Keystone by Peter Lovesey

Author : Peter Lovesey
Title : Keystone
Published : 2014
Publisher : Sphere
Pages : 304
Genre : Historic Fiction / Mystery

       Warwick Easton is a cop - a movie cop, that is. Landing in the crazy world of Keystone Film Studios, California, in 1916, a chance meeting with a silent comedy star lands him a job as Keystone the cop. Little does he realize some very real danger is on its way. Terrible events begin to occur: a horrific death on a roller coaster, a body in a bungalow, a shooting on a beach, and the disappearance of Amber Honeybee - the adorable and much-abused young actress. Keystone takes his cop duties seriously and gets on the trail before it is far too late.

     Mystery and crime novels are some of my favorites I like the hunt for killers and trying to work out the ending before the writer serves it up.  So as you can imagine I've read a fair few of them most of these have had modern settings. So when I came across keystone it piqued my interest, most of us have heard tales of the early days of Hollywood. However when it comes to fictional tales of this time not many have taken up my interest. Too often to me they either seem to be tinted with rose-colored glass or simply make up everything and have no real connection to what this time was like.

     There was also another reason for me to pick up this book, It involves a great many people who really existed. Now while I have seen a few stories that did this Keystone for me holds a more personal connection.  One of the side characters is someone I'm actually related to, so finding out Harry Gribbon is in this book, one of the founding members of the keystone cops was the final thing that made me give up my hard earned cash. I have to say it's slightly surreal reading a name so familiar to me. Anyway, he is not the main focus of this book so I will move on.

     For any crime novel set during this period, our hero is usually that of a bitter and hard battled detective usually in the Hollywood homicide bureau. Lovesey took his story in another direction, his cop is only police in the big screen sense. there are worlds apart from a real cop and the keystones. Most people who have heard of them remember there comedic act and bumbling style. But much like the real world what takes place behind the camera is far darker than you might think. What starts off as a new job and maybe a shot at the big time for Easton soon spirals out of control and drags him into something he could never have imagined.  Our hero is one of those guys who wants to do his best and I think had a good soul although he may not be the happiest of guys I think that he would help you out if he possibly could even if he does feel a little detached from those around him. 

     With a slew of well-known names from the time the story rolls along delving deeper and deeper into the seedier world of Hollywood. I suppose some things never really change, Too many people seeking out a better life and to many looking to take advantage of them for there own gains. If you are looking for the likes of L.A confidential then you will be left feeling let down, this is not as darker novel as that and being set a few years earlier doesn't quite have that Hollywood sparkle that you would have heard about. I suppose that being set those few years earlier mean that these names are not so much in the forefront of peoples minds. Like I said having that more personal connection to that time means I have looked more into the time period. But overall I felt It was a solid mystery and still gave me a lot of what I was looking for in this book. In some ways, It felt like the start of a series the setting up of our hero for more adventures and a close look into how he became the man he is but as of writing this no more have been written. 

     I enjoyed my time with this book, it was an interesting time to set the book and the characters pulled me in. there is a lighter touch to this book and that maybe be due to it being set around the Keystone Cops. But if you want something a little different and have a free afternoon why not give it a shot.