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I Play One On TV
All’s great for sixteen-year-old actor Dalton Black as he portrays a teen killer on a crime reenactment show. That is, until he realizes someone is stalking him. When that someone turns out to be Homer Lee Varney, the man convicted of the murder, things take a dark turn, and Dalton is afraid for his life. What does Varney want? Some sort of twisted revenge? Or something even worse?
Can Dalton and his drama friends discover the truth, before they become the killer’s next victims? Stay tuned to find out!
Can Dalton and his drama friends discover the truth, before they become the killer’s next victims? Stay tuned to find out!
- GenresMystery
290 pages, Unknown Binding
Published July 19, 2021
5 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Alan Orloff
58 books148 followersBefore Alan stepped off the corporate merry-go-round, he had an eclectic (some might say disjointed) career. As an engineer, he worked on nuclear submarines, supervised assembly workers in factories, facilitated technology transfer from the Star Wars program, and learned to stack washing machines three high in a warehouse with a forklift. He even started his own recycling and waste reduction newsletter business. Now he writes fiction.
His debut mystery, DIAMONDS FOR THE DEAD, was a finalist for the Best First Novel Agatha Award. He writes the Last Laff Mystery Series: KILLER ROUTINE (#1) and DEADLY CAMPAIGN (#2), and has three e-book originals, THE TASTE (horror/thriller), FIRST TIME KILLER (thriller), and RIDE-ALONG (suspense).
He wrote the thrillers RUNNING FROM THE PAST and PRAY FOR THE INNOCENT (winner of the ITW Thriller Award for Best E-Book Original).
His novel, I KNOW WHERE YOU SLEEP was a Shamus Award finalist for Best First P.I. Novel.
His YA thriller, I PLAY ONE ON TV (Down & Out Books), won the Agatha Award and Anthony Award for Best YA Novel.
His novel, LATE CHECKOUT, is an Anthony Award Finalist for Best Paperback Original.
His short fiction has appeared in numerous publications, including JEWISH NOIR, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, CHESAPEAKE CRIMES: STORM WARNING, Mystery Weekly, NOIR AT THE SALAD BAR, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, five consecutive issues of the BEST NEW ENGLAND CRIME STORIES, THE NIGHT OF THE FLOOD, MICKEY FINN, and MYSTERY MOST GEOGRAPHICAL.
His story, “Rule Number One” (SNOWBOUND, Level Best Books), was selected for the 2018 edition of THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES anthology, edited by Louise Penny.
His story, "Dying in Dokesville," won a Derringer Award, and his story "Rent Due," won an ITW Thriller Award.
Alan recently moved to South Florida. He loves cake and arugula, but not together.
For more info, please visit his website: www.alanorloff.com
Alan is sorry he wrote this bio in the third person.
His debut mystery, DIAMONDS FOR THE DEAD, was a finalist for the Best First Novel Agatha Award. He writes the Last Laff Mystery Series: KILLER ROUTINE (#1) and DEADLY CAMPAIGN (#2), and has three e-book originals, THE TASTE (horror/thriller), FIRST TIME KILLER (thriller), and RIDE-ALONG (suspense).
He wrote the thrillers RUNNING FROM THE PAST and PRAY FOR THE INNOCENT (winner of the ITW Thriller Award for Best E-Book Original).
His novel, I KNOW WHERE YOU SLEEP was a Shamus Award finalist for Best First P.I. Novel.
His YA thriller, I PLAY ONE ON TV (Down & Out Books), won the Agatha Award and Anthony Award for Best YA Novel.
His novel, LATE CHECKOUT, is an Anthony Award Finalist for Best Paperback Original.
His short fiction has appeared in numerous publications, including JEWISH NOIR, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, CHESAPEAKE CRIMES: STORM WARNING, Mystery Weekly, NOIR AT THE SALAD BAR, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, five consecutive issues of the BEST NEW ENGLAND CRIME STORIES, THE NIGHT OF THE FLOOD, MICKEY FINN, and MYSTERY MOST GEOGRAPHICAL.
His story, “Rule Number One” (SNOWBOUND, Level Best Books), was selected for the 2018 edition of THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES anthology, edited by Louise Penny.
