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There's Only One Sin in Hollywood
A cinematic, razor-sharp novel following a backlot fixer’s daring investigation into the suspicious death of a closeted Black actor within the glamorous world of Hollywood, from the bestselling author of My Government Means to Kill Me
Xavier C. Barlow, one of Hollywood’s young Black stars taking the industry by storm in the late 1950s, is Skyline Studios’s ambitious attempt to rival Sidney Poitier's burgeoning success. His arrival into the industry is calculated, his charm is magnetic, and his seductive screen presence appeals to both audiences and celebrities across generations.
But years later, after Xavier dies at the height of his fame, Aaron Touissant—Skyline’s designated backlot fixer who helps the studio’s stars stay as deep in the closet as humanly possible—is finally ready to expose the powerful culprits responsible for his untimely death.
Written as part-confessional, part-cris de coeur from Aaron's panoramic lens, There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood is a searing portrait of the movie industry as a manicured minefield and a compelling journey into the queer history of Los Angeles.
Xavier C. Barlow, one of Hollywood’s young Black stars taking the industry by storm in the late 1950s, is Skyline Studios’s ambitious attempt to rival Sidney Poitier's burgeoning success. His arrival into the industry is calculated, his charm is magnetic, and his seductive screen presence appeals to both audiences and celebrities across generations.
But years later, after Xavier dies at the height of his fame, Aaron Touissant—Skyline’s designated backlot fixer who helps the studio’s stars stay as deep in the closet as humanly possible—is finally ready to expose the powerful culprits responsible for his untimely death.
Written as part-confessional, part-cris de coeur from Aaron's panoramic lens, There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood is a searing portrait of the movie industry as a manicured minefield and a compelling journey into the queer history of Los Angeles.
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 2, 2026
About the author
Rasheed Newson
2 books433 followersRasheed Newson is the author of the national bestseller "My Government Means to Kill Me." The novel was a Lambda Literary finalist for Gay Fiction and was named one of the “The 100 Notable Books of 2022” by The New York Times.
His forthcoming novel, "There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood," is slated for publication by Flatiron on June 2, 2026.
Rasheed is a 2025–26 American Library in Paris Visiting Fellow. He is also a television drama writer, producer, and showrunner. Along with his screenplay writing partner, T.J. Brady, he co-developed and is an executive producer of "Bel-Air." The drama series has won two NAACP Image Awards and has been nominated several times for Best Drama Series.
Additionally, Rasheed has worked on "The Chi," "Animal Kingdom," and "Narcos," among other drama series.
Rasheed was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a graduate of Georgetown University. He currently lives with his husband and their two children in Pasadena.
His forthcoming novel, "There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood," is slated for publication by Flatiron on June 2, 2026.
Rasheed is a 2025–26 American Library in Paris Visiting Fellow. He is also a television drama writer, producer, and showrunner. Along with his screenplay writing partner, T.J. Brady, he co-developed and is an executive producer of "Bel-Air." The drama series has won two NAACP Image Awards and has been nominated several times for Best Drama Series.
Additionally, Rasheed has worked on "The Chi," "Animal Kingdom," and "Narcos," among other drama series.
Rasheed was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a graduate of Georgetown University. He currently lives with his husband and their two children in Pasadena.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 457 reviews
August 23, 2026
3.5 stars
Interesting novel with a unique premise that follows Hollywood in the years after World War II, from the perspective of closeted queer Black men. I thought Rasheed Newson did a great job portraying the intense homophobia of that time and the real, career-threatening, potentially life-ending risks of being an out queer person. Nuanced themes about people’s differing comfort levels related to being out as well as advocating for political change. It was nice to read about the community and connections these characters forged with one another, even in dire circumstances. There’s a fair amount of tragedy in this novel though it felt important to understand the history in these pages.
The primary reason for my lower star rating is the prose felt a bit dry to me and didn’t grab my attention. Still, I appreciate Rasheed Newson for writing this book and offering these characters’ stories to the world. As a side note, this novel did make me reflect on yes, current anti-trans sentiment in the U.S. right now, though also how being out is still so unsafe and rare in certain public spheres (like I recently got into watching professional tennis a bit more at the end of last year and the lack of out tennis players... sigh)
Interesting novel with a unique premise that follows Hollywood in the years after World War II, from the perspective of closeted queer Black men. I thought Rasheed Newson did a great job portraying the intense homophobia of that time and the real, career-threatening, potentially life-ending risks of being an out queer person. Nuanced themes about people’s differing comfort levels related to being out as well as advocating for political change. It was nice to read about the community and connections these characters forged with one another, even in dire circumstances. There’s a fair amount of tragedy in this novel though it felt important to understand the history in these pages.
The primary reason for my lower star rating is the prose felt a bit dry to me and didn’t grab my attention. Still, I appreciate Rasheed Newson for writing this book and offering these characters’ stories to the world. As a side note, this novel did make me reflect on yes, current anti-trans sentiment in the U.S. right now, though also how being out is still so unsafe and rare in certain public spheres (like I recently got into watching professional tennis a bit more at the end of last year and the lack of out tennis players... sigh)
June 12, 2026
What a fantastic book this was!! I really enjoyed Rasheed Newson’s first book,
My Government Means To Kill Me
, and this was an incredible follow-up. I’m a huge movie buff, and the amount of research Newson did here really showed.
Xavier Barlow is on the cusp of becoming the next Black movie star in the late 1950s. His magnetic good looks and his talent set him apart, and he wants to become a bigger star than Sidney Poitier.
Aaron is a fixer for Skyline Studios. His job is to get Black stars out of trouble and salvage their reputations if scandal occurs. Ironically, one of the things he handles is keeping closeted gay stars from getting into trouble—while he is gay himself.
When Xavier gets killed right after a disagreement with the studio, Aaron is convinced he was murdered. Xavier wanted to be an openly gay actor, wanted to change the status quo—but that type of freedom wasn’t allowed in Hollywood at that time.
Aaron is determined to bring those behind Xavier’s death to light. While everything else in his life has fallen apart, he wants Xavier’s talent—and his sacrifices—to be known and respected.
