Hollywood Hills: A Novel Audiobook, by Joseph Wambaugh Play Audiobook Sample

Hollywood Hills: A Novel Audiobook

Hollywood Hills: A Novel Audiobook, by Joseph Wambaugh Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Christian Rummel Publisher: Little, Brown & Company Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 7.50 hours at 1.5x Speed 5.63 hours at 2.0x Speed Series: The Hollywood Station Series Release Date: November 2010 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9781607889755

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

137

Longest Chapter Length:

06:58 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

01:59 minutes

Average Chapter Length:

04:57 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

7

Other Audiobooks Written by Joseph Wambaugh: > View All...

Publisher Description

The legendary Hollywood Hills are home to wealth, fame, and power -- passing through the neighborhood, it's hard not to get a little greedy.

LAPD veteran "Hollywood Nate" Weiss could take or leave the opulence, but he wouldn't say no to onscreen fame. He may get his shot when he catches the appreciative eye of B-list director Rudy Ressler, and his troublemaking fiancée, Leona Brueger, the older-but-still-foxy widow of a processed-meat tycoon. Nate tries to elude her crafty seductions, but consents to keep an eye on their estate in the Hollywood Hills while they're away.

Also minding the mansion is Raleigh Dibble, a hapless ex-con trying to put the past behind him. Raleigh is all too happy to be set up for the job -- as butler-cum-watchdog -- by Nigel Wickland, Leona's impeccably dressed art dealer. What Raleigh doesn't realize is that under the natty clothes and posh accent, Nigel has a nefarious plan: two paintings hanging on the mansion's walls will guarantee them more money than they've ever seen.

Everyone's dreams are just within reach -- the only problem is, this is Hollywood. A circle of teenage burglars that the media has dubbed The Bling Ring has taken to pillaging the homes of Hollywood celebutants like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, and when a pair of drug-addled young copycats stumbles upon Nigel's heist, that's just the beginning of the disaster to come. Soon Hollywood Nate, surfer cops Flotsam and Jetsam, and the rest of the team at Hollywood Station have a deadly situation on their hands.

Hollywood Hills is a raucous and dangerous roller coaster ride that showcases Joseph Wambaugh in vintage form.

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"All of the Hollywood novels follow the same format: there is one overarching crime storyline through the whole book, with dozens of little side stories of the cops and criminals in the Hollywood district. How much I like the book depends on the main story because all of the sideline tales throughout all four books have been equally hilarious, horrifying, and heartbreaking. The main story in this one, several hapless criminals attempting art fraud, was great. I don't think this series is showing any signs of getting stale. I'm looking forward to the next one!"

— L-J (4 out of 5 stars)

Quotes

  • “Good news for fans of the Hollywood Station trilogy that was supposed to have ended with Hollywood Moon. Now here comes Hollywood Hills, extending another golden opportunity to ride with the uniformed crew at what must be the most colorful cop-shop under the sun…Wambaugh salts the narrative with variously funny, sad and thoughtful anecdotes featuring a cast of characters we've come to treasure: handsome Hollywood Nate, the surfer cops Flotsam and Jetsam, and veterans like Viv Daley and Della Ravelle, burned by experience, but conscientiously training the next generation to face the fire.”

    — New York Times Book Review
  • “If Los Angeles police detective-sergeant-turned-author Joseph Wambaugh didn't invent the modern cop novel, he's been one of its most prolific and successful practitioners…Dark slapstick—with rimshot dialogue worthy of Jay Leno—often ensues when these police officers cross paths with eccentric Hollywood-dwellers. But there's nothing comical about the murder and mayhem lurking behind the palm trees…Yet one way or another these enforcers of the law--like their author--continue to get the job done.”

    — Wall Street Journal
  • “Joseph Wambaugh's Hollywood series was supposed to be a trilogy. Good news for readers that he changed his mind. His take on the Hollywood cop shop is colorful…these characters fighting crime are not to be missed. Neither are the criminals they pursue…And in addition to stupid criminals, there are some gut-wrenching, psychologically difficult criminal interludes that remind the reader that for all the stupid wrongdoers who find their reward, there are also innocent victims, and these victims take their own kind of toll. Wambaugh mixes the light and the dark in a unique way. Hollywood Hills is a keeper…The book should be satisfying to those familiar with the series, and a tantalizing starting point for those who are not.”

    — The Denver Post
  • “Wambaugh has not only managed to keep his edge; he’s continued to hone his craft. For a crime writer forty years in the game, that’s cause for celebration.” 