His story, "Dying in Dokesville," won a Derringer Award, and his story "Rent Due," won an ITW Thriller Award.
Alan recently moved to South Florida. He loves cake and arugula, but not together.
For more info, please visit his website: www.alanorloff.com
Alan is sorry he wrote this bio in the third person.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 17, 2021
I Play One on TV was my first Alan Orloff book, and it’s certainly one that has me curious about the author’s other work. I personally find young adult thrillers to be hit or miss, and I always go in tentative, yet this one fell solidly into the former category.
I Play One on TV gripped right away, easily pulling me into the story and leaving me curious about how everything would come together. There were some points where I felt the characters were a little too naïve and I worked out the involvement of certain characters, but it was not enough to take away my enjoyment of the story. The way everything came together more than kept me hooked, with plenty of side elements that kept me invested, ensuring I could not put it down until everything had reached a conclusion.
Without a doubt, this is well worth a read if you’re a fan of teens solving crimes.
I Play One on TV gripped right away, easily pulling me into the story and leaving me curious about how everything would come together. There were some points where I felt the characters were a little too naïve and I worked out the involvement of certain characters, but it was not enough to take away my enjoyment of the story. The way everything came together more than kept me hooked, with plenty of side elements that kept me invested, ensuring I could not put it down until everything had reached a conclusion.
Without a doubt, this is well worth a read if you’re a fan of teens solving crimes.
January 28, 2022
Published: July 19, 2021
Down & Out Books
Pages: 290
Genre: Psychological Thriller
KKECReads Rating: 5/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Alan Orloff had an eclectic (some might say disjointed) career. As an engineer, he worked on nuclear submarines, supervised assembly workers in factories, facilitated technology transfer from the Star Wars program, and learned to stack washing machines three high in a warehouse with a forklift. He even started his own recycling and waste reduction newsletter business. Now he writes fiction.
“An uneducated public is a susceptible public.”
Dalton is a dedicated and talented actor who landed a gig as a reenactment actor on a hit true-crime show. As he starts to realize his dreams may be coming true after his prime-time debut- the killer he was portraying is released from prison due to a technicality. Now, Dalton receives strange messages and keeps seeing a stranger watching him. Could this be Dalton’s final curtain call?
I enjoyed this book and the storyline a lot. I found it fascinating because it centers around high school students, and the writing genuinely displayed that.
The writing was well done and very age-appropriate. The thoughts and feelings were well suited for the characters, and I appreciated that.
Dalton was a great leading character. He is a total dreamer, dedicated to his acting career. He is all performing, all the time. He has no “plan B,” much to his mother's displeasure. Charming, intelligent, and talented, Dalton has a huge opportunity to portray a local young man charged with the murder of his classmate. Dalton is all in.
I enjoyed the character development and the character's journey throughout this book. The storyline was engaging, entertaining, exciting, and fresh. I was hooked from the first chapter.
I loved that I wasn’t able to guess the twist. And I was surprised when the big reveal happened. This was almost like reading a more mature version of Scooby-Doo.
This is absolutely a must-read for any true crime fan. Fast-paced, original, and very well done, I couldn’t put it down!
Down & Out Books
Pages: 290
Genre: Psychological Thriller
KKECReads Rating: 5/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Alan Orloff had an eclectic (some might say disjointed) career. As an engineer, he worked on nuclear submarines, supervised assembly workers in factories, facilitated technology transfer from the Star Wars program, and learned to stack washing machines three high in a warehouse with a forklift. He even started his own recycling and waste reduction newsletter business. Now he writes fiction.
“An uneducated public is a susceptible public.”
Dalton is a dedicated and talented actor who landed a gig as a reenactment actor on a hit true-crime show. As he starts to realize his dreams may be coming true after his prime-time debut- the killer he was portraying is released from prison due to a technicality. Now, Dalton receives strange messages and keeps seeing a stranger watching him. Could this be Dalton’s final curtain call?
I enjoyed this book and the storyline a lot. I found it fascinating because it centers around high school students, and the writing genuinely displayed that.
The writing was well done and very age-appropriate. The thoughts and feelings were well suited for the characters, and I appreciated that.
Dalton was a great leading character. He is a total dreamer, dedicated to his acting career. He is all performing, all the time. He has no “plan B,” much to his mother's displeasure. Charming, intelligent, and talented, Dalton has a huge opportunity to portray a local young man charged with the murder of his classmate. Dalton is all in.
