Review of VAMPYRES OF HOLLYWOOD by Adrienne Barbeau and Michael Scott

Thomas Dunne, July 2008

Hollywood cop, Peter King is under pressure to solve a bizzare string of murders. Some of Hollywood's greatest talents are being murdered--in exceptionally disgusting manners. King is well-equipped for the job--his mother was a bit player herself and stays current on all the stars. Still, if he doesn't act quickly, he'll be out on the street. One thing he knows is, Scream-Queen Ovsanna Moore seems to be the connecting link to all the victims. What King has to decide is whether she's the killer or the next victim.

Ovsanna Moore has followed in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother starring in countless low-budget Hollywood monster films. Only a few know her secret--that they weren't really her mother and grandmother at all but Ovsanna herself. Over five hundred years old, Ovsanna helped create Hollywood and has made herself Queen of the area. Orson Wells, Douglas Fairbanks, Rudolf Valentino, and several others are among her creations and, despite rumors to the contrary, they're still alive--or at least undead. But they're very worried--a vampyre hunter is on the loose and if Ovsanna doesn't vanish, they've decided they'll force the issue.

Authors Adrienne Barbeau and Michael Scott combine to create a vision of Hollywood that's exact enough in the details to make the suspension of belief required to accept vampyres running the place to see easy. Ovsanna, in particular, comes off sympthetically--with her cynical attitude toward Hollywood, her willingness to fight for what she's made her own, and her ability to control some of Hollywood's scariest ancient stars. Bringing in old-time stars like Orson Wells adds a nice touch.

VAMPYRES OF HOLLYWOOD rides a bit on the recent vampire wave, but it's definitely an enjoyable addition to the genre, with the Hollywood angle adding to the interest.

Three Stars

Reviewed 8/09/08

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