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Nina Zero #4
Digging James Dean: A Nina Zero Novel
When the body of James Dean is stolen from an Indiana graveyard, tough-talking tabloid reporter Nina Zero pursues a wide range of possible suspects and wonders if a runaway aspiring actress may be risking her life in her affiliation with the responsible party, a case that is complicated by Nina's mother's suspicious death. 25,000 first printing.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published February 8, 2005
35 people want to read
About the author
Robert Eversz
15 books12 followersA graduate of the University of California at Santa Cruz and UCLA's MFA Program in Film, Television, and Digital Media, ROBERT EVERSZ pounded the mean streets of Hollywood for a decade before fleeing to Europe to write Gypsy Hearts, an expatriate novel set in Prague and Budapest, and his five novels about Nina Zero and the American Obsession with celebrity culture.
Among other distinctions, his novels have been translated into 15 languages and have appeared on the critical best-of-year lists of The Washington Post, Oslo Aftenposten, Bookpage, the Manchester Guardian, and January Magazine.
At least a part-time resident of Prague since 1992, he helped found the Prague Summer Writer's Workshop, now the Prague Summer Program, and serves on its permanent faculty. He has also lived, at various times, in San Pol de Mar, Spain, Morelia, Mexico, and Silvi Marina, Italy. In 2007, he judged the Association of Writers and Writing Programs' Award Series In the Novel, and is currently Writer in Residence at Western Michigan University.
Among other distinctions, his novels have been translated into 15 languages and have appeared on the critical best-of-year lists of The Washington Post, Oslo Aftenposten, Bookpage, the Manchester Guardian, and January Magazine.
At least a part-time resident of Prague since 1992, he helped found the Prague Summer Writer's Workshop, now the Prague Summer Program, and serves on its permanent faculty. He has also lived, at various times, in San Pol de Mar, Spain, Morelia, Mexico, and Silvi Marina, Italy. In 2007, he judged the Association of Writers and Writing Programs' Award Series In the Novel, and is currently Writer in Residence at Western Michigan University.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 5, 2010
I've come to really love reading the Nina Zero novels by Robert Eversz and this latest is no exception. Quirky and unpredictable - great fun!
October 10, 2021
Last of the 4 fiction stories of LA Noir tough chick, Nina Zero.
One of the few fiction books I've read. I only like autobiographies.
One of the few fiction books I've read. I only like autobiographies.
Read
March 8, 2023Did not finish. Thought it would be a fun read, but it seemed really depressing instead.
April 28, 2010
RATING: 3.5
As you know, there are people who are so hungry for success in the film world that they will do anything to get what they want. Some of them are so desperate that they will believe every flimflam artist that comes their way who offers them the chance at stardom. And thus, a group that unearths the bones of dead movie stars and sells the pieces as relics that are guaranteed to pave the way to that dream has a group of avid followers who have joined its ranks. Only in Hollywood, you say? Not really – they've made their way to a small town in Indiana where they've dug up the remains of James Dean. Naturally, Nina Zero, intrepid tabloid photographer, has to follow this story; it has the stuff of big headlines. "Sect Clones Stars from DNA in Their Bones" – wouldn't that grab you at the supermarket checkout?
Nina's always on the lookout for a good story, and she sometimes pays people who provide her a lead for a good photo that can be used for the rag that she works for, Scandal Times. A young woman by the name of Theresa leads her to a location where she can get a shot of a has-been actor by the name of Clint Stonewell. Instead of welcoming the publicity (which he sorely needs), his bodyguard brutalizes Nina and smashes her camera. Nina isn't going to let that go by easily, and she eventually makes some connections between Stonewell's entourage and the grave diggers.
At the same time, Nina is facing several personal crises. Her long-suffering, abused mother dies, and Nina has to sort through all the conflicting emotions that occur as a result. She loved her mother, but hated the fact that she allowed herself to be hurt by her father. At the same time, her older sister who left the family in her teens shows up and rips Nina off. When Sharon becomes a victim as well, Nina has to reconsider her entire dysfunctional family and its impact on her. Mostly she feels rage.
DIGGING JAMES DEAN is the fourth book in the Nina Zero series. Although I thought it was quite good, I didn't like it as well as the earlier books. I fell hard for Nina right from the first book (SHOOTING ELVIS), and Eversz made it a tough act to follow for himself. My main issue is that DIGGING is more plot based than the earlier books, and the key attraction is really the character of Nina rather than anything that happens in the story. In this book, the focus was more on several secondary characters. I missed working through all of the complexities of Nina's character. She was more together than in previous books, and at times seemed to be serving as a mentor to some of the other characters, which is a very strange position for this convicted former felon. Selfishly, I want the spotlight to be on Nina because she is a character I adore. Hopefully, in the next book she'll dominate the pages the way she should!
As you know, there are people who are so hungry for success in the film world that they will do anything to get what they want. Some of them are so desperate that they will believe every flimflam artist that comes their way who offers them the chance at stardom. And thus, a group that unearths the bones of dead movie stars and sells the pieces as relics that are guaranteed to pave the way to that dream has a group of avid followers who have joined its ranks. Only in Hollywood, you say? Not really – they've made their way to a small town in Indiana where they've dug up the remains of James Dean. Naturally, Nina Zero, intrepid tabloid photographer, has to follow this story; it has the stuff of big headlines. "Sect Clones Stars from DNA in Their Bones" – wouldn't that grab you at the supermarket checkout?
Nina's always on the lookout for a good story, and she sometimes pays people who provide her a lead for a good photo that can be used for the rag that she works for, Scandal Times. A young woman by the name of Theresa leads her to a location where she can get a shot of a has-been actor by the name of Clint Stonewell. Instead of welcoming the publicity (which he sorely needs), his bodyguard brutalizes Nina and smashes her camera. Nina isn't going to let that go by easily, and she eventually makes some connections between Stonewell's entourage and the grave diggers.
At the same time, Nina is facing several personal crises. Her long-suffering, abused mother dies, and Nina has to sort through all the conflicting emotions that occur as a result. She loved her mother, but hated the fact that she allowed herself to be hurt by her father. At the same time, her older sister who left the family in her teens shows up and rips Nina off. When Sharon becomes a victim as well, Nina has to reconsider her entire dysfunctional family and its impact on her. Mostly she feels rage.
DIGGING JAMES DEAN is the fourth book in the Nina Zero series. Although I thought it was quite good, I didn't like it as well as the earlier books. I fell hard for Nina right from the first book (SHOOTING ELVIS), and Eversz made it a tough act to follow for himself. My main issue is that DIGGING is more plot based than the earlier books, and the key attraction is really the character of Nina rather than anything that happens in the story. In this book, the focus was more on several secondary characters. I missed working through all of the complexities of Nina's character. She was more together than in previous books, and at times seemed to be serving as a mentor to some of the other characters, which is a very strange position for this convicted former felon. Selfishly, I want the spotlight to be on Nina because she is a character I adore. Hopefully, in the next book she'll dominate the pages the way she should!
January 25, 2010
This is a good lightweight mystery series featuring a young woman who was sent to prison, emerged a changed person, full of rage yet still has a soft heart. Quick read, well written, very enjoyable series.
August 22, 2008
Perfectly fun fun.
December 8, 2009
Protagonist Nina is appealing. A quick and fun LA noir adventure. It may be the only one of the series I need.
May 1, 2011
I like this series a lot and look forward to more from this author.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews