Dark Lady of Hollywood

Dark Lady of Hollywood is hard to categorize, but one soon gathers that it is a satire of a place the author knows very well. As an arts and entertainment journalist, LA Times staffer and Southern California journalism professor, Haithman shows her love and hate of the town which now has an unknowing international film loving community. The book follows Ken Harrison, a sitcom TV executive who is dying of cancer, but would like to find his dark lady like Shakespeare did so he can go out with love and a bang. Early in the book, he meets actress Ophelia Lommond from Sadilla who performs in Shakespeare plays in the City of Angels, and is smitten.

There are two voices in the book to follow. The book has elements of comedy as well as Noir. One might call it a dramedy. There are plenty of silicone jokes and funny comments about the town in this sometimes funny ironic tale. Ophelia and Ken both turn out not to be who one would think they are after a first impression, but they connect for a tragic-comedic tale not only about revenge.