Hollywood Moon

A Novel

By: Joseph Wambaugh

Narrated by: Christian Rummel

There's a saying at Hollywood station that the full moon brings out the beast - or rather than the best - in the precinct's citizens. One moonlit night, LAPD veteran Dana Vaughn and "Hollywood" Nate Weiss, a struggling-actor-turned cop, get a call about a young man who's been attacking women. Meanwhile, two surfer cops known as Flotsam and Jetsam, keep bumping into an odd, suspicious duo - a smooth-talking player in dreads and a crazy-eyed, tattooed biker. No one suspects that all three dubious characters might be involved in something bigger, more high-tech, and much more illegal.

After a dizzying series of twists, turns, and chases, the cops will find they've stumbled upon a complex web of crime where even the criminals can't be sure who's conning whom.

Wambaugh once again masterfully gets inside the hearts and minds of the cops whose jobs have them constantly on the brink of danger. By turns heart-wrenching, exhilarating, and laugh-out-loud funny, Hollywood Moon is his most thrilling and deeply affecting ride yet through the singular streets of L.A.

©2009 Joseph Wambaugh (P)2009 Hachette

Critic reviews

"Spare and punchy prose fuels descriptions so on target that readers will feel they are riding shotgun, gazing out on Tinseltown's tawdry landscape." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Darkly funny." ( Los Angeles Times)

Good book

This was a good book. It gives a good idea of the hard parts of being a officer. Read it!

Joseph Wambaugh is the epitomy of consistency.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. Wambaugh touches such a realistic nerve with me. It feels like there's almost nothing fictional about it. Very enthralling read, as with other books I've read from this author.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hollywood Moon?

Wambaugh kills a character off in each of his "Hollywood Station" series novels. The character he rid this book of thoroughly shocked me. It brought a genuine sadness to me. Very memorable just for the sheer emotion I felt from the scene.

Which scene was your favorite?

The "backwards counting" sobriety test given to the drunk driver had me laughing out loud.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

"Take a ride with LA's finest under a Hollywood Moon"

Any additional comments?

Wambaugh is very consistent in the quality of penmanship in this series. I would recommend reading all of the "Hollywood Station" series, beginning with the first. However, this book is easily read as a stand-alone novel.

Great Characters

Great characters - It was a pleasure to listen to.

hollywood moon

Wambaugh is back! I thought this book was great from the opening lines to the closing credits. I really hope he continues to write about these characters, it is fun thinking they are really out there. Rummel does a great job with the reading!

A good sequel to Hollywood Crows

Fast paced and fun read. As usual Christian Rummel
does an excellent job.

A lot of slippage here.

I chose the headline as a witty shot at the third, and by far the weakest of the ex-LAPD officer first three works dedicated to the cops of Hollywood Station. Far too much time was dedicated to the criminal "gang" in this feature. Their days were as repetitive as their thoughts and their were too many pages of both. As they usually are, the police officers were far better drawn and quite a bit more interesting than those of the criminal element in the series.
And as usual in one of the authors books; a cop dies. It's one of the staples of all of Wambaugh's books. If you're new to his novels learn to accept that a character that you've come to care about will die.
Overall I would recommend this selection only if the listener has read or listened to the two initial books in the series and enjoyed them.

The Crackling Stories Continue

Wambaugh finds stories along civilization’s fault lines. He asks and answers questions about what’s going through the minds of guards along the wall separating the anti-social from the social. And he presents their frustrations as a perspective that’s missing from the smug truths that flow from 24/7 news cycles or academic ‘studies’ tediously designed to prove the convictions of their authors' confirmation-bias.

There are whacky, weird, and bewildering sparks that crackle from walking the beat between what different communities prize as ‘normal’. And these are Wambaugh’s teaspoon of honey to make his medicine go down.

I like these stories… Like the way they’re told and read by Christian Rummel. And I like the talent of Wambaugh that makes me wonder whether the wall between the social and anti-social needs more than guards patrolling it’s perimeter, serious maintenance to fill its cracks and crumblings or even redesign and restructuring..

It’s above the pay grade of guards to heal fault lines. It’s their job to alert us when shudderings increase. Wambaugh’s the guy who’s saying, “Houston, we’ve got problem.” Enjoy this series from the first, “Hollywood Station: A Novel” then through “Hollywood Crows” and then “Hollywood Moon”. I’m downloading the apparent last of the epic, “Hollywood Moon” right now.

That’s the best recommendation I can give.

Fun on the beat

I have read several books in this series and they never fail to get a giggle out of me.The things these guys get into are just too bizarre not to laugh at.The narrator read with feeling,which is needed for an audio book and he came through very well here.I do miss the Oracle,however.

Wambaugh and Rummell terrific! AGAIN!

“It’s Hollywood” and all that comes with it. The Hollywood Station Series continues with the same excitement, humor and quirky plots as previous books. I’ve already bought Book 4, and am hoping that author Joseph Wambaugh pairs up with narrator Christian Rummel to continue one of my top favored series! I can’t imagine anyone but talented narrator Rummel’s performance in this series with his superb vocal skills. “Hollywood Moon” offers an eccentric collection of characters and subplots; listen carefully. You’ll be glad you did. No multitasking here. I found myself teary-eyed. Well worth a treasured credit. So highly recommended, it rises far above the Hollywood sign.

👏✍🏻🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟✍🏻👏

Wambaugh's Best!

Would you consider the audio edition of Hollywood Moon to be better than the print version?

The audio was absolutely better than print. The narrators's ability to do different character voices (especially the raspy voice of heavy smoker Ethel) was astounding. I have hearing loss but could easily understand everything the narrator was saying.

What other book might you compare Hollywood Moon to and why?

The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint, it was that funny while still being insightful.

Which character – as performed by Christian Rummel – was your favorite?

Ethel

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Reality is insane, and Hollywood police work is the finest example of it all.

Any additional comments?

Hilarious, insightful, educational (how identity theft is done) and just a fun, enjoyable listen! I'm dowloading Hollywood Hills right now.