And Introducing Dexter Gaines: A Novel of Old Hollywood

by Mark B. Perry

Emmy, Golden Globe, and GLAAD Award-winning writer Mark B. Perry deftly weaves fictional characters with well-known personalities of Hollywood’s golden age into this powerful and sparkling novel about the wages of flesh and sin.

HOLLYWOOD, 1952

Blessed with the smoldering good looks that destine him for the silver screen, the unfortunately named Dan Root arrives on the scene as a naïve but ambitious 21-year-old. Mentored and exploited by a powerful and dashing Svengali-like producer and his beguiling wife (a movie star whose career is on the tragic cusp between fame and fade out), Dan is transformed into the promising young actor, Dexter Gaines.

Soon their three lives become dangerously entangled by sexual awakening and unrequited love, but when their passion and deceit lead to a crushing discovery and attempted murder, Dexter is forced to choose between stardom and survival. Four decades later, a heartbreaking event compels Dan to return to the city of lost dreams and confront his past. It is only then he begins to unravel the twists and turns of a long-ago emotional mystery, to make peace with his past and his foiled chance at stardom.

Mark B. Perry's alternating timelines explore the corrosive confluence of fame, fortune, sexuality, and ill-fated romance in this captivating Capote-esque novel.

And Introducing Dexter Gaines: A Novel of Old Hollywood is a revised and retitled version of City of Whores from Amble Press, an imprint of Bywater Books.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, LGBT, Queer, Adult, Gay

370 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2014

About the author

MARK B. PERRY is an Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning writer and producer whose credits include The Wonder Years (1988), Picket Fences, Law & Order, Party of Five, Brothers & Sisters, Ghost Whisperer, and Revenge. He’s also been nominated for both The Humanitas Prize and a WGA Award. His “Two Doors Down” episode of Netflix’s Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings won a GLAAD Media Award in 2020. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Mark moved to Los Angeles in 1986 to pursue a career in film and television. His debut novel, And Introducing Dexter Gaines, is a newly revised edition of 2014's City of Whores, and is dedicated to both his former wife, Cayce Callaway, and his husband, Mark W. Knowles.

Reviews

[Patricia V. Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely, positively do not let the title of this novel stop you from picking it up. It's a title that leads one to believe that it details salacious depravity - another tome about the evils of Hollywood. Quite the contrary. This novel is heartbreaking in its beauty. This novel had me tears at the end. My curiosity about a writer whom I'd met only briefly lead me to one of the most compelling reading experiences of my life. To discuss the events that take place in this story would be a spoiler from the get go, but suffice it to say that CITY OF WHORES is a novel that was published ahead of its time. Were it to be re-released today, to a society that has become more educated and (thankfully) somewhat more compassionate in regards to the circumstances it details, it would be widely lauded. If you've a hankering to experience Old Hollywood through the sensitive yet unsentimental eyes of an author who clearly knows of what he writes and whose screen work is deservedly award-winning, read this. If I were only able to recommend one novel this year, this would be the one.

[Caddy Rowland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. I love the era, when people like Cary Grant, Rock Hudson, Joan Crawford, and Talullah Bankhead were huge. I love the setting: old glamorous Hollywood. And I love the drama, which I can't go into or I'll ruin the book. Let me just say if you like novels about deceit, love, lust, fame, and stardom, you will very much enjoy this story.

[Roger Kean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Perry clearly knows the period and the place, as his credential suggest he should. I’m happy that my own knowledge of L.A.’s geography is sufficient to have enjoyed cruising the straightaway of Sunset and Hollywood, from Los Feliz to Beverley Hills, the bendy Strip from Ciro’s to Musso’s, up and down the snake-bend Hollywood Hills, the complex story of the rise and fall of Dexter Gaines is firmly rooted in the place, an anchor for the wild swoops of its characters.

Perry has woven his fictional (but authentic) characters into the stream of real-life people who populate the book—notably Rock Hudson (who nevertheless plays only a cameo, but a telling one) and the amazing Tallula Bankhead—with a nonchalant wave of his pen so the joins are seamless.

Since this is a story about the multi-faced, hypocritical Hollywood, it seems appropriate for Perry to employ the classic cinematic techniques of deflection, dissimulation, distancing, and downright misinformation (through choosing not to show essential information to the viewer in order temporarily to confuse and mislead) to create a satisfying storyline. Oh… and of course the flashback structure that made so many Hollywood Glory Days movies what they were. Here, the backstory revelations pile one on another and gradually build up a picture of a young man who sails naively into a forbidden sexual relationship that threatens to destroy not only his burgeoning career in movies but his very being.