The book is written from Aaron’s perspective, tracing the challenges and opportunities Black actors faced in the 1950s and 1960s. The nostalgic feel of the story was so appealing. Aaron pulls no punches about his own role in all that occurred. This was such a great Pride Read!!
Check out my best reads of 2025 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2025.html .
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/getbookedwithlarry/.
Xavier Barlow is on the cusp of becoming the next Black movie star in the late 1950s. His magnetic good looks and his talent set him apart, and he wants to become a bigger star than Sidney Poitier.
Aaron is a fixer for Skyline Studios. His job is to get Black stars out of trouble and salvage their reputations if scandal occurs. Ironically, one of the things he handles is keeping closeted gay stars from getting into trouble—while he is gay himself.
When Xavier gets killed right after a disagreement with the studio, Aaron is convinced he was murdered. Xavier wanted to be an openly gay actor, wanted to change the status quo—but that type of freedom wasn’t allowed in Hollywood at that time.
Aaron is determined to bring those behind Xavier’s death to light. While everything else in his life has fallen apart, he wants Xavier’s talent—and his sacrifices—to be known and respected.
The book is written from Aaron’s perspective, tracing the challenges and opportunities Black actors faced in the 1950s and 1960s. The nostalgic feel of the story was so appealing. Aaron pulls no punches about his own role in all that occurred. This was such a great Pride Read!!
Check out my best reads of 2025 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2025.html .
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/getbookedwithlarry/.
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July 8, 2026
Book Riot’s Best Books of 2026 (So Far)
Screenwriter and producer Rasheed Newson is known for his work on shows like Bel-Air and The Chi. He brings his industry insider knowledge to this dazzling historical novel about queer life in Golden Age Hollywood. It tells the story of Xavier, an up-and-coming Black actor, and Aaron, the studio “fixer” tasked with keeping Xavier in the closet. That becomes much more complicated when Xavier is cast in a biopic as the Navy hero Aaron fell in love with while fighting alongside him in WWII. Newson beautifully blends real historical figures with richly layered fictional characters to create an unforgettable story that I’m already dying to see adapted for the screen.
- Susie Dumond
Screenwriter and producer Rasheed Newson is known for his work on shows like Bel-Air and The Chi. He brings his industry insider knowledge to this dazzling historical novel about queer life in Golden Age Hollywood. It tells the story of Xavier, an up-and-coming Black actor, and Aaron, the studio “fixer” tasked with keeping Xavier in the closet. That becomes much more complicated when Xavier is cast in a biopic as the Navy hero Aaron fell in love with while fighting alongside him in WWII. Newson beautifully blends real historical figures with richly layered fictional characters to create an unforgettable story that I’m already dying to see adapted for the screen.
- Susie Dumond
July 1, 2026
(2.5 stars)
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to a review copy of There’s Only One Sin In Hollywood by Rasheed Newson.
I was really looking forward to this one because of the blurb - Hollywood in the years after WW2, queer history, a mysterious death and an investigation. Unfortunately, this book just didn’t resonate with me. The constant timeline shifts didn’t help. I never felt really connected to any of the main characters. And the advertised death didn’t happen until very late in the book with the lauded investigation resolved really quickly.
While fictional, there is a huge amount of name dropping of Hollywood stars of the time.
Warning: lots of graphic, open-door MM scenes
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to a review copy of There’s Only One Sin In Hollywood by Rasheed Newson.
I was really looking forward to this one because of the blurb - Hollywood in the years after WW2, queer history, a mysterious death and an investigation. Unfortunately, this book just didn’t resonate with me. The constant timeline shifts didn’t help. I never felt really connected to any of the main characters. And the advertised death didn’t happen until very late in the book with the lauded investigation resolved really quickly.
While fictional, there is a huge amount of name dropping of Hollywood stars of the time.
Warning: lots of graphic, open-door MM scenes
June 19, 2026
i feel like it sets out to be something greater than it ends up being
June 29, 2026
Very entertaining. Very propulsive. I had a blast reading this.
A novel on old Hollywood, Black and queer Hollywood in particular. (There was a lot more to this than what the back flap says). Here, we meet Aaron Touissant, who will go on to be a backlot fixer, a job that consists of making sure Hollywood stars remain scandal free. He soon comes into contact with Xavier C. Barlow, a young black actor making waves in the industry. Both of these men are closeted; then again they have no choice but to be. This is 1950s Hollywood. Being Black in the industry is already a struggle, being gay is a career killer. Xavier will soon try to become a gay trailblazer, hoping to shakeup the industry and the world at large. Since this story is told through Aaron’s POV, we also get to see how Aaron navigates through the world with his hidden sexual identity. ‘Cause as the title alludes: The only sin in Hollywood is…being gay.
The novel is such a page-turner, bursting with explosive social commentary. We explore gay love in Hollywood (and the military, for that matter). I loved the juxtaposition of Aaron and Xavier’s characters. Aaron is a product of internalized homophobia. He has a passionate love affair, but has been conditioned to believe that his sexuality has no right to be shown or displayed. In contrast, Xavier thinks gay love is beautiful and is more willing to take chances in order to satisfy his desires. More and more, he starts to believe there can be a world where men like him can be free to express their love openly to the masses.
If you’re a cinephile, there’s lots to appreciate, as the narrative is chock-full of old Hollywood pop culture trivia. Real-life people such as Sidney Poiter and Diahann Carroll are heavily pivotal to the narrative. Along with many others from the Hollywood machine Real life events mixed in with an addictive fictitious plot.
Themes include queer love, queer trailblazing, queer iconography, internalized homophobia, being closeted, blackness, queer subtext and undertones in cinema, studio politics, the creative process and censorship.
I do think the book should’ve gone on a little longer. I wanted more resolution to Aaron’s story. He seemed to get sidelined in order for Xavier’s climax to take center stage. I yearned for more from Aaron at the end. But it’s a small complaint. I found this story to be memorable, never boring, never stagnant, full of energy. A wildly engaging and original tale.
A novel on old Hollywood, Black and queer Hollywood in particular. (There was a lot more to this than what the back flap says). Here, we meet Aaron Touissant, who will go on to be a backlot fixer, a job that consists of making sure Hollywood stars remain scandal free. He soon comes into contact with Xavier C. Barlow, a young black actor making waves in the industry. Both of these men are closeted; then again they have no choice but to be. This is 1950s Hollywood. Being Black in the industry is already a struggle, being gay is a career killer. Xavier will soon try to become a gay trailblazer, hoping to shakeup the industry and the world at large. Since this story is told through Aaron’s POV, we also get to see how Aaron navigates through the world with his hidden sexual identity. ‘Cause as the title alludes: The only sin in Hollywood is…being gay.
The novel is such a page-turner, bursting with explosive social commentary. We explore gay love in Hollywood (and the military, for that matter). I loved the juxtaposition of Aaron and Xavier’s characters. Aaron is a product of internalized homophobia. He has a passionate love affair, but has been conditioned to believe that his sexuality has no right to be shown or displayed. In contrast, Xavier thinks gay love is beautiful and is more willing to take chances in order to satisfy his desires. More and more, he starts to believe there can be a world where men like him can be free to express their love openly to the masses.
If you’re a cinephile, there’s lots to appreciate, as the narrative is chock-full of old Hollywood pop culture trivia. Real-life people such as Sidney Poiter and Diahann Carroll are heavily pivotal to the narrative. Along with many others from the Hollywood machine Real life events mixed in with an addictive fictitious plot.
Themes include queer love, queer trailblazing, queer iconography, internalized homophobia, being closeted, blackness, queer subtext and undertones in cinema, studio politics, the creative process and censorship.
I do think the book should’ve gone on a little longer. I wanted more resolution to Aaron’s story. He seemed to get sidelined in order for Xavier’s climax to take center stage. I yearned for more from Aaron at the end. But it’s a small complaint. I found this story to be memorable, never boring, never stagnant, full of energy. A wildly engaging and original tale.
May 14, 2026
This guy sure knows a lot about old films! Fr tho this was a fantastic read, I did want more of a love story on the Xavier end of things
July 4, 2026
4.5 stars
A heartwrenching and cinematic tale about Black gay men navigating Golden Age Hollywood.
I absolutely adored My Government Means to Kill Me, so I snatched up There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood. Newson is a stellar historical fiction storyteller. Normally, peppering a historical fiction book with real-world historical figures and lengthy explanatory infodumps pulls me out of the story, but Newson somehow pulls it off. I always feel like I’m learning so much when I read his books. You can tell he knows a lot about this era of Hollywood, and his passion for filmmaking adds a special vibrancy to the setting.
Not only does he nail the historical part of historical fiction, he also creates such an immersive story with memorable, complex characters. Aaron in this book is more of a tragic figure than plucky Trey from My Government Means to Kill Me. As a result, the book lacks a lot of the wit and humor that I loved about his debut. Aaron’s anguish and love affairs, however, feel painfully real. His character captures the tortured position of someone who is crushed by the system but unwilling to risk everything to fight it. Newson neither lauds nor damns Aaron—he portrays him as a sympathetic but flawed character trying his best in hard circumstances. It’s a sobering and thought-provoking reflection on a bygone era that continues to shape our present.
June 4, 2026
Full of heated personal and professional rivalries, lust, longing, and plenty of cruising— I was captivated from beginning to end by this narrative chronicling the life of a Hollywood fixer and his relationship with a closeted rising star.
We know from the very beginning that Xavier C. Barlow is dead, but the investigative journey that follows seamlessly blends lesser known queer history with a heartfelt story of a man in search of self that will keep you turning the page.
I really loved the pacing of this, and the surprise of it not just being a murder-mystery but really diving deeply into the life of a queer Black man in the 1950’s. We get glimpses of stars we know and revere, but with more context. We really understand the stakes for someone to simply be who they are in a pre-Stonewall world that put the queer liberation struggle on the map.
Rasheed Newson has done it again, and deserves a standing ovation!
We know from the very beginning that Xavier C. Barlow is dead, but the investigative journey that follows seamlessly blends lesser known queer history with a heartfelt story of a man in search of self that will keep you turning the page.
I really loved the pacing of this, and the surprise of it not just being a murder-mystery but really diving deeply into the life of a queer Black man in the 1950’s. We get glimpses of stars we know and revere, but with more context. We really understand the stakes for someone to simply be who they are in a pre-Stonewall world that put the queer liberation struggle on the map.
Rasheed Newson has done it again, and deserves a standing ovation!
June 8, 2026
Rasheed Newson blended fact and fiction so seamlessly that I kept wondering where one ended and the other began. The story had me hooked from start to finish, and I never once thought about putting it down. The Hollywood backdrop, secrets, ambition, and consequences made for an engaging read that also had me reflecting on real events and people. A compelling, thought-provoking novel that kept me invested all the way through. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 5, 2026
Happy pride month 🌈.
Oh Xavier.
Oh Xavier.
June 13, 2026
"Forgive me if I am slow to join your revolution at your speed. I am haunted by a society that was eviler and crueler than the one you've met."
Really great and super valuable, following both an era and a demographic that isn't talked about nearly enough. I've chewed out other books for not bothering with intersectionality, and I think that is one of the things this book does best. Queer Black men exist at a really complicated intersection of identity, partially because Queer POC from the jump face more violence and scrutiny, and partially because Black masculinity is especially scrutinized from inside and out. I also appreciate historical fiction that is realistic about the stakes that people like Aaron, Horace, and Xavier face. Aaron's repression and unwillingness to be out-and-proud might not be wildly heroic, but it's unreasonable to ask everyone to always be willing to fight. I'm sure a lot of people in various marginalized groups have had the experiences of being expected to act as the face of your community, and sometimes that criticism comes from within as the end of the book points out.
Annoyingly, I'm both glad that Aaron isn't some bold trailblazer for Queer rights and also felt like the story kind of petered out without some kind of climax or conclusion of his character arc along those lines. It's cool if the author was going for a more nontraditional narrative arc, it just didn't really go where I wanted it to. Still, a really beautiful story worth adding to your list.