I enjoyed the character development and the character's journey throughout this book. The storyline was engaging, entertaining, exciting, and fresh. I was hooked from the first chapter.
I loved that I wasn’t able to guess the twist. And I was surprised when the big reveal happened. This was almost like reading a more mature version of Scooby-Doo.
This is absolutely a must-read for any true crime fan. Fast-paced, original, and very well done, I couldn’t put it down!
July 22, 2021
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: I Play One On TV
Author: Alan Orloff
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: 1 f/f relationship but very briefly mentioned
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, thriller, mystery, murder mystery, drama kids
Genre: YA Thriller/Mystery
Publication Date: July 19, 2021
Publisher: Down and Out Books
Pages: 288
Recommended Age: 14+ (Stalking TW, Kidnapped TW, violence, slight gore)
Explanation of CWs: MC is stalked by a character and is slightly kidnapped at one point.
Synopsis:All’s great for sixteen-year-old actor Dalton Black as he portrays a teen killer on a crime reenactment show. That is, until he realizes someone is stalking him. When that someone turns out to be Homer Lee Varney, the man convicted of the murder, things take a dark turn, and Dalton is afraid for his life. What does Varney want? Some sort of twisted revenge? Or something even worse?
Can Dalton and his drama friends discover the truth, before they become the killer’s next victims? Stay tuned to find out!
Review: Overall, I really liked this thriller mystery read. The premise of it drew me in immediately and I'm a sucker for true crime lol. I loved the world building and the plot. I also thought the writing was well done.
The only issues I had with the book is that I felt like the characters weren't developed enough and that the action around the book was a bit too quick. I would have loved it if the book opened up with the murder and really explained the context of what I was reading. I also think that there was definitely enough in the book to continue for another 50-100 pages easily.
Verdict: it was good!
Book: I Play One On TV
Author: Alan Orloff
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: 1 f/f relationship but very briefly mentioned
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, thriller, mystery, murder mystery, drama kids
Genre: YA Thriller/Mystery
Publication Date: July 19, 2021
Publisher: Down and Out Books
Pages: 288
Recommended Age: 14+ (Stalking TW, Kidnapped TW, violence, slight gore)
Explanation of CWs: MC is stalked by a character and is slightly kidnapped at one point.
Synopsis:All’s great for sixteen-year-old actor Dalton Black as he portrays a teen killer on a crime reenactment show. That is, until he realizes someone is stalking him. When that someone turns out to be Homer Lee Varney, the man convicted of the murder, things take a dark turn, and Dalton is afraid for his life. What does Varney want? Some sort of twisted revenge? Or something even worse?
Can Dalton and his drama friends discover the truth, before they become the killer’s next victims? Stay tuned to find out!
Review: Overall, I really liked this thriller mystery read. The premise of it drew me in immediately and I'm a sucker for true crime lol. I loved the world building and the plot. I also thought the writing was well done.
The only issues I had with the book is that I felt like the characters weren't developed enough and that the action around the book was a bit too quick. I would have loved it if the book opened up with the murder and really explained the context of what I was reading. I also think that there was definitely enough in the book to continue for another 50-100 pages easily.
Verdict: it was good!
December 29, 2021
This was a very good fast paced thriller. It follows Dalton Black, a teenage actor who plays the role of a killer on TV. Soon, he realizes that the killer he played is stalking him. What does he want? Soon after, Dalton and his friends discover that the killer who was incarcerated and whom everyone thought to be guilty is actually innocent. Now, they team up with the guy in order to find out who the real killer is.
I love the characters especially Trinnie. That girl is a realll character 😂 i wish she ended up with Dalton though. They seemed really cool together. The novel is fast paced, the race to find the killer so perfectly written in Dalton's perspective. I like how the characters were so normal and real, typical teenagers. And the addition of them being drama geeks was awesome.
Dalton's parents were also quite interesting, the dad so interested in Dalton being an actor and the mom, being a lawyer always so careful. The twist towards the middle was shocking - the guy who all this while I thought was the murderer was not! Like how is that even possible? A whole new suspect began to emerge but tbh i still kept my eyes on the original killer.