This is a great piece of writing. It kept me glued to the beautifully crafted emergence of backstory and it reduced me to tears in the last few pages. Dexter Gaines/Dan Boots's haphazard revelations—obviously intended and not at all haphazard as part of the complex structure—drive the narrative at a deceptively slow pace (looking back on it, the novel races along), and it’s one of those you wish could keep on going.

[Harrison · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5⭐️

I just couldn't get into this. I didn't feel motivated to continue reading further than the first chapter. I almost felt like I knew what was going to happen.

Very grateful to have been given an opportunity to read an ARC of this book!

[Louis Muñoz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this tale of old Hollywood, but was very disappointed almost from the beginning. The book toggled between the early 1950s and a period some 41 years later - in fact, the famous OJ Simpson chase is the beginning backdrop for the 1994 parts of the story. While the book decently evokes Classic Hollywood, I never felt very invested in any of the three main characters. I think others will enjoy the book more than I did, but for me, this didn't prove as worthwhile as I had hoped.

Many thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Cam · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing this book, I stared at the ceiling for 15 minutes not knowing what to do with myself.

I read “And Introducing Dexter Gaines: A Novel of Old Hollywood” over the course of a day and a half only which is beyond surprising as I am usually a slow reader. It is a real page turner, with a narrative structure alternating between past and present which allows for the craziest revelations throughout the novel.

As someone who does not know anything about old Hollywood, it was fun to look up certain characters or places to figure out reality from fiction. I’ll let real Hollywood experts rate the accuracy of its portrayal in this novel, but to me, the general ambiance was extraordinarily well-done. I came out of this story with multiple great jazz recommendations as well.

I absolutely adored all three main characters which only rendered their story all the more heartbreaking. The last chapters had me tearing up. Milly was a real bastard (keeping it vague to avoid spoilers), but I think he became my favourite character. This poor man was such a product of his time that he ruined his own life and at least two others’ along with it. Anyone reading this for the queer plotline should remember that the “past” sections of this book take place in the early 50s and that said queer plotlines in the 50s rarely have a happy ending.

Please do not let the fact I received an ARC of this book convince you that this review is insincere. My tears were real, believe me, :,)).

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an eARC of this book.

[scavola scavola · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's too gay to be straight and too straight to be gay. Not to say that gay men are either/or, gay men can/could have had relationships with women, but for recreational reading we usually choose one or the other. I don't often say, "I'd like to read a book where the gay main character is primarily in a sexual relationship with a woman."

As historical fiction, I like the period detail and appearances by Hollywood legends, (we're all so hard on Rock Hudson these days). Flashing back and forth from the golden age of Hollywood to the 90s, there are quite a few twists, but some stretch believe-ability as so much time has passed. The writing is top notch, but I didn't connect with the characters or feel for/with them as they were all always faking it. There was so much duplicity that at one point it almost felt like The Talented Mr. Ripley, (which is a good thing). All-in-all I'd recommend it, but to whom?

[Lucy Ritzmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is going to have a TON of fans when it comes out – it felt like The Song of Achilles meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I will say the ending felt a bit rushed to me, but I was still sobbing by the last page.

[warhawke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Historical Fiction
Type: Standalone
POV: First Person - Male
Rating:




Hailing from a small town, Dan Root had big dreams of stardom in Hollywood. His life changed when he met producer Milford (Milly) Langen, and his starlet wife, Lilian Sinclair. Armed with his new persona, Dexter Gaines, Dan’s road to fame seemed certain, but the price of fame might be steeper than he ever imagined.



Dexter was desperate to prove himself, but his youth and naivety put him in a precarious position. I liked the dynamic he shared with Milly and Lilian, and the bond that developed between them.

I realized I’d been lucky to have met Milford Langen, lucky to have been freed by him, and now lucky to have returned.

This book turned out to be more than I expected. Beneath the star-studded cast, lies the darker side of show business, mottled with lust and heartbreak. The dual timeline added intrigue to the story.

And Introducing Dexter Gaines is a tale of ambition and forbidden desires. It would appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction set in Hollywood's golden era.





🌟🎬🌟. . . (F)BR with Twinsie CC . . .🌟🎬🌟




For more reviews/interviews/book talk/promo visit:



For graphics, trailers & author services visit Warhawke Design Studio.

[CC · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5★



Arriving in Hollywood penniless but with the ambition of becoming a star, Dan Root made a connection with a notable producer and actress that forever changed his life. Becoming Dexter Gaines was the first step, and though the path seemed to be glittery and gold, living certain truths was a bigger price than fame.

