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Candle in the Wind
When Detective Frank Galvin saves Hollywood sex goddess Marilyn Lane from a drug overdose, he and the actress find themselves caught in a web of danger and high-level intrigue as they seek the individuals responsible for her attempted "suicide"
- GenresFiction
544 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
10 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
George Bernau
7 books1 followerThe fledgling author made publishing history in 1987 when his derivative JFK manuscript was purchased by Warner Books for $750,000, a record advance for a first novel at that time.
“It really shakes out memories of growing up and having Kennedy die,” Bob Miller, Bernau’s editor at Warner Books told The Times about the manuscript then. ”
The story about President John Trelawny Cassidy surviving being shot in a Dallas motorcade – and getting a second chance to keep the promises he made as a candidate – stemmed from two of Bernau’s personal experiences.
The first occurred in 1977 when he was severely injured in an automobile accident. As the 6-foot-6, thirtysomething lawyer lay in the emergency room wondering if the doctor who predicted he would die was right, he reevaluated his life. Given a second chance to keep his promises to himself, he abandoned law in 1981 and began to write.
The second key evening came in 1983, after Bernau had completed a novel called “High Wire Act,” which he was too embarrassed to publish. He was in Palm Desert, talking politics with a friend and wondering how their lives and the world might have been different had Kennedy survived the Nov. 22, 1963, fatal shooting.
Bernau closeted himself in his Solano Beach, Calif., home and for five years wrote in longhand in spiral notebooks. By 1988, the 25th anniversary of Kennedy’s death, he had published a 641-page success. The book, which received positive reviews and sold well, was soon optioned for a television miniseries.
Unlike Kennedy, Bernau’s President Cassidy survives three bullets. He opts not to seek reelection but puts his brother on the ticket as vice president to a Lyndon B. Johnson stand-in called Ransome Gardner.
After the brother dies in a helicopter tour of Southeast Asia, the former president challenges Gardner in the 1968 primaries, forcing him to withdraw. Also involved is the revelation of a failed plot to assassinate Fidel Castro and its consequence of putting a second gunman in Dallas.
“This is a story of conspiracy and corruption, of assassination, of regicide. For a generation of Americans, it is the story of their age,” wrote former Democratic Sen. Gary Hart of Colorado in reviewing the book for The Times. “One believes, uncynically that Bernau was compelled to write this book. John Kennedy (with, it must be said, all his faults) was the Last American Hero.”
Bernau’s second book, “Candle in the Wind” published in 1990, dealt with another popular iconic figure, Marilyn Monroe.
That novel explored “what if” she had survived her 1962 drug overdose. Bernau’s movie star Marilyn Lane is spirited to a hospital, disappears, and her doctor and housekeeper are murdered. A Hollywood detective pursues the case to Baja California, shadowed by a hired assassin and both CIA and White House agents.
“Bernau
“There are plots tumbling on top of subplots, and there is enough skulduggery – at the international level, the national level, the Hollywood level and at the human-passion level – for a dozen books,” he added.
“This is an ingenious puzzler with tightly paced transitions of time, place and character that make it almost impossible to put down,” Campbell wrote.
Bernau’s less successful third novel, “Black Phoenix” in 1994, supposes that Adolf Hitler henchman Joseph Goebbels fakes his own death and continues World War II from outside Germany, using a deadly biological weapon.
“Bernau tells his story in a brisk, straightforward fashion. Unfortunately,” wrote reviewer Chris Petrakos for the Chicago Tribune, “the plot isn’t quite developed enough; it needs more expansion and adornment. Even with a neat twist at the end, this one never quite gets up to speed.”
Bernau also wrote occasional book reviews for The Times.
“It really shakes out memories of growing up and having Kennedy die,” Bob Miller, Bernau’s editor at Warner Books told The Times about the manuscript then. ”
The story about President John Trelawny Cassidy surviving being shot in a Dallas motorcade – and getting a second chance to keep the promises he made as a candidate – stemmed from two of Bernau’s personal experiences.
The first occurred in 1977 when he was severely injured in an automobile accident. As the 6-foot-6, thirtysomething lawyer lay in the emergency room wondering if the doctor who predicted he would die was right, he reevaluated his life. Given a second chance to keep his promises to himself, he abandoned law in 1981 and began to write.
The second key evening came in 1983, after Bernau had completed a novel called “High Wire Act,” which he was too embarrassed to publish. He was in Palm Desert, talking politics with a friend and wondering how their lives and the world might have been different had Kennedy survived the Nov. 22, 1963, fatal shooting.
Bernau closeted himself in his Solano Beach, Calif., home and for five years wrote in longhand in spiral notebooks. By 1988, the 25th anniversary of Kennedy’s death, he had published a 641-page success. The book, which received positive reviews and sold well, was soon optioned for a television miniseries.
Unlike Kennedy, Bernau’s President Cassidy survives three bullets. He opts not to seek reelection but puts his brother on the ticket as vice president to a Lyndon B. Johnson stand-in called Ransome Gardner.
After the brother dies in a helicopter tour of Southeast Asia, the former president challenges Gardner in the 1968 primaries, forcing him to withdraw. Also involved is the revelation of a failed plot to assassinate Fidel Castro and its consequence of putting a second gunman in Dallas.
“This is a story of conspiracy and corruption, of assassination, of regicide. For a generation of Americans, it is the story of their age,” wrote former Democratic Sen. Gary Hart of Colorado in reviewing the book for The Times. “One believes, uncynically that Bernau was compelled to write this book. John Kennedy (with, it must be said, all his faults) was the Last American Hero.”
Bernau’s second book, “Candle in the Wind” published in 1990, dealt with another popular iconic figure, Marilyn Monroe.
That novel explored “what if” she had survived her 1962 drug overdose. Bernau’s movie star Marilyn Lane is spirited to a hospital, disappears, and her doctor and housekeeper are murdered. A Hollywood detective pursues the case to Baja California, shadowed by a hired assassin and both CIA and White House agents.
“Bernau
“There are plots tumbling on top of subplots, and there is enough skulduggery – at the international level, the national level, the Hollywood level and at the human-passion level – for a dozen books,” he added.
“This is an ingenious puzzler with tightly paced transitions of time, place and character that make it almost impossible to put down,” Campbell wrote.
Bernau’s less successful third novel, “Black Phoenix” in 1994, supposes that Adolf Hitler henchman Joseph Goebbels fakes his own death and continues World War II from outside Germany, using a deadly biological weapon.
“Bernau tells his story in a brisk, straightforward fashion. Unfortunately,” wrote reviewer Chris Petrakos for the Chicago Tribune, “the plot isn’t quite developed enough; it needs more expansion and adornment. Even with a neat twist at the end, this one never quite gets up to speed.”
Bernau also wrote occasional book reviews for The Times.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 29, 2019
It's hard not to compare this book to Bernau's previous one, Promises to Keep. Instead of a conspiracy thriller about the assassination attempt on John F. Kennedy, this time the focus is on Marilyn Monroe. She survives the attempt on her life but is confronted with the conspirators who will stop at nothing to finish the contract. Monroe isn't the main character but features prominently in many scenes (as do the Kennedy brothers and a few other less well-known celebrities). The characters are well done, the writing is nothing special but overall fine and the story is good. For me, this was not a real pageturner as Promises was, but that may be because I always had much more interest in the Kennedy murder than Marilyn's death. But reading about these cultural icons and what happened behind the scenes in some well-known episodes (think Kennedy's power struggle with the CIA, the Cuban missile crisis and even an event that's definitely based on Chappaquiddick) made it a thriller to remember.
3 1/2 stars.
3 1/2 stars.
August 5, 2019
What If ?
What if events in Brentwood had played out differently the night Marilyn had supposedly overdosed ? What would have happened between her and the Kennedy brothers ?
What if events in Brentwood had played out differently the night Marilyn had supposedly overdosed ? What would have happened between her and the Kennedy brothers ?
September 2, 2007
When I started reading, I thought it was going to be some great conspiracy theory, but it was an alternate ending of Marilyn’s suicide. One where she lives and everyone is out to kill her. The Mafia is trying to frame the President, the CIA is trying to kill the President and the President is trying to track down some blackmailing photos.
The only thing I thought was good about this book was the names, Marilyn Lane and John (Jack) Kerrigan. That made me laugh.
The only thing I thought was good about this book was the names, Marilyn Lane and John (Jack) Kerrigan. That made me laugh.
May 29, 2012
I picked this up at a garage sale and had very low expectations, so was surprised that it was better than expected. Of course, the author's disclaimer about it being purely fiction is not credible. The Kennedy/Monroe/Lawford connections are so obvious that it was actually annoying. Hopefully, most readers won't believe all the characters were really like the historical figures. That being said, it was entertaining.
December 1, 2007
What if Marilyn Monroe had survived her overdose? That's the intriguing premise of this novel from the author of Promises to Keep. Let's face it, there are very few film fans who haven't contemplated the very same thing, and Bernau just takes it to the next step by writing about it. It's well written and imaginative, but stays true to the essential bones of the facts.
June 8, 2013
Awesome idea for a book! I wish I would have thought of it!! What would have happened if Marilyn had survived that August night? Every Marilyn fan & conspiracy theory believer should read this! Marilyn runs for her life for the next week. Full of suspense, they keep you guessing about her fate until the end. I didn't want to put it down!
August 1, 2008
A very imaginative book about Marilyn Monroe and if she had survived the attempted murder and all that surrounds. Very hard to put down!
July 1, 2012
excellent characters; entertaining what-ifs about the real-life counterparts
August 23, 2016
Great concept (what if Marilyn Monroe had survived). it's just that the book was terribly plotted and written poorly.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews