Frames

Valentino #1

by Loren D. Estleman

Enter Valentino, a mild-mannered UCLA film archivist. In the surreal world of Hollywood filmdom truth is often stranger than celluloid fiction. When Valentino buys a decrepit movie palace and uncovers a skeleton in the secret Prohibition basement, he's not really surprised. But he's staggered by a second discovery: long-lost, priceless, reels of film: Erich von Stroheim’s infamous Greed.

The LAPD wants to take the reels as evidence, jeopardizing the precious old film. If Valentino wants to save his find, he has only one choice: solve the murder within 72 hours with the help of his mentor, the noted film scholar Broadhead, and Fanta, a feisty if slightly flaky young law student.

Between a budding romance with a beautiful forensics investigator and visions of Von Stroheim’s ghost, Valentino’s madcap race to save the flick is as fast and frenetic as a classic screwball comedy.  A quirky cast of characters, smart dialogue and a touch of romance make this Estleman's most engaging and accessible novel to date.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Cozy Mystery, Film, Cozy

269 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Loren D. Estleman is an American writer of detective and Western fiction. He writes with a manual typewriter.

Estleman is most famous for his novels about P.I. Amos Walker. Other series characters include Old West marshal Page Murdock and hitman Peter Macklin. He has also written a series of novels about the history of crime in Detroit (also the setting of his Walker books.) His non-series works include Bloody Season, a fictional recreation of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and several novels and stories featuring Sherlock Holmes.

Series:
* Amos Walker Mystery
* Valentino Mystery
* Detroit Crime Mystery
* Peter Macklin Mystery
* Page Murdock Mystery

Reviews

[James Thane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've long been a fan of Loren Estleman's long-running Amos Walker series. Set in Detroit, it's one of my favorite hard-boiled detective series. In Frames, Estleman shifts gears pretty dramatically, moving the setting to L.A. and introducing a new protagonist named Valentino. Valentino, who does not resemble his famous namesake, is a film archivist at UCLA, whose business card describes him as a film "detective." (This is L.A., after all.)

As the book opens, Valentino buys a run-down old movie palace that should be slated for the wrecking ball. But Val dreams of restoring the theater and living in it as well. His purchase immediately produces two major surprises when Valentine discovers a skeleton that's been left behind a walled-off section of the theater's basement. Even more amazing, he finds several cans of film apparently containing the only surviving copy of Erich Von Stroheim's famous long-lost masterpiece, Greed. Somehow, none of the theater's previous owners have noticed the treasure that was right under their eyes.

For reasons that don't really make a lot of sense, the homicide detectives investigating the murder in the basement insist on confiscating the film as well. Valentine fears that the police will mishandle the fragile movie and destroy it before he can transfer the film to safe stock. (This, even though the film has somehow survived sitting around for decades unprotected while the theater decays around it.) Valentine slips the film out of the theater before the police notice it, but they soon realize what has happened and demand that Valentine return the film within three days.

There's no way that the film can be safely transfered in that limited amount of time and so Valentine's only alternative is to solve the decades-old crime within the three days and then hand the police the solution to the mystery rather than the film.

This is a very light book, especially compared to Estleman's much grittier Detroit novels. The characters are quirky and funny, and the plot never allows the reader to actually suspend disbelief. But it is clearly a labor of love. Estleman has immersed himself in the history of film and in the technical details of film preservation and restoration, and those who love the movies will find it an entertaining romp. For my own part, I prefer Estleman's darker work, but I enjoyed this book nonetheless.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, light mystery full of old Hollywood references as 'film detective' aka film archivist Val buys an old iconic movie palace & makes the find of his career. Unfortunately, he has an actual skeleton in the closet & that prompts an investigation that threatens the film. That's a bit of a stretch, but it made for a fun romp as Val & his quirky cohorts try to solve the murder so the film isn't threatened any more.

The best part of the book is the characters. There aren't many & each is very memorable plus there's a dash of the supernatural. I haven't read anything else by Estleman, but most of his other books are supposed to be serious & gritty, so writing this must have been a vacation for him. It certainly was an enjoyable one for me.

