Bare Trap is the sixth book in the long-running Johnny Liddell private eye series. At 192 pages, it's one of the longer books in the series. It's a story of a corrupt Hollywood filled with gold diggers, blackmailers, desperate studio executives, compulsive gamblers, all-powerful gossip columnists, hoods, stacked blondes, and murder. It's also a terrific fast-paced, action-packed detective story that takes Liddell from his New York haunts to the west coast where he takes on a client as a favor to Muggsy, his sometimes girlfriend and ace reporter pal. Typical of most private eyes of the era, Liddell tries to work the case on his own and gets mixed up in gun battles, kidnapping, blackmail, and murder frames. Kane manages to make old Hollywood come alive in all its cynical, jaded glory with gossip everywhere and ex-beauty queens working reception. One of the best of the Liddell series. ( )

New York Private Eye, Johnny Liddell is on the scene in Hollywood. Called on by close friend, Muggsy Kiely, on a hush-hush case. Find the missing son of a dead movie idol. Liddell being out-of-town talent is perfect for a town that eats, drinks and breathes scandal.

Written in the hardboiled detective style, the characters are colourful, the dialogue great and the twists and turns are as plentiful as they are in Topanga Canyon. ( )