And Introducing Dexter Gaines: A Novel of Old Hollywood
It’s 1952 in Los Angeles, and a young wannabe actor, later rechristened Dexter Gaines, arrives to make his mark. Through a series of mishaps, he falls in with a famous couple—she an actress, he a producer—and the time he spends with them helps him understand who he really is. He narrates the events of 1952 from the 1990s, after Milly has died. Dexter must come to terms with his past, which is revealed little by little, allowing the reader to experience revelations about his character alongside him.
The couple, Milly and Lilly, who are fictional, live in the opulent (and opulently rendered) Hancock Park—this novel is as full of champagne, cigarettes, and swimming pools as one could wish. Fans of Old Hollywood will enjoy cameos from the likes of Marlene Dietrich, Tallulah Bankhead, and Barbara Stanwyck, and those familiar with LA will recognize the vividly rendered settings.
The book’s darker main subject, though, is the homophobia of the industry at the time. Several characters are closeted gay men who take extreme measures to hide that part of themselves from their friends and the press, fearing serious consequences if it were to become known. These secrets affect everyone around them.
Not without its sobering moments, this is ultimately a heartwarming novel about love, friendship, and family that sheds light on a lesser-known aspect of film history—and also delivers a good story.