[Anita Lynch-Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Valentino is a film detective who works for the film preservation group at UCLA. He purchases an old movie house and discovers 24 reels of what might be Erich Von Stroheims missing masterpiece as well as a skeleton. I listened to the audiobook. It was full of amusing characters and some of the dialog was laugh out loud funny

[Patricia Gulley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great premise, lots of interesting Hollywood facts and a lot of smack talk. The mystery felt like it was just sprinkled lightly over all that until the end when it just solved and continued with facts and romance. The Closing Credits were especially good.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful book, charming and playful. I will read more of this series.

[Gabriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** 3.75 ***

In my quest to follow this author I've recently discovered, here I am writing my own review about a new book, for me, from his Valentino series I'm reading now...

This in itself is more a novella than a novel, a short book, as a pilot if I may say, for a series of mystery the author is launching...

In all honesty, I love it, and I'm a bit sad is short, I wish it would be longer so we can enjoy more...

What I personally find unique and special, worth attention, it's a remarkable writing style, especially spread with a great sense of humor but placed in a very subtle way all over the dialogue of the characters...

I don't particularly like the comedy style, with telling jokes or even worse the silly comic situations series of events or actions, as if I would enjoy this style, I would look for this kind of books to spend my time with...

I enjoy and look for a mystery book, maybe some thriller here and there, so this is what I am aiming for... this book, along with the series as well, is a mystery in itself, and a good one I may add, yet, pleasantly presented with pleasant and entertaining humor in dialogue, which I for one, really, really enjoy it...

Another remarkable and special aspect worth mentioning would be how the author is using his love and extensive knowledge of old movies, to make a great setting for a mystery, for a murder investigation and for unfolding a plot, presenting great characters and more, all that and more in a short style of a book, a novella style...

It's amazing to me how come now, in the digital era we live in, the author dares to present his audience a topic based on old movies, old and long gone movie stars and even old landmarks of the movie industry, like an old movie theater... it's also amazing to me to see how the author is presenting us, and even promoting us the idea that's OK to be a couch potato and just watch movies at home, or go to the movies as a hobby...

I too, personally enjoy watching movies, not, in particular, the old ones, but anyway, I enjoy watching movies, diving in the astonishing world of movies, escaping from the ugliness of the reality that surounds us every day, yet, I was somehow thinking is a bit wrong to have "watching movies" as a hobby... hehe... wrong, or not, I for one, I'm still watcing and will be watching movies, but this author, with this book, with this series, is showing us that's OK, and even more, not only it's OK, but some people make a lifetime hobby of this... thus, I don't feel that odd anymore about myself for loving to watch movies as well... hehe...

I for one, I am also amazed to discover due to this author and his book, there is also some kind of science of movies, and even more, already a history of movies and moviemaking... I guess, by me not being a moviemaker myself, just a movie consumer, I didn't realize clearly there is a science already about movies and making movies, but this author will introduce us, its readers to this movie science, or to be more specific to movies history... and he's well versed in this area, with well researched and documented topics, so this book, this series, this author, is worth a try, it will worth your time...

As I said, from my point of veiw, I was a bit sad so see this book was so short, I wish it would be longer, so we can enjoy more... at the time I'm writing this review, I'm already reading the second book in the series, Alone a short one as well and I look forward to the third book in the series... if you somehow follow my reviews, you'll soon read about what I've discovered with the next books in the series by this author....

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed FRAMES, the first in Estleman’s Valentino mysteries. Valentino is a UCLA film archivist or Film Detective who decides to buy an old movie palace in Hollywood called the Oracle. He needed a place to live but also wants to restore the old place. While going through the projection room, he discovers some old film canisters that are labeled "Greed." Can they be the lost full length epic silent film of Erich von Stroheim that originally ran between 8 and 10 hours? Then in the basement, he discovers the walled up skeleton of a decades old murder victim and more film canisters of Greed. But the skeleton complicates matters on whether the film can be kept away from the police who think it may be connected to the possible murder victim in the basement. Valentino and his associates decide that they must try to solve the murder before the police lay claim to the film.



I found this book to be a lot of fun. The characters are well portrayed including not only Valentino but his associate, Broadhead; law student Fanta, and an LAPD medical examiner Harriet who seems to be drawn to Valentino, not to mention the ghost of von Stroheim who wants Valentino to take care of his kindling (child). The book was also filled with film trivia especially about the silent era and other older movies. "Greed" was an adaptation of the novel "McTeague" by Frank Norris which I read quite a few years ago and thought it to be a great realistic classic. I would recommend this one to any film buffs or lovers of movie history and I definitely will be reading more in this series.

