Book Review: Last Stop Slumberland by Jay Cameron Parker

Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery

Setting: 1950s Hollywood

Tropes: Down-on-His-Luck Protagonist, Amateur Sleuth, Family Secrets, Redemption Arc,                             Hollywood Noir, Alcoholism Recovery

Spice Level: None

Format: Physical Copy 

Series: Stand-alone

Matthew Brooks is a nobody in 1950s Hollywood—an assistant to a background character in films that barely require him to exist. His life runs on repetition: wake up, drink, go to work, flirt with his girl, drink, go home, repeat. His ambitions don’t stretch much further than keeping a roof over his head and a flask in his pocket.

Everything changes when he receives a call that his estranged sister has been admitted to the hospital. By the time he arrives, she has already died—and the routine life he’s clung to quickly unravels into something far more dangerous.

I received a physical copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

⚠️ Content Warnings:

• Heavy alcoholism
• Murder
• Kidnapping
• Racism (historically reflective of 1950s Hollywood)

A note on the racism: this book is set in 1950s Hollywood, and the depictions reflect the realities of the time. It may be triggering for some readers.

I’ll admit I almost stopped reading around the 90-page mark when the story began leaning heavily into religion—something I try to avoid. I’m glad I continued. While faith becomes part of the MMC’s personal journey, it does not take over the main plot.

Aside from that hesitation, I genuinely enjoyed this book. Some moments stretch plausibility—most notably a severe alcoholic seemingly overcoming withdrawal after a single day of detox and cough medicine—but it ultimately serves the redemption arc the author was building. It didn’t derail my enjoyment.

The mystery itself was engaging. We follow Matthew step-by-step through the investigation, uncovering clues and motives alongside him. Whenever events felt overly outlandish, the author circled back through alternate perspectives to clarify how and why things unfolded the way they did, which helped ground the story.

Overall, this was a well-written historical mystery with strong noir undertones, a compelling redemption arc, and a satisfying closed ending that leaves readers hopeful for the characters’ futures. I would absolutely read more from this author.

📚 Availability:

Available on Kindle Unlimited, or purchase on Amazon for $3.99 by clicking here. 

⭐ You’ll like this book if you enjoy:

• Historical fiction set in 1950s Hollywood
• Character-driven mysteries
• Flawed protagonists seeking redemption
• Noir-inspired storytelling
• Stand-alone mysteries with satisfying endings