“It’s the only way I could love you. It’s the only way. The only way…”

Narrated in a shifting timeline, Dan recounts his relationship with Milly and Lilly, and the decisions he made along the way. With the dynamic between these three to be endearing and tumultuous at times, the impact is everlasting. At times, I was angry but mostly intrigued and empathetic for what they shared and lost.


*An ARC was provided for a review. *


*This was a (F)BR with Twinsie Hawkey*


For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a highly entertaining dual-timeline story of Hollywood in the 1950s. The author artfully integrates fictional characters and real celebrities of the time into a page-turning tale of a love triangle. It was fun seeing names like Tallulah Bankhead, Truman Capote, and Cyd Charisse pop up on the page. I would recommend it for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

Thank you to Smith Publicity/Amble Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. A tale of Old Hollywood and its homophobia. This is a fun book if you are a Hollywood buff, live in or enjoy LA, or if you want a story that is emotional and ultimately heartwarming.

[Jefferz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The following review is based on a complimentary ARC provided by Smith Publicity / Amble Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

For all the glitz, glamour, power and fortune the film and greater entertainment industry of Hollywood offered in the 1950's, it also served far more instances of lies, betrayals, pain, and in Mark B. Perry's historical fiction novel, heartbreak. Arriving with naturally good looks and big dreams of stardom, And Introducing Dexter Gaines chronicles Dan Root's life-changing meeting with Hollywood power couple Milford "Milly" Langen and Lillian Sinclair, his persona transformation into future leading man Dexter Gaines, and the harsh consequences that come with a life in the entertainment industry. Historically accurate (at least to my very limited knowledge of the Golden Age of Hollywood), dramatically narrated, and full of fun celebrity appearances, Perry's novel is a solid historical fiction entry paired with a heartbreaking and moving LGBTQ+/Queer storyline. Well plotted and paced, thematically strong, and executed in an entirely tasteful and classy manner (more on that shortly), I thoroughly enjoyed Perry's novel and found it to be a very well-rounded and satisfying read.

Before getting into the actual review for And Introducing Dexter Gaines, there are a few important notes to highlight. This novel is an edited and retitled re-release of a previously self-published 2014 novel City of Whores . I am not familiar with this earlier iteration of the story but from what I've gathered from reading Perry's author blog and personal research, the narration was slightly tweaked and the novel renamed to its current title. After having read Perry's blog and his novel, it's entirely evident how much an appropriate publisher and marketing can make or break a book's appeal and sale. Apparently Perry's agent took discomfort with the graphic depictions of gay sex which was edited down, which oddly enough, probably would've better matched the novel's original title and pitch. However in its current paired down presentation, City of Whores feels entirely inappropriate for the the story that's essentially one of romantic heartbreak. While I understand the idea behind the eye-catching statement, I actually had reservations picking up this book to read having heard what its original title was. While I personally think Head Dancing in the Urban Idyll has a more romanticized whimsy compared to And Introducing Dexter Gaines, this republished title is worlds better than City of Whores. This is a really good, classy novel and that title does Perry's writing absolutely no favors.

Now on to the actual review, I'll be the first to admit that historical fiction and Hollywood's Golden age are not areas that I'm hugely familiar with or naturally gravitate towards. That being said, it almost doesn't matter thanks to Perry's engaging storytelling and narration writing. Apart from the overall plot of Dexter Gaines's breakthrough in Hollywood and eventual drama and romance, the synopsis doesn't really reveal much about what actually happens in the story (in my opinion, partly to its detriment). However immediately from the get-go, the story takes off with a dramatic opening chapter with Dexter Gaines discovering famed Hollywood producer Milford Langen passed away in the present day (90's), then immediately jumping to New Years Eve 1951. Even with no knowledge of what where the story is going, Dexter Gaines is an easy and fun read. Though progressions covering the industry gatekeeping of Hollywood, to adjusting to life in Hollywood, to early film roles and entanglement with professionals, the novel is consistently interesting to read. While the prose is accessible and the story easy enough to follow, there's an underlying sense of quality and finesse evident everywhere. The writing has a perfect balance of narration/internal thoughts to spoken dialogue and the story never feels like its dragging or overwritten. Besides good pacing, I appreciated the gradual build in intensity and drama that sneaks up on you. Most of the novel consists of Dexter reflecting on how exciting his time with Lillian and Milly in the past, yet the advance knowledge that everything ultimately ends in disaster adds weight to some otherwise seemingly casual encounters. As the drama and conflicting feelings ramp up, the story's final 150 pages are completely compelling and the conclusion is satisfying and moving.

