A Permanent Twilight

by Chuck Freadhoff

Book Overview

Johnny Rose is the kind of investigative reporter whose stubborn insistence on doing his own thing has already lost him at least one job at a big paper and threatens his tenuous hold on what may be... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 006019216X
• ISBN13: 9780060192167
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: HarperTorch
• Length: 338 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Chuck Freadhoff "An emerging author"

This is a well told tale. The author is writing from his stregnths. His main character, Johnny Rose, is a reporter in LA. Mr. Freadhoff himself is a reporter and living in LA. The tale deals with LA street kids and a couple of foundations that help them. Mr. Freadhoff has, for many years, volunteered at just such an organization. He has woven a suspensful,intricate and believable plot by using his detailed knowledge in these areas. The characters are well developed, the action is non-stop and the plot has a unique twist. "A Permanent Twilight" is throughly enjoyable reading. I look forward to Johnny Rose's next adventure. Johnny got "lucky" in this episode and here's here's hoping he will in the future.

permanent twilight

I normally resist reading any form of fiction but this topic, homeless youth, was of particular interest to me. I work as a principal in a school for delinquent children. This novel captured the essence of at-risk kids. After the first 50 pages it totally engaged me and I read it intently through its end. I purchased multiple copies for family, friends and collegues. They in turn found it absorbing. In this era of [too often] faceless, unimagninative and cookie cutter publishing, we found Chuck Freadhoff's work insightful, inspiring and unique. Treat yourself as well to his spendid work. You will not be disappointed.

Insider's View of Hollywood and Vine

Having spent 25 years as a reporter and editor in Los Angeles, I can assure you that Chuck Freadhoff "got it right" in A Permanent Twilight. This sure-footed mystery glistens with street smarts and an insider's knowledge of how the news business really works. Protagonist Johnny Rose is both humane and human, a determined reporter who unravels a sordid Hollywood tale bit by bit and in doing so shows us what it takes to build a story that will stand up under pressure from those who don't want the truth to hit Page One. Freadhoff's pacing is crisp and his characters full-bodied and realistic. Johnny Rose's quest takes us from the needle-strewn haunts of Hollywood street kids to the glamorous homes in the hills above, from a seemingly straightforward homicide through a multi-layered plot with an electric ending. If you want to know how newspapers really operate, what happens when detectives and reporters collide on the same trail, and how much some people will sacrifice for fame, A Permanent Twilight delivers.

A very absorbing storyline

A desperate Sara Bradley calls her Uncle Johnny Rose at his place of business, the LA Journal. Johnny, a reporter, is not in, so she leaves a voice message saying she needs to see him. Later on, Johnny listens to his voice mail and hears the fear and panic in his niece's voice. He knows he never heard that before even if she has been living on the streets of Hollywood. Almost ignoring the metro editor who wants Johnny to cover a restoration story, the journalist races out to search for his relative. After frantically failing to find Sara all day, Johnny finally catches up with his niece only to watch her die in a fire. Although abandoned buildings like the one that Sara died in burn easily, Johnny wonders what started the blaze. He thinks back to his niece's apprehensive voice and thinks murder may be involved. He begins making inquiries that lead him to the Hollywood Restoration Committee and Sara's best friend Gem, who Johnny thinks, may be the next victim. The second Johnny Rose investigative novel (see BLUE RAIN) is a by the book thriller. The story line is fast-paced, but Johnny never breaks out of the Kolchek mold of being the lone ranger fighting uphill against the establishment, including the editors to report a story. The street kids add an intriguing take to the plot, but even that insightful yet sermonizing look fails to lift the tale out of the ordinary. Fans of hard core journalistic investigations will find Chuck Freadhoff's novel very interesting. For everyone else, the book is a pass.Harriet Klausner

Page turning look at life on the streets of LALA land

A Permanent Twilight, Freadhoff's second effort, Blue Rain being first, had me glued to the story of a LA newspaper reporter, Johnny Rose fighting to absolve his guilt when his runaway teenage cousin gets murdered as he watches helplessly. The author had done his homework and described the daily struggles homeless kids face everywhere, whether in Phoenix or Hollywood. His descriptions and dialogue bring the fear, danger and frustration of trying to deal with the real world of Hollywood Boulevard versus the fanatasy world portrayed by the travel brochures. The story grabbed me from the beginning and kept me guessing all the way to the last chapter as to whodunnit! It is a good read.