Really great and super valuable, following both an era and a demographic that isn't talked about nearly enough. I've chewed out other books for not bothering with intersectionality, and I think that is one of the things this book does best. Queer Black men exist at a really complicated intersection of identity, partially because Queer POC from the jump face more violence and scrutiny, and partially because Black masculinity is especially scrutinized from inside and out. I also appreciate historical fiction that is realistic about the stakes that people like Aaron, Horace, and Xavier face. Aaron's repression and unwillingness to be out-and-proud might not be wildly heroic, but it's unreasonable to ask everyone to always be willing to fight. I'm sure a lot of people in various marginalized groups have had the experiences of being expected to act as the face of your community, and sometimes that criticism comes from within as the end of the book points out.
Annoyingly, I'm both glad that Aaron isn't some bold trailblazer for Queer rights and also felt like the story kind of petered out without some kind of climax or conclusion of his character arc along those lines. It's cool if the author was going for a more nontraditional narrative arc, it just didn't really go where I wanted it to. Still, a really beautiful story worth adding to your list.
June 26, 2026
What a story
This book was so entertaining I read it in one day. Everyone knows Hollywood is full of literal insanity, but it was really cool to get perspective on vintage black Hollywood stars and the power hungry people who run Hollywood from someone who was an insider. Even though this book was fiction, there were a lot of accurate depictions and made me interested in reading more on our vintage black stars: Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Sidney Poitier, Diahann Carroll, Hazel Scott, and Billie Holiday. I paused the book more than a few times(I did an immersive read - listened and read at the same time) to google some of the affairs and details.
Rasheed Newson not only thoroughly researched the happenings of the times well, but he did a great job of depicting the dichotomy of the main character - being a gay black man in a world that deemed it not only unacceptable, but illegal, while also navigating the tricky waters of Hollywood and understanding that being closeted at the time, was necessary for survival.
Well worth the read.
This book was so entertaining I read it in one day. Everyone knows Hollywood is full of literal insanity, but it was really cool to get perspective on vintage black Hollywood stars and the power hungry people who run Hollywood from someone who was an insider. Even though this book was fiction, there were a lot of accurate depictions and made me interested in reading more on our vintage black stars: Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Sidney Poitier, Diahann Carroll, Hazel Scott, and Billie Holiday. I paused the book more than a few times(I did an immersive read - listened and read at the same time) to google some of the affairs and details.
Rasheed Newson not only thoroughly researched the happenings of the times well, but he did a great job of depicting the dichotomy of the main character - being a gay black man in a world that deemed it not only unacceptable, but illegal, while also navigating the tricky waters of Hollywood and understanding that being closeted at the time, was necessary for survival.
Well worth the read.
June 20, 2026
An inventive novel about a demographic that's been grossly underrepresented for decades: queer People of Colour in the time before gay liberation. I've read somewhere that There's Only One Sin in Hollywood reads like a prequel to Rasheed Newson's first novel My Government Means to Kill Me, and I can see that. How forces beyond the individual impact queer PoC's lives seems to be Newson's great topic, and he presents it with literary finesse and sometimes broad strokes. There's Only One Sin in Hollywood makes for a heartbreaking, worthwhile read.
June 21, 2026
3.75
“His killers wanted him disgraced and forgotten. Don't let them win. He died for the revolution to come.”
Told from Aaron Toussaint's POV, this story feels like a memoir, an adult coming-of-age story (weird as that sounds), and a history lesson, all told through the rise and fall of a celebrity who had the right ideas at the wrong time.
The first and second sections of this book start a bit slow and would have interested me more if I were a film buff. However, I found myself a bit bored at times and just wanting to move on, as I was under the assumption that the focus would be Xavier rather than Aaron. Regardless, I think these chapters did a pretty good job of setting the stage.
The third section was, in my opinion, the strongest part of the book. It starts to feel less like a memoir and more like a story. We see the evil of the machine that is Hollywood, Xavier's rise, downfall, and death, and Aaron's investigation into it. It gave me a lot to consider, and I honestly wished the first two sections were more like the third. Xavier being the focus of this section is likely why the story felt more interesting, as he was the most compelling character from start to finish. I actually wish he had been more present throughout the novel. I also wish the ending had a bit more closure, but it was resonant in a way.
Aaron is very frustrating, and it took me a while to realize why. Aaron has a more conservative idea of what progress looks like and prefers the middle ground. He is, however, surrounded by people who want change and don't think the middle ground is where that can be found. As a result, he ends up quite unlikable due to his inability to pick a side.
The final chapters actually give insight into Aaron's conservative nature and helped me understand why he was so "inactive" compared to someone like Xavier. They also point out the irony of how we often forget how easy certain things are because of the people who had it harder before us. Ultimately, he's a person who was just as naive as the person he thought he was protecting.
The biggest sin this story commits is not being the story it was advertised as. The inside cover depicts a historical murder mystery. This is not that at all. You can pretty much guess who killed Xavier, and you'd be right. I think this book is mismarketed, and it led to some irritation on my end for a while as I waited for the murder mystery plot to unfold. It's given maybe a chapter or two and is not actually a real plot point.
This is a historical fiction novel through and through. Luckily, it's an interesting one. The story is also a bit too exposition-heavy for me in the first two sections of the novel, and I never truly connected to the characters, but those issues didn't ruin the experience, just detracted from it.
This book is a bit hard to discuss without spoiling it, as it's essentially a memoir, but as long as you do not go into it expecting a murder mystery, you may enjoy it. While the messaging did fall a little flat overall, I think I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about Hollywood and gay history in LA in the 1950s and is interested in film.
“His killers wanted him disgraced and forgotten. Don't let them win. He died for the revolution to come.”
Told from Aaron Toussaint's POV, this story feels like a memoir, an adult coming-of-age story (weird as that sounds), and a history lesson, all told through the rise and fall of a celebrity who had the right ideas at the wrong time.
The first and second sections of this book start a bit slow and would have interested me more if I were a film buff. However, I found myself a bit bored at times and just wanting to move on, as I was under the assumption that the focus would be Xavier rather than Aaron. Regardless, I think these chapters did a pretty good job of setting the stage.