Another area that I found particularly well-done is the portrayal of historic Hollywood and the film industry. From the visual descriptions of grandeur and wealth at Milly's estate, to the backlot 20th Century Studios, to the extravagant parties and hushed activities in the shadows, Perry really immerses the reader in the time period that's both slightly romanticized for nostalgic effect yet also entirely stark and realistic in the areas that matter to the story. It's hard to describe in words but there's an inherent sense of class that is layered into every chapter (I loved the descriptions and handling of copious amounts of smoking). An early chapter that features Dexter/Dan walking in on a closed door party of producers discussing the intrusion of the home television set and future TV network on film industry is a perfect example of how detailed the novel's historical elements are.

The story is also full of celebrities that range from producers, to agents, to actors that all feel relatively well-represented and believable. Again this is not an area that I personally have a lot of knowledge in, for example having no experience with Tallulah Bankhead's work, but I've heard other readers praise and love her appearance in the story so I'll defer to others on that. Oddly enough, not knowing who majority of the celebrities are made it interesting whenever original fictional characters or productions are introduced in the story. While reading, I would frequently would Google names and movies to try and figure out who and what was original vs historic, Perry's fictional work is that good and seamless.

As for the original characters, I personally found them to be engrossing to read about and follow. I've read a few other reviewers comment that the three focal characters are unlikable and full of themselves, but this is the entertainment industry and Hollywood, what do you expect? In a field that requires people to be physically beautiful and confident, that's just a mark of appropriate characterization. While the relationships and dynamics between Dexter, Milly and Lillian are the main focus of the story, they're all uniquely handled and quite interesting. Lillian perhaps has one of the more standard and expected characterization of the three, but the crucial chapters towards the end of the story more than make up for that. And although the story and the dual timeline perspective is all narrated from Dexter's point of view, Milly is a fascinating character to read about whose eventual funeral Dexter attends in the 1990's is tragic. Dexter's conflicted and shifting opinions of Milly over the course of the story (both in the past and present) feels natural, appropriate, and is just another element Perry nails.

Besides the obvious film industry element, the bigger story element is the LGBTQ+/Queer storyline told within the constraints of the 1950's. As one can imagine, the 1950's were anything but kind to everything outside of the hetero-normative lifestyle. While reading the story, I will openly admit that I initially wondered if the novel was purposely mislabeled as queer for recent trending marketability considering there was almost no indication or notable content remotely queer. However having read the story, it is 100% there, it just takes some time to get to it at roughly the half-way mark. The delay and lack of queer content early-on is intentional by design, completely for narrative purposes and made its first appearance far more impactful. As one can expect for 1950's Hollywood, themes of forbidden longing, self-hatred, passion vs responsibility, and the fear of the press are all included and developed well. The book's synopsis (and to a lesser extent, my review) purposely don't go into too much detail to avoid giving away crucial plot developments, but what I can say is that Perry's portrayal of queer Hollywood and characters caught in personal dilemmas are excellent. The complications between the three focal characters, the studio industry, friends and strangers, it's really well done. The theme of "if only things were different" is powerfully used and the extent of how much Dexter, Milly, and Lillian's lives are affected by situations out of their control is immense. I would've never expected it based on the synopsis or going into the book at the beginning, but Milly and Lillian's end is heartbreaking and will resonate with any queer or marginalized group, particularly older ones who may unfortunately empathize with their grief and prospective "lost years".

It's not really important to the story but I do feel the need to touch on it, as previously discussed with its old City of Whores title, there is adult sexual content but its very tastefully handled and placed. By extension, I also wouldn't necessarily call it spicy or steamy, but that is clearly not the intent or readership this novel is written for. I would say this is partly a romance-drama genre novel in the traditional sense of it having romantic feelings involved, not the contemporary romance style that is populated on booktok and trending lists. I also read a few other negative reviews, a choice ones being "too gay to be straight and too straight to be gay" that I found utterly laughable. To call this book too straight to be gay is missing the entire point of the story, the historical fiction framework of the 1950's, and entirely erasing the B and Q in LGBTQ+. I can also see this story resonating powerfully for queer readers who are not publicly out or those that do not fall identify as strictly "gay" (the horrors of being seen and self-hatred some characters experience can and will hit close to home). But even outside of the queer community there's a lot to like, particularly Lillian's complex relationships and emotional vs physical love and affection.

As mentioned in my FTC disclaimer above, I received an ARC of this novel to read and review. Out of the ARC's I've reviewed so far, And Introducing Dexter Gaines might be one of the most pleasant surprises and a sleeper hit I ordinarily wouldn't have casually picked to read (and certainly not when it was titled City of Whores). While the republished version does improve considerably on the initial version, I do think that there are marketing elements that still don't represent the book as well as they could. The typography and font choice looks a bit unprofessional and cheaply tacked on and the synopsis details of "attempted murder, stardom/survival" feel like a misdirection towards a thriller or a constant Hollywood backstabbing tale (there is betrayal but it's not in the forefront focus). This is a quality, classy, effectively written and moving queer story that deserves attention and a read when it is publicly published. Expertly crafted and paced, complex and nuanced, and most of all engaging to read, I loved this novel and really have nothing bad to say about it.

