Murder on Location by George Kennedy
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I meant to read Geroge Kennedy’s two books before his eath. So happened that his death coincided with my finishing John Gilstrap’s ‘No Mercy’. So i began what i thought was a George Kennedy novel. Come to find out, a ghost writer wrote the novel. That’s great, because this book can fade anyone’s view of Kennedy.

The setting is not surprisingly a movie set and here is where I believe Kennedy was far more involved with this project than just handing it off to a ghost writer. Too much is accurately written not to believe Kennedy didn’t contribute anything. Unfortunately where is also evidence that someone not knowing how to write a mystery was involved, also indicating involvement of Kennedy. I think this is much more a Kennedy project than not.

Novice writer is written all over any novelist that ends multiple chapters with a murder. Also, writing in first person and then trying to go around that by reflecting on what was told to writer and all is perfectly repeated. Also, there’s an axiom, a writer friend, G.K. Sharman always points out as a failed writers ploy: All said is to believed. The problems continue.

The best part of the book is the fun depictions of stars, Dean Martin, Glenn Ford, Raquel Welch, etc. Depictions of the non-fiction characters are all wanting and too many a bit flamboyant. There’s also the significant issue of lack of real panic so many people are dying. The settings are OK, but deficient in details.

The mystery becomes far too convoluted and by the end, I was glad to move on…to George Kennedy novel #2.

Bottom line: I do not recommend this book. 4 out of 10 points.

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