The third section was, in my opinion, the strongest part of the book. It starts to feel less like a memoir and more like a story. We see the evil of the machine that is Hollywood, Xavier's rise, downfall, and death, and Aaron's investigation into it. It gave me a lot to consider, and I honestly wished the first two sections were more like the third. Xavier being the focus of this section is likely why the story felt more interesting, as he was the most compelling character from start to finish. I actually wish he had been more present throughout the novel. I also wish the ending had a bit more closure, but it was resonant in a way.
Aaron is very frustrating, and it took me a while to realize why. Aaron has a more conservative idea of what progress looks like and prefers the middle ground. He is, however, surrounded by people who want change and don't think the middle ground is where that can be found. As a result, he ends up quite unlikable due to his inability to pick a side.
The final chapters actually give insight into Aaron's conservative nature and helped me understand why he was so "inactive" compared to someone like Xavier. They also point out the irony of how we often forget how easy certain things are because of the people who had it harder before us. Ultimately, he's a person who was just as naive as the person he thought he was protecting.
The biggest sin this story commits is not being the story it was advertised as. The inside cover depicts a historical murder mystery. This is not that at all. You can pretty much guess who killed Xavier, and you'd be right. I think this book is mismarketed, and it led to some irritation on my end for a while as I waited for the murder mystery plot to unfold. It's given maybe a chapter or two and is not actually a real plot point.
This is a historical fiction novel through and through. Luckily, it's an interesting one. The story is also a bit too exposition-heavy for me in the first two sections of the novel, and I never truly connected to the characters, but those issues didn't ruin the experience, just detracted from it.
This book is a bit hard to discuss without spoiling it, as it's essentially a memoir, but as long as you do not go into it expecting a murder mystery, you may enjoy it. While the messaging did fall a little flat overall, I think I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about Hollywood and gay history in LA in the 1950s and is interested in film.
June 27, 2026
Thank you to Flatiron Books and Lavender Reading Room for providing me with an advance readers copy of this book for review.
Unfortunately, this fell flat for me. The first third of the book established a propulsive and intense tone and storyline that the rest of the book could not sustain. The most entertaining part of the book was the last 30 pages, in part because I knew I was almost done reading and because the narrative finally focused on Xavier, the novel's theoretical main subject of study. Despite the book being a firsthand "archival" account of Xavier's political activism in Hollywood and the gay rights movement, the book was excessively centered on Aaron and his passive-aggressive gripes with the culture around him. It read too much like a film history textbook than a reflective biography about someone else's life. The pretense that Aaron's letters were to be considered for archival preservation is laughable, at best. Rather than supplying the reader with the significant material about Xavier's life that would deem Aaron's letters appropriate for a queer history archive but also for the reader's engagement, the author instead filled this structural void with excessive details about 20th century Hollywood film history and production, flexing the amount of research done for the story's most insignificant aspect.
Secondly, the book fails to integrate Xavier as a Black movie star into the well-established backdrop of Black Hollywood in the 20th century. His rivalry with Sidney Poitier was well-written and made sense politically given the two actors' differing approaches to Black respectability, but Xavier's relationality to real-life Hollywood stars depicted in the book felt one-dimensional. Even the names of the fictitious Hollywood movies and characters in this novel felt anachronistic to the 20th-century setting (what kind of Old Hollywood movie star name is Xavier?). The Black Hollywood constructed by the author was not only asynchronous to the timeline of Black history and filmmaking (someone of Xavier's political and cultural leaning would not have been interested in Hollywood during the rise of Black independent filmmaking, but I digress) but failed to stand on its own as an extension of the corporate militancy of Hollywood. The author obviously did a large sum of research for this novel, but unfortunately the final product reveals too much of this Herculean effort to revisualize Hollywood history rather than culminating into a novel that is both plausible and entertaining.
*2.75 stars
Unfortunately, this fell flat for me. The first third of the book established a propulsive and intense tone and storyline that the rest of the book could not sustain. The most entertaining part of the book was the last 30 pages, in part because I knew I was almost done reading and because the narrative finally focused on Xavier, the novel's theoretical main subject of study. Despite the book being a firsthand "archival" account of Xavier's political activism in Hollywood and the gay rights movement, the book was excessively centered on Aaron and his passive-aggressive gripes with the culture around him. It read too much like a film history textbook than a reflective biography about someone else's life. The pretense that Aaron's letters were to be considered for archival preservation is laughable, at best. Rather than supplying the reader with the significant material about Xavier's life that would deem Aaron's letters appropriate for a queer history archive but also for the reader's engagement, the author instead filled this structural void with excessive details about 20th century Hollywood film history and production, flexing the amount of research done for the story's most insignificant aspect.
Secondly, the book fails to integrate Xavier as a Black movie star into the well-established backdrop of Black Hollywood in the 20th century. His rivalry with Sidney Poitier was well-written and made sense politically given the two actors' differing approaches to Black respectability, but Xavier's relationality to real-life Hollywood stars depicted in the book felt one-dimensional. Even the names of the fictitious Hollywood movies and characters in this novel felt anachronistic to the 20th-century setting (what kind of Old Hollywood movie star name is Xavier?). The Black Hollywood constructed by the author was not only asynchronous to the timeline of Black history and filmmaking (someone of Xavier's political and cultural leaning would not have been interested in Hollywood during the rise of Black independent filmmaking, but I digress) but failed to stand on its own as an extension of the corporate militancy of Hollywood. The author obviously did a large sum of research for this novel, but unfortunately the final product reveals too much of this Herculean effort to revisualize Hollywood history rather than culminating into a novel that is both plausible and entertaining.
*2.75 stars
June 6, 2026
I think this one didn't land the plane in the end, which is a shame because the story is captivating until the end.
I enjoyed the story of Xavier and his advocacy. I appreciate that he was a man of principle, so much so that he was willing to lose everything for it. He was a bit naive, but I believe that was part of his charm. I enjoyed Aaron's story of his own awaking. I was sad when he was sad. I appreciate that he told his wife about his past, so she married him knowing who and what he was. I was angry that he cheated.
What I did not like was the ending which I found to be a bit too unfinished. I'm not at all surprised that Lowell got away with Xavier's murder. That's not surprising at all. But what happened to Aaron? I assume the money was stolen for him. Did him and his wife stay together? How did he end up? What became of his life? At what age is he when he's dying but want to commit this story to the record? Did he have a whole, fulfilling life? I can't even call this ending artistic temperament. It just feels unfinished.