[Silver Screen Videos · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 1950s were a decade of change in Hollywood. By the end of the decade, the major studios no longer controlled the movie industry with an iron fist, tying up rising talent with long-term contracts. Television, a novelty in most of the country at the start of the decade, had become a fixture in many American households by the decade’s end and a serious rival to the silver screen. However, one aspect of studio power remained. The studios still clamped down on public mentions or suggestions of homosexuality. Actors like Rock Hudson and Tab Hunter could stay heterosexual icons thanks to discretion on their parts and media manipulation, including providing “dates” for them on public occasions. Behind the scenes, however, the story was different. Author Mark B. Perry looks at this unseen aspect of Hollywood in his novel, “And Introducing Dexter Gaines.” Fans of 1950s Hollywood will enjoy every name-dropping page of the book, while those who love juicy melodrama will find much to enjoy as well.

The title character of “And Introducing Dexter Gaines” was born Dan Root in Tyler, TX. The 21-year-old Dan arrived in Hollywood late in 1951 and got a gig as a server at the house of producer Milford Langan (better known as Milly) and his wife, actress Lillian (Lilly) Sinclair. Dan had worked as an usher at the local movie theater in Tyler and went west with dreams of making it big as an actor. However, Dan didn’t get off to a good start when Milly caught him sharing a joint with Lilly and had him arrested. However, Lillian bailed Dan out the next day, and he took up residence in the cabana on Milly’s estate. He also took up entertaining Lilly frequently in that cabana. Dan also acquired a new name, Dexter Gaines, and began his ultimately short-lived acting career.

“And Introducing Dexter Gaines” is written along two parallel timelines. Most of the novel takes place during the two years Dexter lived with Milly and Lilly on their estate. That experience didn’t end well, although readers won’t learn how or why until the book’s conclusion. A few chapters take place in 1994, after Milly’s death, which occurred on June 17, better known as the date of O.J. Simpson’s Bronco chase. Dan (the Dexter name long abandoned) returns to Hollywood for Milly’s funeral. Lillian had committed suicide a decade earlier. Dan is shocked to discover that Milly has named him as the sole heir to his still sizable estate. Milly’s reasons are then revealed as the book progresses.

The book contains several surprises, with the most significant one occurring about halfway through. Usually, I would avoid any hint of a spoiler for a substantial plot detail like this. However, the author’s biography and the book’s marketing campaign have pretty much given it away. (The author refers to the book as “Sunset Boulevard” meets “Brokeback Mountain.”) Ironically, the author first self-published “Dexter Gaines” in 2014 under the title “City of Whores” (a phrase that appears in the book). That version didn’t sell well, so the author revised it, found a publisher, and re-released it. My guess is that the big secret came as more of a surprise to those reading the first version of the book.

The author’s reference to “Sunset Boulevard” is apt here. That classic film begins with the death of the protagonist, and the rest of the movie gradually reveals how that happened. In “Dexter Gaines,” readers immediately learn that Dexter’s relationship with Milly and Lilly ended about two years later. The author then spends the rest of the novel revealing how the relationship developed and deteriorated. This story is classic Hollywood melodrama, and the author revels in describing Dexter’s roller-coaster emotions. Mostly, the story is juicily entertaining for those who enjoy soap opera-styled melodramas. However, the author goes overboard at times. The result is corny, repetitive dialogue (and internal monologues, since Dexter narrates) that sometimes borders on silliness.

Beyond the soap operatic plot, the genuine joy in reading “And Introducing Dexter Gaines” lies in its period detail. The book is a loving tribute to the Golden Age of Hollywood. Besides the three central characters and their relatives, almost every other character in the book is a real person. This isn’t a case of mere celebrity name-dropping; many of them play a significant role in the story. Tallulah Bankhead has a substantial supporting role here as Lilly’s closest friend and Dexter’s confidante in a pivotal scene late in the book. For those who remember Bankhead only for her campy late-career appearance on the “Batman” TV series, “Dexter Gaines” reveals far more of the talent and personality of that remarkable actress.

Even the throwaway vignettes in this book are a delight for film buffs. Milly gives Darryl Zanuck a lecture on the future of television. Dexter and Cyd Charisse dazzle the patrons at a fancy nightclub with a complex dance routine. Later, a nervous Dexter gets a bit part as a steward in “Titanic” and spills a cup of hot soup on Barbara Stanwyck. Dexter’s first significant film role is an even worse disaster when he accidentally lights co-star Anne Francis’s dress on fire. Famous Hollywood locations also show up in “Dexter Gaines,” such as the Los Angeles Pet Cemetery, where Lilly’s beloved dogs were buried.

