A Graveyard for Lunatics

I remember an old tag line for a copy of The Martian Chronicles I had indicating that there was no writer quite like Ray Bradbury and that still holds true today. While certainly not in the upper echelon of his past classics, A Graveyard for Lunatics is certainly a page turner that keeps hold of your interest from start to finish. Bradbury uses Hollywood as a vessel for the much larger themes of death, fame, and religion and wraps it in a murder mystery. Unfortunately, and the reason I withhold a star, is that it becomes a little too easy to figure out a huge piece of the puzzle and knowing or assuming that as you read takes something away from the suspense. That being said, the plot is still very tightly constructed and the characters are, for the most part, very well drawn. A nice piece of work from the master.

Setting this novel during the glory days of Big Studio Hollywood, in which he himself was an earnest young screenwriter, Ray Bradbury sets out to create a murder mystery in which a twenty years-dead body is found on a ladder leaning against a wall between a graveyard and the movie studio next door. Over-the-top Hollywood characters and wannabes, "beasts" and monsters, and faux settings, such as Notre Dame, Calvary, and even the speaker's grandparents' house in Green Town, Illinois, fill this book with the illusions in which the film industry excels, while the machinations of ego-driven moguls provide motivations for murder. No one should read this novel expecting a hard-boiled mystery, however. Bradbury's obvious love of people and of life itself is so heartfelt and overwhelming that it makes any sense of toughness unbelievable--and there are many other reasons to enjoy this book. Grounded by Midwestern values, fundamentally decent, and lacking the ego which seems to drive the rest of the industry, Bradbury shines in describing a mad Hollywood, "where great elephant ideas go to die. A graveyard for lunatics," where men so dedicate their lives to the creation of illusions that they often lose sight of reality. His wacky imagination flourishes, and it is clear that despite his sometimes flippant, tongue-in-cheek observations, his irony, and his criticism of Hollywood excess, that he loves the place and the exotic characters he meets there. With imagery and descriptions that bring to life every aspect of studio activity, trenchant philosophical observations inserted casually (almost as throwaways), self-deprecating humor, and visions of plain folks challenging the studio bigwigs, Bradbury's mystery ambles toward an almost amiable conclusion. For the lover of Bradbury, this is another chance to share his visions and his enthusiasm for a life lived honestly. Most readers will undoubtedly share the feelings of Constance, who tells speaker/Bradbury, "How lucky to be inside your skin...Don't ever change. We stupid doomsayers, cynics, monsters laugh, but we need you. Otherwise, Merlin dies, or a carpenter fixing the Round Table saws it crooked, or the guy who oils the armor substitutes cat pee. Live forever. Promise?" Mary Whipple

WOW! From the moment I saw the cover winking at me in the Cal State Fullerton bookstore 12 years ago, this has been my favorite book af all time! Mr. Bradbury mixes up a concoction of murder, mystery, and the Golden Age of movies and studio heads to delight the reader. His character development and authenticity ring true to anyone who has ever seen a silent film or a great science fiction epic of the 1950's. I just can't say enough about this book! It is one of the few that I take the time to go back and read over and over again like a chance meeting of old, comfortable friends (and according to my grandfather, Herb Hinthorne, Mr. Bradbury used to be the kid in rollerskates all over Hollywood - he often skated into Henry's, an old restaurant on Hollywood Blvd. where my grandfather hung out with his waitress-mom, looking for the movie stars!). Get your hands on a copy of this book, and enjoy!

Bradbury is not your average storyteller.The characters in this book draw you in. They are humorous, charming, and have that Bradburian innocence that always brings me back for more. This story is about passion--for the movies and their monsters. A search for the perfect movie monster pulls two men away from fantasy as they cope with the realities of Hollywood.This story is beautifully presented and quietly thought-provoking. I recommend it highly to those who love Bradbury, old film, or good writing.

Another semi-autobiographical mystery written by Ray Bradbury, this sequel to "Death is a Lonely Business" is not only a superb work of fiction, it gives insights into Ray Bradbury's own life. This one centers around Bradbury's days as a screenwriter working with Ray Harryhausen. They look for the perfect monster for their new horror movie, but when they find it they stir up a coverup decades old. The description of a poor disfigured face is phenomenal. A highly recommend this book to any Bradbury fan.