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Not Safe for Work
Heywood Jablowme (not his real name) is the newest reporter for The Daily Pornographer, the industry’s second-best trade publication. Pumping out puff pieces on porn’s premier players wasn’t Heywood’s original plan. He wanted to be a serious journalist, the kind who frowns on cheap alliteration.
When producer-performer Johnny Toxic is murdered, Heywood sees his chance to break a big story and get his career back on track. Now, all he has to do is get a shady homicide detective to go on the record, keep his editor off his back by meeting his story quota, and figure out why the porn industry is suddenly losing money hand over first.
In other words, Heywood’s odds of success are as long as a porn star’s dong. Thankfully, he has the unwavering support of his roommate, Miles, a porn-obsessed stoner and wannabe media mogul who guarantees he can sell the film rights before Heywood is either fired for competence, or done in by the killer.
When producer-performer Johnny Toxic is murdered, Heywood sees his chance to break a big story and get his career back on track. Now, all he has to do is get a shady homicide detective to go on the record, keep his editor off his back by meeting his story quota, and figure out why the porn industry is suddenly losing money hand over first.
In other words, Heywood’s odds of success are as long as a porn star’s dong. Thankfully, he has the unwavering support of his roommate, Miles, a porn-obsessed stoner and wannabe media mogul who guarantees he can sell the film rights before Heywood is either fired for competence, or done in by the killer.
394 pages, Paperback
Published March 12, 2021
18 people want to read
About the author
Michael Estrin
11 books27 followersMy first novel, Murder and Other Distractions (2012), tells the story of a bored clickbait writer who becomes entangled in a bizarro double-homicide. My short stories have appeared at Akashic.com and Out of the Gutter. My creative nonfiction has appeared in Narratively, Vox, and Tablet. Like the ashes of a Viking warrior dispatched to Valhalla, my journalism is scattered all over the Web.
I live in Los Angeles with my wife, Christina, and our dog, Mortimer. Pro tip: never name your pet after a villain from an ‘80s Eddie Murphy comedy. You've been warned.
I live in Los Angeles with my wife, Christina, and our dog, Mortimer. Pro tip: never name your pet after a villain from an ‘80s Eddie Murphy comedy. You've been warned.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 18, 2021
This story kept me in stitches from start to finish. The concept is fresh, and I turned the pages with the same enthusiasm as I would a thriller. Well written with plenty of great WTF moments. If you're a fan of life, the universe, and everything, there's plenty of irreverent humor in this story to get you to the next galaxy.
April 1, 2021
I loved this book. It's a filthy and hilarious love letter to L.A. about subject matter we all have questions about but may be too afraid to ask. The language is raw and real, but the story well crafted and insightful. Slacker Noir is the perfect description for a book filled with interesting characters, a quick paced plot and a lot of sex and weed.
Looking forward to seeing what other crazy stories Estrin has coming our way.
Looking forward to seeing what other crazy stories Estrin has coming our way.
April 15, 2021
On the surface, NSFW is about a porn journalist caught up in a murder mystery -- and from that angle, it works perfectly well, a breezy read with equal measure of humor and thrills. It goes down easy (that's what she said?) as long as you're not turned off by adult content. And if you are, well, I'd caution you to 1.) read a different book 2.) question how you've gotten this far still thinking this book was for you. So just to reiterate, this is a book about the porn industry, and it's not shy about it. Language, references to adult acts, drug use, etc. are all prevalent pretty much from page one. However, I'll assure you that while it's explicit, it's not gross about it; the narrative doesn't linger on the details, and it never veers into salacious territory. Instead, it takes a more lighthearted approach, even when things get dark.
What makes this book extra special, though, is the depth beneath its dark humor. This isn't just a book about porn; it's a book about journalism, the ever-shifting media landscape, and the way late stage capitalism makes whores of us all. As an English major entering the workforce in the recession, I felt more than a little camaraderie for Heywood; the insights in this book hit real close to home in that validating "better laugh or you'll cry" sort of way. If you're looking for a book from someone with "intimate" knowledge of the industry, this is going to be right up your alley.
What makes this book extra special, though, is the depth beneath its dark humor. This isn't just a book about porn; it's a book about journalism, the ever-shifting media landscape, and the way late stage capitalism makes whores of us all. As an English major entering the workforce in the recession, I felt more than a little camaraderie for Heywood; the insights in this book hit real close to home in that validating "better laugh or you'll cry" sort of way. If you're looking for a book from someone with "intimate" knowledge of the industry, this is going to be right up your alley.
