Hollywood and Vain: A Frisco Detective Mystery

by Richard Toronto

Alexander Blade, former kiddie heartthrob of the silent screen, has a new client with a husband who's gone missing. But when his former Hollywood cameraman turns up murdered in his office with a cash retainer clutched in his lifeless hand, Blade is pulled into a web of bizarre deaths of former co-stars of his silent pictures.

As Blade digs deeper, he suspects the killer may be someone he knows all too well, but as the body count rises, he must face dark secrets of a past he's been trying to forget, when his fans knew him as "Buster Blade, Wonder Boy of the Westerns.”

Join Alexander "Buster" Blade and his assistant, Paloma Liu Tsong, as they navigate the treacherous waters of post-war California in Hollywood and Vain, the first installment of the Frisco Detective mystery series. If you enjoyed the classic noir style of Raymond Chandler, you'll love Hollywood and Vain.

142 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 13, 2025

About the author

Richard Toronto is the author of War Over Lemuria: Richard Shaver, Ray Palmer and the Strangest Chapter of 1940s Science Fiction, a comprehensive behind-the-scenes account of two of the most controversial figures in 20th Century Science Fiction: Ray Palmer and Richard Shaver. Toronto corresponded with Richard Shaver and in 1975 attempted to co-author a book on Shaver's life. A sequel to War, Shaverology: a Shaver Mystery Home Companion is due out in September 2013. Toronto is a California native and a former newspaper reporter with a BA in Journalism from California State University Sacramento. He has been the editor of Shavertron, the only surviving all-Shaver Mystery fanzine, since 1979. It is now online at www.shavertron.com

Reviews

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read, and a lot different than I expected it to be! While I knew the setting was 1940s California, I was not expecting the author to keep ALL of the characters and dialogue in that time period so thoroughly and I have to say - it was a great enhancement to the story! The phrases and descriptive language from the 40's that we don't really hear anymore really aided in allowing me to stay hooked in the storyline, which I really enjoyed. The twists and turns were great - and the character development was very well done. While I saw early on the connection between one set of murders, I was not as quick to link it to the other case Blade was investigating, which made for a great twist for this reader! Most mysteries tend to present characters that seem to be somewhat predictable (good or bad) and the fact that the author turned that predictability on its head was a great twist! I would recommend and look forward to reading more of the Frisco Detective series!
**Added bonus for me was to learn that the author, Richard Toronto, is a fellow alum of CSU Sacramento (Go Hornets)!** 4 stars

[ABrahosky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex Blade, child film star, has grown up and become a hard-boiled PI in San Francisco. This intense multiple victim adventure in the noir style plays up the kitsch of the genre but delivers on the detecting in a humorous way. definitely not a PC read, and all the more fun because of the tongue-in-cheek exaggerations.

The action and mystery are intense, and the characters are….very colorful to say the least. Enjoy the madcap ride and thrills as Blade and his exotic partner attempt to get to the bottom of a series of murders connected to the movies and to the world of pre-WW2 showbiz.

I was lucky enough to get this advance copy for free, and am leaving this review out of sheer pleasure. Richard Toronto is an amazingly talented author who I will be following from now on!

[James Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am very much enjoying Richard Toronto's series with "Buster" & Paloma as Private Investigators in post WWII San Franciso. I am working my way backward through the series, and I have pleasantly arrived at "Hollywood and Vain". VERY CLEVER and MUCH FUN. This one is just as strong as the other two so far. I recommended to give it a try for a fun mystery throwback throwdown.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.