The author thoroughly researched his subject. He includes a two-page bibliography of his source material in the Acknowledgements. His sources include memoirs and biographies of many celebrities featured in the book, such as Tallulah Bankhead, Darryl Zanuck, Robert Wagner, Tony Curtis, and Vivien Leigh. Biographies of Rock Hudson and Tab Hunter provide insight into the hidden side of Hollywood as well. The result is perhaps the most realistic fictional description of that era in Hollywood I’ve ever read.

“And Introducing Dexter Gaines” is a must for film buffs, especially those who watch TCM regularly or love the Golden Era. Those who enjoy soap operatic melodrama should also appreciate the book, although the author’s dialogue is occasionally overwrought. I also gained a better understanding of what it meant to be a gay celebrity during that era (although I’m not sure how realistic the portrayals are in the book). Dexter Gaines’s fictional career came and went quickly in this version of Hollywood, but hopefully, this chronicle of that career will fare much better with readers.

NOTE: The publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. However, the decision to review the book and the contents of this review are entirely my own.

[Lizzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. I really enjoyed this book.I'm a big fan of classic Hollywood, so it was really fun to see how the author incorporated real actors into the story. The book was well paced and several chapters ended with a bombshell, so it always kept me entertained. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of old Hollywood, or just wants to read a good story that has a lot of twists and turns. I hope Mr. Perry writes more books in the future, because I will for sure check them out!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real page turner. Great plot and such a twist ending! Loved it!!!

[Richard Derus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: Emmy, Golden Globe, and GLAAD Award-winning writer Mark B. Perry deftly weaves fictional characters with well-known personalities of Hollywood’s golden age into this powerful and sparkling novel about the wages of flesh and sin.

HOLLYWOOD, 1952

Blessed with the smoldering good looks that destine him for the silver screen, the unfortunately named Dan Root arrives on the scene as a naïve but ambitious 21-year-old. Mentored and exploited by a powerful and dashing Svengali-like producer and his beguiling wife (a movie star whose career is on the tragic cusp between fame and fade out), Dan is transformed into the promising young actor, Dexter Gaines.

Soon their three lives become dangerously entangled by sexual awakening and unrequited love, but when their passion and deceit lead to a crushing discovery and attempted murder, Dexter is forced to choose between stardom and survival. Four decades later, a heartbreaking event compels Dan to return to the city of lost dreams and confront his past. It is only then he begins to unravel the twists and turns of a long-ago emotional mystery, to make peace with his past and his foiled chance at stardom.

Mark B. Perry's alternating timelines explore the corrosive confluence of fame, fortune, sexuality, and ill-fated romance in this captivating Capote-esque novel.

And Introducing Dexter Gaines: A Novel of Old Hollywood is a revised and retitled version of City of Whores from Amble Press, an imprint of Bywater Books.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: A book from ten years ago that I *vaguely* remember reading gets a glow-up. That's no doubt a good thing. I am far more sharply aware of this version of the story, and I'm very glad to say it deserved my sharpened attention.

I don't remember the cameos of real Hollywood stars anything like as clearly as they come across here, so I have to think those characterizations got a serious amount of attention...or my 2023 strokes ate more of my recall than I'm pretending to myself they did...either way, glamourous walk-ons like Tallulah Bankhead are such a joy to read.

The plot is a classic, an evergreen, and for a reason. It really happens. Read YOUNG MAN FROM THE PROVINCES: A Gay Life Before Stonewall if you want factual confirmation. There are so many memoirs from people whose beauty seduced powerful people into doing for them what they could not do for themselves, not always to their lasting benefit.

I don't think it will help you decide what to do about reading the story for me to run through the details. What I most want you to know is that, like all the best pulpy plots, this one hauled me along on each of its turns, implausible though I felt they were at times. I'm pretty sure I could find someone out there to whom even the most implausible things had honestly, in actual fact, occurred. Reality has that all over fiction: It isn't required to make sense.

There's intrigue, there's beautiful cinematically described settings and scenery...there to be chewed...there's exciting skulduggery in pursuit of...well, who really cares as long they're chewing the scenery with enough verve. I like a sudsy romantic read, and when it's also delivering commentary on period-appropriate homophobia and suchlike buffoonery, it's an extra win for this storytelling formula.

The missing star was lost in the time vortex between the 1950s and the 1990s. I really hate saying it out loud, but the 1990s were thirty years ago. *wince* A book about gay Hollywood set in two historical times that were both virulently homophobic felt...off, unbalanced, not to put too fine a point on it ill-judged.