April 8, 2021
Not Safe For Work is sure to become a cult classic. This murder mystery with a junior sleuth reporter takes place in the world of porn. I expected it to be racy, but found it a lot less pornographic than I anticipated (though it's still 'not safe for work' or younger readers). This novel will teach you everything about Pop Porn Culture that you never knew you needed to know while giving you plenty of moments where you nod your head in recognition and laugh out loud. If you have ever lived in California, you are sure to recognize much of the scenery. I really want to see this book made into a movie so read it and rate it and share it with your friends!
December 28, 2021
One of the hallmarks of cozy mysteries is a theme. Cafes, crafts, and cats dominate the subgenre, so when a new theme arrives on the scene, it demands attention. This cozy's theme? Porn journalism.
Not Safe for Work (which is a terribly clever title) has everything. Sex, drugs, murder, and yellow journalism. It starts out as a hilari-sad story about down on his luck journalist, Heywood Jablowme, who can't do better than writing obituaries about pornographers (talk about foreshadowing). As he struggles to find his footing, the ground shifts into a solid murder mystery with a bent towards intellectual property copyright laws and the influence of the internet on the porn industry. Along the way, milquetoast Heywood meets a cast of colorful characters both on and off-set and before long, he finds himself wrapped up in solving a cocaine-powdered mystery while navigating the seedy underworld of porn production. Essentially:
"[T]his is some kind of Scooby-Doo episode that never aired because Fred had a ménage à trois with Velma and Daphne, while Shaggy hot-boxed Scooby in the Mystery Machine."
Admittedly, it does get a little tiring. I had to pace myself with this reading simply because one can only take so much porn and vulgarity before it gets to you. Although the story explores a lot of different avenues, the thing that ties them all together is smut. Some characters are more grating than others, but given the setting, it's completely appropriate.
Who should read this book? Obviously anyone interested in the porn industry would probably like this, but I'd also recommend it to an amateur sleuth cozy mystery fan who's sick of all the cats and cupcakes. This is a completely new flavor! But it's not for everyone. You'd have to really enjoy dirty jokes and find humor in the obscene. I mean, if you didn't, I don't know why you'd even be reading this review, but anyway.
Not Safe for Work is cleverly written, funny on every page, and has a solid mystery with an ending I didn't see coming. To tie it all together, the unexpected turn into internet porn hierarchy and the crumbling industry really brought this adult comedy to life.
CW: Adult themes. Obviously.
Thank you to Reedsy Discovery, the author, and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Not Safe for Work (which is a terribly clever title) has everything. Sex, drugs, murder, and yellow journalism. It starts out as a hilari-sad story about down on his luck journalist, Heywood Jablowme, who can't do better than writing obituaries about pornographers (talk about foreshadowing). As he struggles to find his footing, the ground shifts into a solid murder mystery with a bent towards intellectual property copyright laws and the influence of the internet on the porn industry. Along the way, milquetoast Heywood meets a cast of colorful characters both on and off-set and before long, he finds himself wrapped up in solving a cocaine-powdered mystery while navigating the seedy underworld of porn production. Essentially:
"[T]his is some kind of Scooby-Doo episode that never aired because Fred had a ménage à trois with Velma and Daphne, while Shaggy hot-boxed Scooby in the Mystery Machine."
Admittedly, it does get a little tiring. I had to pace myself with this reading simply because one can only take so much porn and vulgarity before it gets to you. Although the story explores a lot of different avenues, the thing that ties them all together is smut. Some characters are more grating than others, but given the setting, it's completely appropriate.
Who should read this book? Obviously anyone interested in the porn industry would probably like this, but I'd also recommend it to an amateur sleuth cozy mystery fan who's sick of all the cats and cupcakes. This is a completely new flavor! But it's not for everyone. You'd have to really enjoy dirty jokes and find humor in the obscene. I mean, if you didn't, I don't know why you'd even be reading this review, but anyway.
Not Safe for Work is cleverly written, funny on every page, and has a solid mystery with an ending I didn't see coming. To tie it all together, the unexpected turn into internet porn hierarchy and the crumbling industry really brought this adult comedy to life.
CW: Adult themes. Obviously.
Thank you to Reedsy Discovery, the author, and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews