1957, Los Angeles. James Whale, the once-famous director of such classics as Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein, is living in retirement, haunted by his past. Rescuing him from his too-vivid imagination is his gardener, a handsome ex-marine. The friendship between these two very different men is sometimes tentative, sometimes touching, often dangerous—and always captivating.
This P.S. edition features an extra sixteen pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.
“Extraordinary. Brimming with atmosphere, charged with powerful insights, it is as wise as it is witty, as entertaining as it is original. A wonderful book.” —Clive Barker
“A subtle, psychologically shrewd portrait of an artist's last days, highlighted by masterful touches of the most entertaining wit and suspense.” —Los Angeles Times
“Beautifully written, tightly focused. . . . Charged with tenderness and eroticism. . . . Bram writes with great clarity, wit, and verve, whizzing past Hollywood cliches to arrive at deeper, darker truths.” —The Advocate
Previously titled Father of Frankenstein
Christopher Bram is the author of eight other novels, including Gods and Monsters (originally titled Father of Frankenstein), which was made into an Academy Award-winning film. Bram was a 2001 Guggenheim Fellow and received the 2003 Bill Whitehead Award for Lifetime Achievement. He lives in New York City.