness and death in his patients. Fitzharris does a remarkable job balancing gruesome autopsies and violent murders with humorous anecdotes about 19^th century Edinburgh, before there were forensic studies and before the word “detective” existed. We learn it all here.

‘All the Little Secrets’

Mix up the margaritas – extra strong – for May Cobb’s sequel to the bestselling All the Little Houses. Cobb’s All the Little Secrets is set in small-town Longview, where the residents are big-haired, booze-swilling gossips. In her previous book Cobb left us with a startling cliff hanger by killing off a main character, Charmaine – a glamorous and wealthy queen of the city who seemed to have it all. Now who doesn’t love a big-hearted, boozy, Texas-sized mystery with a cast of characters you will continue to love to hate.

‘Once in a Timeline’

Romance fans grab a cozy robe and settle into Iman Hariri-Kia’s Once in a Timeline, about a New York City influencer, the child of Iranian immigrants, who finds herself stuck – literally – in a time loop. Until, that is, a handsome stranger interrupts her time loop and finds himself stuck inside it with her. The romance is a sweet slow burn, the laughs many, and you’ll find yourself rooting for these two, in or out of their time loop.

‘It’s Not What You Think’

I didn’t want to leave you without a twisty thriller to sink into. And that is just what Clare Mackintosh brings with It’s Not What You Think. Nadeeka thinks her boyfriend is cheating on her. When she arrives home to confront him, she finds someone has murdered him. That is only the beginning of the strange things that happen. I don’t want to give much away, because this is a page-turner propelled by your not knowing what is around every dark corner.