Hollywood Savage

Author: Kristin McCloy
ISBN: 978-0-7432-86473-3
Publisher: Simon and Schuster/Washington Square Press


Hollywood Savage explores one mans journal entries, in which, over the course he obsesses over his wife’s assumed affair with his protégé. Right before leaving New York, for a business trip to Hollywood, Miles hears a message from Conner, his protégé, on the answering machine. The 4 simple yet implicating words are “Meet me at five”. Miles is well aware Conner does not intend the message for him. After hopping on his flight to Hollywood, Miles slowly records his ever increasing convictions that his wife Maggie is having an affair. Pained and hurting by this turn of events, Miles is unable to concentrate on writing his screen play and temporarily finds relief in drugs and soon finds intoxicating comfort in his own affair. The book is a raw look at one mans thoughts, feelings and confusion over his marriage. It tells the tale of two, husband and wife, and their secrets, which are revealed to each other yet never confirmed.


The author skillfully writes this book from a mans perspective. Miles is an enraged and jealous husband who finds comfort in revenge or basically the idea that “anything you can do, I can do better”. His affair is passionate and full of love unlike his marriage, yet he is unsure if it is true or just because of his wife’s affair. This is the first book I have read by Kristin McCloy but her ability to write from such a psychotic, disturbed, raw view was astonishing. It was really refreshing to see a novel approach the subject of an affair from the husband’s point of view.


While I appreciate the authors writing ability, this book was not for me. I was unable to connect or attach to the character and found myself bored throughout most of the book. I would need to read another book by Kristin McCloy to find out if it was just this book or her writing style in general that did not agree with me. I found the story to be depressing, overbearing, melodramatic and sad. The novel left me ready to read a happy upbeat book that doesn’t drag on. It was as if a fog was lifted from me when I completed the novel, because I knew I did not have to return to it. Overall, I appreciated the author’s talent and skillful writing in this novel, it just wasn’t for me. I’m sure there are many readers who will appreciate this novel and enjoy it. I wish I could say I did both; however this particular novel was not an enjoying read for me personally.