[Dsm Jsm · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of those books where I kept looking at the publication date because I was sure it was written in the 70s. Nope, 2008. If you really, really love old movies and/or LA history, you will probably like this book, but since I'm not hugely interested in either, the mystery itself was really straightforward, and the women were presented as a super weird, Goldilocks-type choice for the main character, the only reason I finished is that it was short.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, light-hearted mystery revolving around Old Hollywood history. The mystery itself is not really the draw here but rather the film-loving leads, the secondary cast of characters, and the world of film preservation and history.

[Tim Baruffi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a tough one for me to rate. I really did not care for this book but it might be the best episode of "curb your enthusiasm" never made

[GlenK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frames, the first of Loren Estleman’s Valentino mysteries, is great fun. In it, Valentino (just Valentino), a UCLA film archivist (or as he calls himself, a Film Detective) finds himself owner of the Oracle, a long abandoned Los Angeles movie palace. Valentino’s purchase of the old theater seems not the best of ideas (he can ill afford the restoration costs) and two immediate discoveries - the walled up skeleton of a decades old murder victim and a complete (or near complete) print of the long lost Erich von Stoheim film Greed - complicate matters enormously. Contributing to my enjoyment of this book is the light tone - it seems similar to a Kinky Freidman mystery - and the supporting characters of film scholar Broadhead, brainy law student Fanta, and LAPD medical examiner Harriet. Also like Kinky Freidman. here the mystery (and the murder) is not really the point, the characters are. Good show.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it--some of the best dialog I've read in a while. The main character is a film historian, and the book is certainly well researched--not often do you get a mystery with an extensive list of references at the end. What's not to love?

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read many of Loren D. Estleman's books from his Amos Walker series, and a few from his novels set in the Old West. I've loved all of them.

A year or so ago, I stumbled upon another series of Estleman's. Set in West Los Angeles, they're the Valentino stories. I had read one from the middle of the series, and I finally got around to reading the first Valentino novel, "Frames," and I'm glad I did. In "Frames," Estleman introduces his protagonist, Valentino--we don't learn his first name, (Just call me Val")--who is a film archivist at the UCLA film school. His business card reads, "Valentino - Film Detective."

Estleman always presents interesting plots and great characters. "Fames" is a terrific story, well told. The characters are vivid and unique, and the Valentino stories are presented with just a splash of humor to make it a fun read.

Valentino loves movies, specifically from the Classic Film Era, and he spends his professional time searching for and researching rare and usually out of circulation prints of worthwhile films. Not only is Classic Cinema his profession, it's his passion, which very quickly spills into his private life. While looking for a place to live, Val happens upon the old, classic, now-falling down theater, The Oracle. His plan is to restore the theater for special showings, and live in the renovated projection booth. Trust me on this one, you'll have to read it to understand it.

Unfortunately, while rummaging through The Oracle in advance of renovation or occupancy, Val and friends knock down an old, crumbling brick wall to find human remains. I chose not to say body because all that's left is a skeleton. They also find forty-two reels of a long lost and thought destroyed "masterpiece" silent film by Erich von Stroheim.

The film is older than the skeleton, but somehow they came to be in the same secret room. How and why starts a race against time to properly preserve the film classic, while working around the police investigation to identify the skeleton and find the murderer.

Frames is an interesting, fun read. I loved it, and I'm betting you will, too.

[Chelsea · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're looking for a head-scratching, adrenaline-pumping, high-stakes mystery, this may not be the book for you.
If you don't know anything about the history of early film, this may not be the book for you.
If you are looking for a light, easy read with a focus on character, quick banter, and uncommon locales--and you can tell your Jane Russells from your Greta Garbos--then this might be the book for you.

Frames is a luxurious, loving dive into the history of film and early Hollywood, built around two very simple mysteries: the existence of a film long thought destroyed, and a corpse found along with it. Estleman seems not to have been very interested in fleshing out the mystery portion, however, focusing far more his characters' romances and the sharing of interesting anecdotes about old Hollywood. Every piece of the "mystery" felt awkwardly delivered, large chunks of exposition poorly blended with the body of the story, and anything that would have puzzled or thrown the reader off the trail was lacking entirely. I wish like the Dickens that the character of Fanta had never even entered the author's mind, and that he'd settled on crafting either a mystery with romantic subplots or a romance with mystery subplots, instead of trying to do both at once.

Grousing aside, Frames is a fine read: short, snappy, and full of facts and fun stories from old-timey Hollywood. Estelman knows how to use language, and I wanted to walk into some of his descriptions and see them for myself. I understand after 60+ books he's probably running low on determination, and I intend to give some of his earlier books a chance to redeem this series.

[Melissa Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love old movies (and I do) then this is a fun book with an interesting minor mystery.

"Enter Valentino, a mild-mannered UCLA film archivist. In the surreal world of Hollywood filmdom truth is often stranger than celluloid fiction. When Valentino buys a decrepit movie palace and uncovers a skeleton in the secret Prohibition basement, he's not really surprised. But he's staggered by a second discovery: long-lost, priceless, reels of film: Erich von Stroheim’s infamous Greed. The LAPD wants to take the reels as evidence, jeopardizing the precious old film. If Valentino wants to save his find, he has only one choice: solve the murder within 72 hours with the help of his mentor, the noted film scholar Broadhead, and Fanta, a feisty if slightly flaky young law student. Between a budding romance with a beautiful forensics investigator and visions of Von Stroheim’s ghost, Valentino’s madcap race to save the flick is as fast and frenetic as a classic screwball comedy. A quirky cast of characters, smart dialogue and a touch of romance make this Estleman's most engaging and accessible novel to date."

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having grown up within shouting distance of UCLA and a Hollywood brat to boot, this book was a natural for me. I loved the setting and the old industry feel but I felt the central character was rather bland and undeveloped. I am hoping that in subsequent books the author gives us more background on what motivated Valentino to become a "film detective".

In addition I thought that a police detective in a busy Los Angeles precinct would have been too involved with current cases to devote as much energy to this cold case as she did. The way she pursued the fragile film footage was also unrealistic. She could have easily waited for the film to be transferred since the body has been undiscovered for over thirty years. Would a couple of weeks really mattered? It seemed as if Estleman was creating drama where none needed to exist.

I want to learn more about Valentine, Fanta and the professor so I will read the next book in the series.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very fun read.

It reminded me of Margaret Dumas Murder in the Palace, but it was written first.

There is the rundown movie theater and a murder and maybe a ghost. This setting is in Los Angeles, and UCLA one of my alma maters is front and center.

It involved a film preservationist and historic Hollywood.

This is an amateur sleuth, who is trying to fend off the police because there was a valuable lost movie at the scene of the crime and they will confiscate it as evidence before it can be copied onto a safer medium. He feels the need to investigate the crime to prevent any loss of film since it is on silver nitrate and unstable.

Lots of fun here and I stayed up way too late reading. Don't recall seeing a source list at the back of a piece of fiction, but this has some references at the end.

Off to find more in this series and will recommend it to my reading group.

I borrowed this copy from the public library, but will order copies to give to friends.

[Craig Pittman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read for lovers of old movies, but not much of a mystery.

Loren Estleman has created an interesting lead character in Valentino, a film archivist for UCLA who buys an old movie palace and discovers it contains both a skeleton and a long-lost Erich von Stroheim masterpiece.

Valentino's adventures in trying to solve the crime, keep the cops from confiscating the fragile film and romance an attractive CSI tech make for an enjoyable tale, most of it told in spritely bits of dialogue full of movie references (and the ghost of von Stroheim, who keeps showing up to urge Valentino to save his lost film).

But in the end there's only one real suspect in the killing, so it doesn't take Basil Rathbone to figure out who the killer might be. I'll have to check out at least one of Valentino's subsequent adventures to see if Estleman finds more interesting cases for him.

[John M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Estleman writes stories and novels I enjoy.

