Disclaimer: Although, in the past, I’ve received complimentary copies of books for review, I have purchased all of Nathan’s most recent books.

I always get excited when I hear that Nathan Dylan Goodwin has a new book coming out and this time was no exception. I actually pre-ordered my book on Kindle a month before this release.

For those unfamiliar with Nathan’s books, he is a very talented author of genealogical mysteries and he has more than one on-going series in his resume.

Today’s review is the third in the Venator Cold Case series, which often take place in the United States. His Morton Farrier series is mostly set in the United Kingdom.

From the publishing blurb:

In the glitzy, gritty underbelly of 1980s Los Angeles, a chilling series of murders left the city gripped with fear. Six small-time actors and actresses met brutal ends; their bodies grotesquely posed in scenes from the films that had given them their fleeting fame. The Hollywood Strangler evaded capture, leaving behind only a trace of DNA and a legacy of terror. Decades later, the case remains ice-cold, a favorite for true-crime aficionados but a nightmare for detectives. The LAPD Cold Case Homicide Unit, desperate for a breakthrough on this case, turns to Venator, an elite investigative genetic genealogy company headed up by Madison Scott-Barnhart. Knowing the media storm that the case will attract, Madison reluctantly agrees to take on the investigation, where she and her small team must use their forensic genetic genealogy skills to identify one of the most infamous serial killers in U.S. history. But only if the remaining DNA proves sufficient to test…

The synopsis gives an excellent overview of the story to be unfolded, but as a fan since Goodwin’s first book, I have to say with this story, his growth as a writer can easily be seen.

This is his most sophisticated book, to date, with multiple story lines running through its 400+ pages. As this point, all of the main characters in his stories are old friends and it was apparent in The Hollywood Strangler that, at some point, each of them will have the spotlight shining on their own story lines.

My husband and I used to joke that Cabot Cove, Maine – home of Angela Lansbury’s Jessica Fletcher – was quite a dangerous place in which to live with so much intrigue taking place.

I see a parallel in Nathan’s books – not a criticism, by the way, just a situation that makes me smile – in that it is quite a coincidence that all these people working in the forensic genealogy field have their own life stories which necessitate using their professional skills.

I loved The Hollywood Strangler. I’m a quick reader and, even though this book is 400 (Kindle) pages, I barely put the book day all day long and, in spite of my chuckles about all the secondary story lines in the book, I am intrigued enough to now be back in the position of having to patiently wait for the next book.

As for details in the book, the author must spend weeks and months researching locations for his stories. It was fun to see the Tucson, Arizona [where I live] ties to his story and I can attest to the accuracy of details that he included. For example, the Arizona Daily Star is, and Tucson Citizen was, part of the local newspapers in the Pima County area.

Having lived in Southern California for many years, I recognized neighborhoods mentioned in the story and, having often visited Salt Lake City, I recognized locations mentioned there.

All of this points to the extensive preparation Nathan completes before each story is told. He also includes living people as characters in his stories. This writing style pushes his books from strictly fiction to more like historical genealogical crime fiction.

I think this is one of the reasons his books are so intriguing and realistic.

While each of his stories can be read as stand-alones, his works are even more enjoyable when read as a series.

I highly recommend this, and all of Nathan Dylan Goodwin’s books, which can be purchased online, both in paper and Kindle formats.

The Hollywood Strangler is available for $23.99 in hardcover or a very reasonable $5.99 on Kindle.