Carole's Sunday Review. Marilyn, my Marilyn - Art Johnson

Author:  Art Johnson

Title: Marilyn, My Marilyn

Genre: Historical Fiction & Mystery

Pages: ebook

Published: May 10th 2018

Where I Got It: My shelf (Netgalley)

It’s the summer of ’62, and twenty-five-year-old journalist Rory Long receives a phone call at quitting time: it’s Marilyn Monroe. She wants to personally compliment him on a review he wrote of the new collected works of poet Carl Sandburg. 

She then enlists the cub reporter to tell her story; she doesn’t want to be remembered as a joke. When they meet, Rory is captivated by her knowledge of classical music, art and literature. As their relationship intensifies, Rory experiences a coming-of-age inspired by this side of Marilyn few know, and at the same time, Marilyn is influenced by Rory to begin reassessing her own life. 

But when Rory’s boss assigns him to write an article on the unsolved murder of the Black Dahlia, paranoia and tension mount. File papers go missing, then mysteriously return. An unknown covert organization watches Marilyn Monroe’s every move, thinking she may hold a clue to the Dahlia case. And just when Rory can feel he’s getting closer to the truth, J. Edgar Hoover himself intervenes to request that Rory be reassigned. Rapid changes are about to unfold in the land of the free, and they may be more costly than even Rory can surmise. 

In Art Johnson’s latest novel, he continues his style of combining historical fact with fiction to offer the reader a steady stream of drama, tension and humor. Marilyn, My Marilyn reveals fresh insight into the most iconic woman of modern times, not as a biography, but with a view of a nation which often buries the truth with its dead. 

Everyone knows the face and the name even today years and years after her death. Marilyn Monroe is considered one of the greatest beauties of the modern era. She is also considered one of the greatest mysteries and tragedies. I truly blame Hollywood for her demise. So many blame the government or other entities for her death. No. I flat out blame Hollywood and the paparazzi for her death. If they didn't physically do it; they drove her to do it. 

Sorry...back to the book. 

The story follows Rory who is a new and young journalist. A certain article of his draws the attention to Marilyn who reaches out to him. She wants to give him an exclusive interview. She wants the world to know she isn't some dumb, sexy blond. She has a brain and is a person like everyone else. Rory, of course, agrees to meet her and write her story. We get to see a side of Marilyn that was a rarity.

I really enjoyed this story. I know it is all fiction, but I really hope there is an interview out there was covered up and hidden that shows the truth behind Marilyn. How cool would that be? 

I like Rory and I really liked Marilyn in this. She was just so sad. Poor girl. 

There is also a murder mystery going on in the background that Rory is working on researching. It fit a little bit and then at the end you really get to see the connection. It was a nice add-on, but it really wasn't necessary for the story. But it show that even though Rory is now a close friend to Marilyn, he still has work to do to pay for his bills at the newspaper. 

In the end, I really enjoyed this. It was a nice what-if. There is more to the star and we have seen glimpses of this throughout the years, but wouldn't it be nice if there was a secret interview none of knew about? I highly recommend this. I'll stamp it with 5 stars.