    — Bookmarks magazine

Hollywood Hills Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.47826086956522 out of 53.47826086956522 out of 53.47826086956522 out of 53.47826086956522 out of 53.47826086956522 out of 5 (3.48)
5 Stars: 2
4 Stars: 9
3 Stars: 10
2 Stars: 2
1 Stars: 0
Narration: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 (3.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 1
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 (3.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 1
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Story Rating: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    — Ron Eagle, 7/2/2020
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Love Wambaugh, but had only read his non-fiction. Really liked Hollywood Hills. It got a little slow in the middle, but the end was pretty good. I think there are others in a series. "

    — Lisa, 2/20/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " started out good and now has turned into a ridiculous storyline and a bungled robbery, etc and its kind of lame and annoying and predictable. Ended pretty good though...worth a read "

    — Kristen, 2/3/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " I did not enjoy this book as much as I did the last in this series. It was nice to see all the regular cop characters including Flotsam and Jetsam but the story was not as engaging and the humour not as regular. "

    — Paula, 1/19/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " Why anyone would bother with this writer when books by Elmore Leonard, Carl Hiassen and James Ellroy are in the world I just don't know "

    — Louisa, 1/14/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " overall a insightful view of the LA cop world - very funny but seems realistic in an overstated way at the same time. "

    — Jim, 1/2/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Excellent read in the Hollywood Station series. "

    — David, 12/22/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Another fine novel from Wambagh. Flotsam and Jetsam are two of the most fun characters ever created. I might have to take a trip to Malibu someday to see of they are real. "

    — Mark, 10/14/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " This was the perfect vacation read. There were a lot of laughs, especially the description of practical jokes the cops play. On the other hand, something I appreciate with all the humor, is that Wambaugh doesn't play down the danger of the position. A always enjoy reading his books. "

    — Macjest, 10/8/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Another series of tales of the Hollywood Station. A quick, fun read. "

    — Joyce, 9/19/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Another great Hollywood Cop novel by Mr. Wambaugh! "

    — Jay, 9/7/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Slow start, but great finish. As an LA native this was a fun read. "

    — Andrea, 8/27/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Not as funny as the first three, but still an enjoyable read. These books are great fluff reading and I use them as a break from more intense thrillers and suspense novels. A wonderful series with some truly memorable characters. "

    — Chad, 7/19/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " More fun. Love the surfer dude cops and Hollywood Nate. I hope Wambaugh continues this series. "

    — Margie, 10/24/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " A good holiday book, easy reading. "

    — Carol, 8/25/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " An ok cop drama and a decent read. 6 of 10 stars "

    — Tim, 12/9/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Excellent read in the Hollywood Station series. "

    — David, 4/27/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Wambaugh has been a favorite writer of ours for many years. He combines drama and humor well. His police are very human and very real. He's at his best creating the small vignettes of everyday police work. "

    — Jacqueline, 4/26/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " same charactures, same pace. pretty funny "

    — Hrn1947, 4/21/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Lots more of the main plot with less of the vignettes about the cops. But more emotional/less humor than usual. I liked it! Listened to. "

    — Coki, 2/27/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " started out good and now has turned into a ridiculous storyline and a bungled robbery, etc and its kind of lame and annoying and predictable. Ended pretty good though...worth a read "

    — Kristen, 2/8/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I good police procedural. You really feel for the characters. "

    — Graden, 1/11/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Many of the same LAPD cops we have come to know and love in the previous three Hollywood books return here. The many intersecting subplots revolve around an effort to steal some art from a wealthy widow's home in the Hollywood Hills. "

    — Virginia, 1/4/2011

About Joseph Wambaugh

Joseph Wambaugh, a former LAPD detective sergeant, is the author of numerous New York Times bestsellers, including The Onion FieldThe Blue KnightThe BloodingThe Choirboys, and other fiction and nonfiction works. He has won a number of awards, including the Edgar Award and the Rodolfo Walsh Prize for investigative journalism. He served in the US Marine Corps and later joined the Los Angeles Police Department. With regret he resigned from the LAPD in 1974 after fourteen years of service but continued with his writing. His first four books and his work on the Police Story television series in the 1970s set new standards for subsequent writers, and many acknowledge their debt to him. He lives with his wife in California.

About Christian Rummel

Christian Rummel has recorded many audiobooks in a variety of genres and won two AudioFile Earphones Awards. As an actor, he has worked with Theatre for a New Audience and Clubbed Thumb and also appeared in several episodes of Law & Order.