Murder Movie

by Jill McGown

In Scotland to shoot a simple movie of love gone wrong, F.D., the multimillion-dollar director, finds his projects ruined by the murder of Barbara, the budding starlet of the film and his mistress. Reprint.

Genres: Mystery

279 pages, Paperback

First published November 23, 1992

About the author

Jill McGown (9 August 1947, Campbeltown, Scotland – 6 April 2007 in Kettering, Northamptonshire) was a British writer of mystery novels. She was best known for her mystery series featuring Inspector Lloyd and Judy Hill, one of which (A Shred of Evidence) was made into a television series. McGown wrote her first mystery novel after being laid off from the British Steel Corporation in 1980. She is sometimes credited as Elizabeth Chaplin.

Reviews

[Jill H. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Note: This is one of those books that you forget you read.....and I did. So this is a re-read of something that I didn't like very well on the first read. I am either losing my wits or reading too many books!!!!!
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I like this author's books but this one did not resonate with me. To be frank, it was rather confusing as the police tried to figure out whether we had multiple murders or murders and suicides. The scene is a movie set in Scotland where most of the players have secrets and hidden agendas..... this presents problems when the investigation begins. Even the lead detective has a connection with one of the main suspects. It seems to turn into a mish-mash of who was where and when were they there and the reader needs to take notes to keep it all in perspective. Not one of McGown's best works.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author of the excellent Lloyd/Hill series, “takes a break” and tackles movie-making and Hollywood with Murder Movie. Not quite a “romp”, this is a less then serious mystery although a very entertaining one. McGown’s characters include prima-donna actors and actresses, an over-bearing director and a persistent copper. There’s a breath of scandal, bed hopping and conniving – all circling what seems to be an unsolvable pair of murders.

Ms. McGown passed away in 2007. And if like me you enjoy her Lloyd/Hill books, pick up Murder Movie. it may not be as sophisticated as her series books - it is still a fun read.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

La persistenza della visione. È un’illusione ottica.
La trama di questo film è tutta in questa illusione e la realtà è negli spezzoni che non si vedono.
“Un bravo illusionista ti può far credere quello che vuole”. E qui l’illusionista, la regista, ti prende per mano e ti porta nel suo film.
Gli interrogatori spezzettati con veloci salti da una sequenza all’altra, da un personaggio all’altro. Tutta la scena delle riprese sulla spiaggia e sulla scogliera, con le secchiate d’acqua. I nuovi personaggi che vengono introdotti senza un nome (l’uomo, la donna, i ragazzini) perché in un film è così che succede, prima delle presentazioni. Gli incontri sessuali con dissolvenza a nero, i flashback che non possono mentire, il carillon rotto. E poi i titoli di coda!!!
5 stelle al film, 3,5 al romanzo: nel montaggio la trama risulta un po’ difficile da seguire. Ma grazie McGown, non pensavo di imparare qualcosa del cinema da un libro giallo.

[Jill Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was very hard for me to place the period of time and the way the characters spoke. It was very raw, though, very interesting. I had to feel myself keep up with what was going on, but it wasn't a terrible book. In fact, the ending was rather amusing.

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story but you can figure out who committed the murders but the how was the more intriguing aspect of the story. At times the writing gets a bit stilted and boring. An ok read but not real compelling.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder Movie by Jill McGown is an older book with all of the elements needed to make a good cozy mystery. It caught my interest because it was set in Scotland and I like British detective stories. In this case it is Dectective Patterson who must find the person or persons responsible for several deaths on a movie shoot. There are the usual number of suspects and the methodical investigation eventually finds the killer. This was a nice story that kept my interest.

[Nicky Warwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another standalone by Ms McGown & it has to be one of her very best.
It keeps you guessing right to the end.
The story is set around a film being made in Scotland about a man falsely accused of murdering his wife in the 1890’s.
We have the director, his wife, his girlfriend, his best friend & various actors & actresses plus the policemen who examine the case as 3 people are murdered.
The DSI suspects the director but everything the man says proves to be true so how can he be guilty???

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent mystery. Loved the 'credits' at the end.

[Jillian Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The use of language seems to make the book to be set in a different decade. I liked some parts of the book, but my favorite character was the gay character who ends up helping out and saving the day.