Having read Doyle and Hammett and Chandler and Stout and Block, it was only a matter of time that I'd get to Estleman. Started in March of 2020 when the Covid struck and outside activites stopped. Along with millions of jobs. There was Loren, smiling warmly after a Michigan Winter that promised a calm soothing Spring, just waiting to unleash his host of characters. I read and enjoyed some Amos Walker stories first. But all that did was make me even more curious about Valentino: Film Detective. Reading the short stories collection gave me a nice overview of what Loren was promising. His ability to blend fact with fiction was well worth the price of admission. Now that I've finished the first novel the next awaits and I'm eager to read them all.

[Wampus Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea of a film archivist investigating crimes involving old films and the people involved with them is a very good and intriguing one. It may compel me to read the next in the series and see if the structure and ideas are better fleshed out than this one.

One detail that nettled me are that the three main female characters under the age of forty are all described as gorgeous and sexy. In fact, no one is described as ugly except some of the protesters against the removal of a skeleton from a theater. They are presented as silly comic relief from the serious business with the sexy people.

The main idea that the film has to be impounded as evidence by the LAPD is a big headscratcher as is the way a person's confession is provoked. Plus a visit by a ghost makes this way more lighthearted than is to my taste. Maybe it's more yours.

Big respect for the book recommendations in the afterword, though. Great and interesting selections.

[Ralph · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars - Great change-of-pace mystery featuring a cast of likeable characters.

I hadn't heard of Loren D. Estleman or his Valentino mystery series. When this book was chosen for our mystery book club, I wasn't sure what to expect. I wasn't disappointed.

As a mystery, it is so-so, but the story is enjoyable. The book's strength comes from the characters and how they interact with each other. There is much good-natured banter going on and you grow to like these characters despite their quirkiness.

Much credit is to be given to narrator William Dufris who brings Mr. Estleman's words to life. I am looking forward to taking in more Valentino novels.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decent mystery, lots of film history. Unfortunately I found it incredibly distracting and gross that every female character has to be described relative to how goodlooking or not she was AND after a whole book of inappropriate comments I had to hear the old man seriously consider dating the 20yr old woman.

Basically this book falls into the large pile of novels that would be fine if they had a concept of women as anything other than objects for men.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun story about a 'film detective', employed by his university (UCLA?) to track down prints of old movies. A bit over the top, written perhaps tongue-in-cheek in the style of the classic hard-boiled detectives the '40's, but a fun plot, centered around the search for a complete copy of Erich von Stroheim's 'Greed' There are more books in the series. ;)

[Ted Hinkle · Rating 3 out of 5]

FRAMES, a light, Hollywood film mystery by Loren Estleman uses fictitious film archivist, Valentino, to solve a murder mystery while referencing numerous cinematic favorites on the way. Written in typical Estleman fashion, it is far cry from his old West novels. Entertainingly, the novel mixes movies and mayhem. The marquee puts our new sleuth, Valentino in bright lights. 3.5

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now THIS is a fun read! "Frames" is the 1st in the 'Valentino' series, set in modern day Hollywood. Valentino is a film archivist who purchases a crumbling movie theatre and 'happens upon' a skeleton in a walled-up basement room. Commence the antics! Tons of chuckles reading this novel - I'm officially hooked on the series!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cinema

Just my thing.o.o A cinema detective who searches out old silent film to add to history. He finds the original GREED along with a skelton to provide the mystery. Valentino, yes he looks like The Shiek, guys an old glorious movie house and the series begins. I can hardly wait.

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I probably shouldn't admit that I have absolutely no recollection of having read this book in 2008. No matter—it was a delightful cozy mystery starring a UCLA film archivist who buys an old movie theater in desperate need of renovation, in which he finds a lost movie . . . and a skeleton.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great! If you’re a cinephile (obsessed with movies) like I am, then it’s a no brained to go and read this book! The pace is wonderful, the dialogue is snappy and literally a ton of movie references. Go check it out!!

[Suzanne Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've just discovered the Valentino mysteries, and I'm a fan. Estleman tells a good story with likable characters and a bit of history. There're no gratuitous fillers in his writing. For readers who wish they could go sleep & wake up in the golden age of Hollywood.

[Kelsey Grissom · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise is good and I learned a little bit about antique film, but that’s about it. The elder/vulnerable adult abuse, geezer professor pursuing his 20 year old student, and introduction of every female character by how hot she was — all of this unchallenged and accepted, mind you —- was gross.