It was a captivating story that just did not end in a way I found satisfying. It was a 4-star read until the last 5 pages.
I enjoyed the story of Xavier and his advocacy. I appreciate that he was a man of principle, so much so that he was willing to lose everything for it. He was a bit naive, but I believe that was part of his charm. I enjoyed Aaron's story of his own awaking. I was sad when he was sad. I appreciate that he told his wife about his past, so she married him knowing who and what he was. I was angry that he cheated.
What I did not like was the ending which I found to be a bit too unfinished. I'm not at all surprised that Lowell got away with Xavier's murder. That's not surprising at all. But what happened to Aaron? I assume the money was stolen for him. Did him and his wife stay together? How did he end up? What became of his life? At what age is he when he's dying but want to commit this story to the record? Did he have a whole, fulfilling life? I can't even call this ending artistic temperament. It just feels unfinished.
It was a captivating story that just did not end in a way I found satisfying. It was a 4-star read until the last 5 pages.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2026
I listened to the audio. This is hypnotically excellent, funny, and the plot is pointedly and poignantly subversive also powerfully valiant, moving, and deserving multiple major book award nominations 👏👏👏
Rasheed Newson's latest is a brilliant funny, scathing, and suspenseful 1950s-1960s Black and gay Hollywood drama with an especially heartfelt tribute to Navy veterans!
You'll definitely want to pick this up if you enjoyed Last Night in Brooklyn by Xóchitl González or Matthew Henson and the Ice Temple of Harlem by Gary Phillips.
Thank you Rasheed Newson, publisher, and Libro.fm
Rasheed Newson's latest is a brilliant funny, scathing, and suspenseful 1950s-1960s Black and gay Hollywood drama with an especially heartfelt tribute to Navy veterans!
You'll definitely want to pick this up if you enjoyed Last Night in Brooklyn by Xóchitl González or Matthew Henson and the Ice Temple of Harlem by Gary Phillips.
Thank you Rasheed Newson, publisher, and Libro.fm
September 22, 2026
A 3.5 for me, but a beautiful ode to queer Black Hollywood. It’s a fast and lively read, wanted a bit more depth of character and prose, but I absolutely recommend it and appreciate its big swings.
July 19, 2026
So juicy! I read this in one day. The drama, the glamour, the history, and the spice?! Old Black Hollywood, forbibben love, a little mystery, and so much tea being spilled. This was just what I needed.
Also can we give it up to the narrator with that smooth voice and the talent to go along with it? I need to hear more of him in my headphones.
Rounded up from 4.75⭐️
Also can we give it up to the narrator with that smooth voice and the talent to go along with it? I need to hear more of him in my headphones.
Rounded up from 4.75⭐️
May 16, 2026
this was excellent; I was pulled in DEEP into 1950s-era Hollywood—its glitz and gutting history, deeply personalized through Aaron’s lens. Historical fiction utilized to maximum effect—this was so well written (and SO well narrated - cannot recommend the audio highly enough); I’m going to need to sit with that ending and Aaron/Xavier/Horace’s story for a long time.
July 16, 2026
"And religions demand obedience . This last principle was the one that rebel stars neglected to heed. It was the fine print at the bottom of their contracts. They overlooked it because the motion picture industry projects to the world an image of itself as a liberal bastion where anything goes— an unjudgmental business that embraces hedonists and artists. The pose isn’t completely phony. The industry allows a host of indiscretions. Murderers, rapists, and abusers have been granted career absolution and permitted to keep working in Tinseltown. Yet a star can offend the gods. Damnation is possible for those who ignore that there’s only one sin in Hollywood: Don’t expose the rapacious puppet masters who prey on stars and crews and audiences alike."
What an amazing read! This book historical fiction that centers the story of Xavier C Barlow and Aaron Touissant. Xavier was a bright and blossoming Black actor that was being positioned to rival Sidney Portier and Aaron was the Studio fixer tasked with managing Xavier's image and personal affairs. Namely, keeping Xavier's homosexuality and his own a secret.
Traveling through the behind of the scenes of the glitz and glamor, you get a captivating, sometimes heartbreaking story about the cost of fame and the struggle of wanting to be free but being forced to hide and the cost of those who decide to go against the grain when it comes to industry politics.
Rasheed did a great job of putting you in time and place, capturing each man's journey and telling a complete story. The writing was beautiful, the themes and commentary were timely and poignant.
"Forgive me if I am slow to join your revolution at your speed. I am haunted by a society that was eviler and crueler than the one you’ve met."
What an amazing read! This book historical fiction that centers the story of Xavier C Barlow and Aaron Touissant. Xavier was a bright and blossoming Black actor that was being positioned to rival Sidney Portier and Aaron was the Studio fixer tasked with managing Xavier's image and personal affairs. Namely, keeping Xavier's homosexuality and his own a secret.
Traveling through the behind of the scenes of the glitz and glamor, you get a captivating, sometimes heartbreaking story about the cost of fame and the struggle of wanting to be free but being forced to hide and the cost of those who decide to go against the grain when it comes to industry politics.
Rasheed did a great job of putting you in time and place, capturing each man's journey and telling a complete story. The writing was beautiful, the themes and commentary were timely and poignant.
"Forgive me if I am slow to join your revolution at your speed. I am haunted by a society that was eviler and crueler than the one you’ve met."
June 3, 2026
Hadn’t heard of Hazel Scott until I read With Love from Harlem yesterday. Now I see her in today’s book, too. What a fascinating time.
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1645808644i/7494844._UX200_CR0,6,200,200_.jpg)
September 21, 2026
"You can be clever, or you can save your career. I get paid the same no matter what you choose."
Aaron Toussaint is a backlot fixer in Hollywood, specifically for the Black actors and actresses working at Skyline Studios. He's good at his job, but everything comes to a head when he is assigned Xavier C Barlow, an up and coming actor who is also a closeted gay man...and really, really ridiculously good looking. This isn't a romance, though. Xavier dies young, and Toussaint is here to get the facts straight into his life. Throughout the story features another blast from Toussaint's past: war ace Horace Dixon, Toussaint's former boss and lover and major lifelong complication.
I'm not really sure how I feel about this book.
On the one hand: the research. Oh the research. Sure, there's stuff Newsome created to avoid legal kerfuffles or whatever, but the made-up stuff fit in so seamlessly with the real that I was constantly looking things up and learning new historical tidbits. Like, the care that's put into this story to accurately show how dangerous it was to be Black and/or gay in the 1950s and 1960s.
On the other: the story framing. I get why Newsome chose the approach he did. Toussaint is a man who is always creating a reserve between himself and everyone else, no matter how close he seemingly gets to them. He likes to control the narrative and the facts, and how better to do so than through a letter to gay archivist Jim Kepner telling the truth about Barlow (and, through Barlow, himself and Dixon). It created a distance between what was happening on page, and I felt that the book suffered for it—but then, I have a hard time with epistolary stories or "lemme tell you how it was" type books, because you're constantly wondering "ok, so they put THAT in there but what are they keeping out?" and there's always the disconnect because what's happening isn't immediate. It has already happened, the character writing has already processed. The urgency is diminished. It's done.
Anywho, while I struggled with the first bit of the book, I was LOCKED THE FUCK IN by the last 40%.
Toussaint is a fascinating character—and I would have loved to see more of what he did in his work, because the tidbits I got were far juicier than the story he was telling—and his point of view is also very interesting. He's a man caught between four worlds: Black and white, gay and straight. Forced into respectability politics by his job and his safety (and, conversely, his time in the Navy and growing up in an abusive household). He's always trying to find the middle line and the compromise, to influence things behind the scenes.
Altogether, a fascinating look into Black Hollywood in the 1950s, and gay LA of the 1950s, particularly cruising culture.
Aaron Toussaint is a backlot fixer in Hollywood, specifically for the Black actors and actresses working at Skyline Studios. He's good at his job, but everything comes to a head when he is assigned Xavier C Barlow, an up and coming actor who is also a closeted gay man...and really, really ridiculously good looking. This isn't a romance, though. Xavier dies young, and Toussaint is here to get the facts straight into his life. Throughout the story features another blast from Toussaint's past: war ace Horace Dixon, Toussaint's former boss and lover and major lifelong complication.
I'm not really sure how I feel about this book.
On the one hand: the research. Oh the research. Sure, there's stuff Newsome created to avoid legal kerfuffles or whatever, but the made-up stuff fit in so seamlessly with the real that I was constantly looking things up and learning new historical tidbits. Like, the care that's put into this story to accurately show how dangerous it was to be Black and/or gay in the 1950s and 1960s.
On the other: the story framing. I get why Newsome chose the approach he did. Toussaint is a man who is always creating a reserve between himself and everyone else, no matter how close he seemingly gets to them. He likes to control the narrative and the facts, and how better to do so than through a letter to gay archivist Jim Kepner telling the truth about Barlow (and, through Barlow, himself and Dixon). It created a distance between what was happening on page, and I felt that the book suffered for it—but then, I have a hard time with epistolary stories or "lemme tell you how it was" type books, because you're constantly wondering "ok, so they put THAT in there but what are they keeping out?" and there's always the disconnect because what's happening isn't immediate. It has already happened, the character writing has already processed. The urgency is diminished. It's done.
Anywho, while I struggled with the first bit of the book, I was LOCKED THE FUCK IN by the last 40%.
Toussaint is a fascinating character—and I would have loved to see more of what he did in his work, because the tidbits I got were far juicier than the story he was telling—and his point of view is also very interesting. He's a man caught between four worlds: Black and white, gay and straight. Forced into respectability politics by his job and his safety (and, conversely, his time in the Navy and growing up in an abusive household). He's always trying to find the middle line and the compromise, to influence things behind the scenes.
Altogether, a fascinating look into Black Hollywood in the 1950s, and gay LA of the 1950s, particularly cruising culture.
July 20, 2026
I finished this book and all I could say was WOW.
Rasheed Nelson’s flawless, cinematic execution made this novel worth the read and then some. Having Jelani Alladin’s voice in my ears as I listened to the audiobook was the icing on the cake. The past and present flowed together so seamlessly, blending into one unforgettable and emotionally harrowing story.
The cost of being a Black queer man in Hollywood was steep, and ultimately, it could cost you your life. As the book so poignantly states, “This is a mean business. The starving and the fortunate can’t be friends.”
Be prepared to feel every emotion while reading this novel: awe, anger, grief, empathy, and heartbreak, all wrapped in palpable tension that never lets up. As Aaron Toussaint sets out to uncover the truth behind the death of talented, closeted Black actor Xavier C. Barlow, each revelation pulls you deeper into the mystery and makes it impossible to look away.
Once you pick this book up, you won’t be able to put it down.
4.5 stars rounded up
Rasheed Nelson’s flawless, cinematic execution made this novel worth the read and then some. Having Jelani Alladin’s voice in my ears as I listened to the audiobook was the icing on the cake. The past and present flowed together so seamlessly, blending into one unforgettable and emotionally harrowing story.
The cost of being a Black queer man in Hollywood was steep, and ultimately, it could cost you your life. As the book so poignantly states, “This is a mean business. The starving and the fortunate can’t be friends.”
Be prepared to feel every emotion while reading this novel: awe, anger, grief, empathy, and heartbreak, all wrapped in palpable tension that never lets up. As Aaron Toussaint sets out to uncover the truth behind the death of talented, closeted Black actor Xavier C. Barlow, each revelation pulls you deeper into the mystery and makes it impossible to look away.
Once you pick this book up, you won’t be able to put it down.
4.5 stars rounded up
August 22, 2026
really enjoyed! love rasheed newson’s writing and i love a story about celebrities that didn’t exist! i do feel like i would have gotten more out of this if i knew more about hollywood in the 50s bc i’m not entirely sure what was real of not
May 27, 2026
One of the most intentional and thoughtfully crafted stories I’ve experienced in historical fiction—and it is told in a way that would make any storyteller salivate. This is the kind of story that grabs you by the ears and refuses to let go, while your heart grows heavier with every heartbreak and lighter with every joyful moment.
