Come to Dust

VOYA - John Charles

When unsuccessful author Keith Moody stops to ask a young man reading Keith's book if he likes it, the man, named Kurt Flowerdew, demands all of Keith's money. Kurt also demands that Keith help him write his life story. To get rid of Kurt, Keith gives him an old address. When Keith later discovers that the man who was living in his old apartment is found murdered, he wonders if Kurt had dropped by to pay him a visit. Keith soon forgets his worries about Kurt when an offer to write another script for Empire Productions comes up. Hired immediately, Keith begins working on a film featuring Empire's newest leading man, Nigel Lawson. While trying to write something that will please both Nigel and the head of the studio, Keith finds himself mixed up in a number of adventures, including one involving his new wife's inheritance of a rare postage stamp, that ultimately have a connection to the man murdered in Keith's old apartment. Mystery takes a back seat to characters and setting in Come to Dust, the second book featuring sleuth Keith Moody. The author's skillful recreation of California in the 1940s, his gift for creating unique characters, and a flair for snappy dialogue are the best things about this novel. Recommend it to teens who enjoy classic Hollywood films, as they will appreciate the subtle mocking of the Hollywood studio system that runs through the plot. VOYA Codes: 3Q 2P S (Readable without serious defects, For the YA with a special interest in the subject, Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).