Fun was had, though, and that ain't worth nothin' in today's horror movie of a world.

[mtrics · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Set against the backdrop of 1950s Hollywood, Mark B. Perry’s novel delivers plenty of glitz and intrigue, but beneath its glossy veneer, it clings to a troubling pattern of unexamined misogyny.

The first half of the book barely passes the Bechdel test (I gave up keeping track afterwards), and when women do talk to each other, it’s mostly to berate other women or gossip. The descriptions of women are relentlessly unkind and sexist: “the dolled-out dames wanting to hide their real age in shadow,” Tallulah Bankhead dismissed as “a rather faded beauty,” and another woman “grinning like she’d just been elected prom queen” (ah yes, the pinnacle of womanly aspirations). Lillian’s entire character is built around her obsession with her looks: her sole character trait, excluding her sexual appetite. While 1950s Hollywood was certainly a cruel and sexist place, the novel fails to critically interrogate these behaviors, instead perpetuating them for a modern audience.

Dexter, as a protagonist, is a slog to endure. Young Dexter is petty, self-absorbed, and honestly not the sharpest tool in the shed. He’s difficult to root for, right to the very end. Older Dexter is mellowed out but uninteresting: he (conveniently, for the plot) has no discernible career or interests, no real traces of a life lived. Though he’s portrayed as a great guy in the ’90s timeline, I feel the narrative tries to redeem him without merit; saying “I was a pretty stupid kid” doesn’t make you a better adult.

This point applies to all the protagonists, honestly. Spending time with them is a miserable experience, and if the point of the novel was to highlight how toxic Hollywood and its people were, it misses the mark by emphasizing how "tragic" the characters' experiences appear to be. The author seems to want us to relate to their struggles, but at the end of the day, the characters stay mostly insufferable.

The pacing can feel odd at times because the author focuses on marking the halfway point of the novel with its big plot twist. In comparison, the first half drags while the climax lacks tension. Misleading narrative devices are used to protect this “twist”: calling Dexter “a widower” (same-sex marriage wasn't legal), having his ex named “Carol”... But the book's marketing reveals its LGBTQIA+ themes, so it fell flat for me: I was more surprised by how quickly Dexter fell into bed with Lillian than by his eventual affair with Milly. Furthermore, the dual timeline structure is cliché and rarely ever works; I can't see its advantage over a straightforward chronological narrative. It could have helped by having the "plot twist" revealed earlier and adding more build up of tension in the middle, ending on an introspective last 20-15% in the '90s timeline.

On the plus side, the writing is solid, and the plot is genuinely compelling. The setting feels authentic, and you don’t need to be a Hollywood buff to appreciate the care put into it. I also appreciated the clues left in the narrative, which led to a solid mystery resolution.

Ultimately, the book is a passionate love letter to the fifties and Hollywood, but one that might be too enamored with its subject. It recognizes the era’s vices, but misses its chances to take a stance against them and just adds a new coat of paint over the same old cracks.

[Max · Rating 5 out of 5]

A City of Whores taps deep into the fertile ground of vintage Hollywood. The atmosphere is golden and glorious. Mark. B. Perry is brilliant at creating a believable world of Hollywood as a town, a scene, and a business. The characters he fills it with are complex and flawed, but not so much you don't want to hang with them through this tale of has beens, movie star icons, romantic triangles, and of course, regret. The scandals are oddly sweet when compared to modern Hollywood's nude-selfie, drunken-tweet narcissism. Oddly sweet, but still painful and tragic. I can't help but miss the glory days reading this book. Turns out author Mark B. Perry was one of the producers and writers for The Wonder Years. How that series captured 70s suburban family life with Viet Nam on the news is quite similar to how he captured old Hollywood with secrets hidden beneath the sheets. City of Whores is a very satisfying read - similar to how Hollywood's Golden Age films satisfy. A brilliant distraction to our current woes.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful, touching, and rowdy novel! Honestly speaking, I have no interest in any of the major themes here: Old Hollywood (or any Hollywood), the 50s, movies and celebrities, rich people living the high life ... but this one drew me in nearly from the start. I wasn't sure where we were going. Timelines weave in and out of the story, and our lead is rather unreliable. At the halfway point things give. Ah, now it all makes sense. There's a particular device that I won't name to avoid spoilers that was deftly done (you'll know it when you get there). I was charmed by all of the characters. Lead "Dex" was a bit over the top but, after suffering so many blows, I could forgive it. I was surprised at how much I liked Lilly, stuck in the middle in all ways as she was. And I was perhaps less enamoured by the curmudgeony Milly, who was agony personified ... I just felt sorry for him. This is certainly a melodrama, darkly comedic in places, and ultimately left me with a heavy but hopeful heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Smith Publicity | Amble Press for the advance copy.

[Howard Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I am a senior citizen and a movie buff, I was enticed by the subtitle A Novel of Old Hollywood. It was fun for me to read fictional stories about Tab Hunter, Talullah Bankhead, Cyd Charisse, Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis, Debbie Reynolds, etc. as well as reading about the trip to New York City and descriptions of theatre marquees of such shows as The Male Animal, Pal Joey and Of Thee I Sing — all of which I had seen. The story held my interest of the young Dexter Gaines and his move to Hollywood to become an actor until approximately halfway through when the novel switched gears and the dominant theme became that of homosexuality in Hollywood. There were many surprises along the way and in the conclusion and I thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publication.

[Gary Goldstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think: "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" meets "Sunset Boulevard" but with a bi/gay twist, Perry's novel of early 1950s Hollywood is a twisty, compulsively readable tale of the perils of stardom, love, fame, and not living your authentic life. Yeah, it's a little tawdry and melodramatic, but fun and unapologetically show biz-centric as it weaves real stars of the past (Tallulah Bankhead, Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis, etc.) in with its fictional tale of the quick rise and fall of its lead character, an aspiring actor renamed Dexter Gaines. It's also set in 1990s L.A. as Gaines unravels the kind of bonkers mystery of what happened during his Hollywood heyday and its aftermath. For a good time, call "And Introducing Dexter Gaines."

[Joan A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical Fiction at its Absolute Best!


"And Introducing Dexter Gaines" is one of the best historical fiction books I have ever read! Truly, it is mesmerizing, soulful and so believable you have to remind yourself that it is fiction. Mark Perry's use of real Hollywood actors from that time period has been meticulously researched. His portrayal of the salacious and very closeted side of Hollywood in the 1950's is absolutely riveting. Dexter, a/k/a Dan, is the narrator whose wide eyed innocence upon moving to the movie capital of the world is exquisitely told with pathos, heart and hilarity. I became instantly absorbed in this tawdry, yet very loving tale. It is a very satisfying and wonderful book that will stay with me for a long, long time.

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly didn't have high hopes for this book at first. I found the first 10% was really hard to follow and kind of boring. However soon after the book picked up and I started to really enjoy it. The storyline was incredibly captivating. One of those books you stay up at night reading. I constantly had to know what happened next and i was always surprised. The ending really caught me of guard in the best way. I did find the dialogue to be kinda awkward at times but overall i would say it was well written.
4/5⭐️
Thank you to the publisher and net galley for this arc copy!

[Eric Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to read this marvelous book in 2024 when I was the interim managing editor of amble press. As I told the author at the time, I don’t know whether this book is brilliant or I’m just an easy mark because a queer story about Old Hollywood is so right up my alley. But let’s not overthink things, and we’ll just say both.

If you are anything like me, and the glitz and glamour of Hollywood‘s Golden Age pushes all your buttons, and adding a little queerness to the mix just makes it all the better, I can’t recommend this book enough.

[Greg Tosto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t let the title fool you, this was a fantastic book. A young man leaves Oklahoma and moves to Hollywood in the 1950s, with dreams of stardom in his eyes. Through unique events, he ends up living in the cabana of a very famous actress and her producer husband. What follows is a love triangle that leads to disastrous, and even dangerous, consequences. The story was gripping and captivating, and the backdrop of old Hollywood was so fun. I was also very shocked at how poignant and deeply emotional the book gets. A very fun beach read.

[Lyn D Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautifully written old glamorous Hollywood fiction book based on the era of actors like Rock Hudson, Cary Grant, Tallula Bankhand, and Joan Crawford. I really enjoyed how captivating and interesting it was. I recommend reading.

[Everton · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've wanted to drop this book up until the end. The main character is insufferable...

So many name drops, it's like the author wanted to prove that he knows Old Hollywood...

And the ending? Predictable and ridiculous...

[Rafael Andrade · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a must-read for those who are big fans of Golden Age Hollywood cinema. While reading, I imagined the scenes in black and white, and the movie that came to mind was Humoresque.

[Across the Sky In Stars · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pick this one up if you want a dark, gay romantic thriller! Dexter Gaines enters Hollywood as a poor Texan kid looking to reinvent himself. What he finds is a toxic 3-way relationship with two of the hottest stars in Hollywood. We know it ends in tragedy, but the fun of this one is how it unfolds. Told in dual-timelines of the 90s and his reveries from the 50s, this story has several fun twists and turns. This was a fun and salacious thriller.