Eddie Evers is back! Or rather he never went away. The Hollywood Portal continues the story of my favorite electric detective; as he works to find answers to a number of questions surrounding a 50s-era bomb shelter which has somehow become a portal to another world. Not just any world; a version of Earth which didn’t make it through the cold war without shots fired in anger. E. E. King continues the witty dialog as Eddie still sees the world in greyscale, with occasional otherworldly incursions in full color. His deceased daughter is now sending him written notes from the beyond; usually timely warnings which, like most oracular warnings, are not understood until after the events occur. I wonder why oracles even bother!
We learn even more about the checkered past of Los Angeles, with nods to things most Angelinos would instantly recognize. Half of the fun comes from the inside references. My favorite section is:
“Most realtors I know are as honest as lawyers.”
“But not as smart,” Blake said.
“But not as smart,” I agreed.
The story isn’t all humor, as Eddie manages some significant personal growth in addition to tracking down the extra-dimensional villain(s). I enjoyed the book from beginning to end, and look forward to her next installment.