cover image Skim

Skim

James Pattillo. Soho Press, $19.95 (280pp) ISBN 978-0-939149-50-6

Despite the glitter of its trappings, this first novel about the Hollywood movie-biz fails to spark reader interest. Veteran movie producer Maurice Baranowitz suspects his beautiful young female director of skimming money from the budget of their current film. He asks attorney David Pike to investigate, but not too closely, so as not to upset the star director in mid-project. Ignoring the stricture, Pike delves deeper into the defalcation, finding himself dangerously out of his league as he comes up against drug dealers, murderers and protection men. Although his life is in serious jeopardy, he remains determined that the criminals be apprehended, even if this entails sacrificing his relationship with a new girlfriend. In the genre of mystery/thriller, attorney Pattillo is also out of his league, and he fails to build credibility into a tale that is not rescued by its Hollywood glitz. (May)