Although it’s being billed as a mystery, this historical fiction leans much more heavily into drama, with romance woven throughout.
Aaron Toussaint, the MMC, tells his life story through his work as a Hollywood fixer and publicist, giving us a backstage pass into the lives of two of his clients during the 1950s. At the center of the story is his investigation into the suspicious unaliving of Xavier Barlow, a same-gender-loving actor who was positioned to rival Sidney Poitier.
And THIS is where the storytelling shines.
Lately, we’ve seen more Black writers reclaiming and chronicling the Harlem and Hollywood arts scenes, centering Black people who lived, loved, created, and thrived during these remarkable eras. We have the glitz. We have the glamour. We have the glitter. Yet it is BLACK, BLACK, and MORE BLACK beauty and artistry!
Rasheed Newson doesn’t simply tell you about this world—he makes you feel it. You can almost hear the vibrations of the music pleasantly thumping through the halls. You can smell the dark liquor being poured as the Black community gathers to celebrate one another. You can feel the ambition, the secrecy, the danger, the desire, and the pride beneath all that Hollywood shine.
This is historical fiction with a pulse.
🎧 Audiobook Narration:
I was privileged to receive an ALC, and let me tell you—Jelani Alladin’s tenor voice was doing WORK!
His performance gave me the visuals I needed to fully inhabit Aaron’s journey. Alladin’s background in both film and theater makes this audiobook feel less like someone is simply reading a book and more like you’re sitting in the audience watching a performance unfold.
Listen to the audiobook. You’ll thank me.
And if Newson and Alladin decide to team up again? I’m buying it. No questions asked.
Thank you to #NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Rasheed Newson for giving me one of my favorite reads.
#TheresOnlyOneSininHollywood
Although it’s being billed as a mystery, this historical fiction leans much more heavily into drama, with romance woven throughout.
Aaron Toussaint, the MMC, tells his life story through his work as a Hollywood fixer and publicist, giving us a backstage pass into the lives of two of his clients during the 1950s. At the center of the story is his investigation into the suspicious unaliving of Xavier Barlow, a same-gender-loving actor who was positioned to rival Sidney Poitier.
And THIS is where the storytelling shines.
Lately, we’ve seen more Black writers reclaiming and chronicling the Harlem and Hollywood arts scenes, centering Black people who lived, loved, created, and thrived during these remarkable eras. We have the glitz. We have the glamour. We have the glitter. Yet it is BLACK, BLACK, and MORE BLACK beauty and artistry!
Rasheed Newson doesn’t simply tell you about this world—he makes you feel it. You can almost hear the vibrations of the music pleasantly thumping through the halls. You can smell the dark liquor being poured as the Black community gathers to celebrate one another. You can feel the ambition, the secrecy, the danger, the desire, and the pride beneath all that Hollywood shine.
This is historical fiction with a pulse.
🎧 Audiobook Narration:
I was privileged to receive an ALC, and let me tell you—Jelani Alladin’s tenor voice was doing WORK!
His performance gave me the visuals I needed to fully inhabit Aaron’s journey. Alladin’s background in both film and theater makes this audiobook feel less like someone is simply reading a book and more like you’re sitting in the audience watching a performance unfold.
Listen to the audiobook. You’ll thank me.
And if Newson and Alladin decide to team up again? I’m buying it. No questions asked.
Thank you to #NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Rasheed Newson for giving me one of my favorite reads.
#TheresOnlyOneSininHollywood
June 22, 2026
4.5 stars
Thanks to Libro's ALC for the audiobook!
I think the audiobook does the credit of Aaron's character and his personality! My only sadness is the most impactful scenes happen in the last 15-20% of the book where I feel these hard-hitting topics, blasting of Pride in the youth, and Aaron's life afterwards should have been more explored. It's 200% clear that Newson does amazing research on these time periods and the occasional inclusion of a star always gave that warm, fuzzy feeling movies deliver on, and I think Newson does a good job balancing between the dazzle and passions of Hollywood and its negative counterparts, particularly in the Black and queer communities of the time period (and one could argue still).
Thanks to Libro's ALC for the audiobook!
I think the audiobook does the credit of Aaron's character and his personality! My only sadness is the most impactful scenes happen in the last 15-20% of the book where I feel these hard-hitting topics, blasting of Pride in the youth, and Aaron's life afterwards should have been more explored. It's 200% clear that Newson does amazing research on these time periods and the occasional inclusion of a star always gave that warm, fuzzy feeling movies deliver on, and I think Newson does a good job balancing between the dazzle and passions of Hollywood and its negative counterparts, particularly in the Black and queer communities of the time period (and one could argue still).
April 20, 2026
I was fortunate to receive an ARC from the publisher and Goodreads and so it’s only appropriate I share my thoughts.
Thank you and WOW! I am honored and fortunate to be one of the first people to read and comment on, “There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood” by Rasheed Newson. This was a compelling and interesting story; excellently written by Newson with impeccable research and devotion to history - black, gay, military, showbiz and Hollywood. This story took a few turns I wasn’t expecting but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked genuine nature of the characters and the real care that was taken in setting up and crafting the times they lived in. I thought the ending was perfect and really revealed that life is a journey and that we don’t always end up where we think This is one of those books that doesn’t leave you.
I look forward to reading more Rasheed Newson.
Thank you and WOW! I am honored and fortunate to be one of the first people to read and comment on, “There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood” by Rasheed Newson. This was a compelling and interesting story; excellently written by Newson with impeccable research and devotion to history - black, gay, military, showbiz and Hollywood. This story took a few turns I wasn’t expecting but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked genuine nature of the characters and the real care that was taken in setting up and crafting the times they lived in. I thought the ending was perfect and really revealed that life is a journey and that we don’t always end up where we think This is one of those books that doesn’t leave you.
I look forward to reading more Rasheed Newson.
June 17, 2026
This one was on my most anticipated list of 2026 and it deserves a spot on my top 10 of the year. This book was like catnip for me from the get-go with a queer lead and an accurate Classic Hollywood setting steeped in lore. This was a fun romp for me with all the director, actor and writer name drops, but it also had a lot of similarities with the sad story of Rudolph Valentino. Would definitely recommend!
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