Really loved the twist at the end because the real killer never came to my mind. I'd be so thrilled if there was a book 2! I want to read more on Dalton, his acting career and his wonderful friends 😍
Thanks to Alan Orloff for this ARC copy.
I love the characters especially Trinnie. That girl is a realll character 😂 i wish she ended up with Dalton though. They seemed really cool together. The novel is fast paced, the race to find the killer so perfectly written in Dalton's perspective. I like how the characters were so normal and real, typical teenagers. And the addition of them being drama geeks was awesome.
Dalton's parents were also quite interesting, the dad so interested in Dalton being an actor and the mom, being a lawyer always so careful. The twist towards the middle was shocking - the guy who all this while I thought was the murderer was not! Like how is that even possible? A whole new suspect began to emerge but tbh i still kept my eyes on the original killer.
Really loved the twist at the end because the real killer never came to my mind. I'd be so thrilled if there was a book 2! I want to read more on Dalton, his acting career and his wonderful friends 😍
Thanks to Alan Orloff for this ARC copy.
July 3, 2022
The theater kids in Alan S. Orloff's I PLAY ONE ON TV display courage and loyalty and commitment to justice. The youth give me hope. Yes, they are impulsive and take chances, teen-age brains are like that. Yes, they keep important problems secret from their parents, for fear of being kept from the activity they most love (a lesson to parents who want to keep communication open?) I was reminded of the time I told a principal about a student’s threat to me, one I didn’t think was serious, but I’d feel so stupid having to admit that if I were wrong. Tell someone you trust is a major life lesson. Don’t try to go it alone.
The fight on the catwalk, somewhere I’d never go, is memorable, a reminder of a student’s scene in JULIUS CAESAR, and would be terrific if this became a movie. (Listening, Netflix?) The fact that I’m still thinking of this book, days after finishing it
is an indicator of the substance of this book . . . much food for thought.
The fight on the catwalk, somewhere I’d never go, is memorable, a reminder of a student’s scene in JULIUS CAESAR, and would be terrific if this became a movie. (Listening, Netflix?) The fact that I’m still thinking of this book, days after finishing it
is an indicator of the substance of this book . . . much food for thought.
November 11, 2021
I loved this book!
I read it in one sitting. I loved the idea of the book - a young actor, Dalton Black, is playing the part of a real life murderer on a crime reenactment show. The murderer has been released and now someone is stalking Dalton. This was such an interesting twist on a story for me. The glimpse into the role of a young actor playing a teen killer, the excitement and risk that goes along with it. I was lured in right away and flipped through the pages to find out what was going to happen next. For me there were a couple story lines, Dalton and his friends trying to determine who is stalking him and why and the life of a young actor trying to make it. It brought up some ideas I had never considered. This is a pretty quick read as it is geared towards a younger audience (teen), but I definately enjoyed it.
I read it in one sitting. I loved the idea of the book - a young actor, Dalton Black, is playing the part of a real life murderer on a crime reenactment show. The murderer has been released and now someone is stalking Dalton. This was such an interesting twist on a story for me. The glimpse into the role of a young actor playing a teen killer, the excitement and risk that goes along with it. I was lured in right away and flipped through the pages to find out what was going to happen next. For me there were a couple story lines, Dalton and his friends trying to determine who is stalking him and why and the life of a young actor trying to make it. It brought up some ideas I had never considered. This is a pretty quick read as it is geared towards a younger audience (teen), but I definately enjoyed it.
July 19, 2021
Review is also on Read With Me (https://readwithme2018.com/2021/07/19...)
The blurb for I Play One On TV caught my interest when I read it. A teenage actor is compelled to look for the truth when the real-life killer contacts him. He and his friends must figure out if the real-life killer is innocent and, if he is, who killed the victim. That alone made me want to read the book.
The plotline for I Play One On TV was fast-paced. Once the book got going (it did take a chapter for the backstory to be explained), it took off and didn’t slow down. There was a little bit of lag in the middle of the book, but the author was able to get the book back on track.
The characters were well written and fleshed out. What I liked the most about these characters is that they were typical teenagers. Put aside the mystery, and they were typical band/chorus/drama geeks. I LOVED it.
The mystery angle of the book kept me guessing until the end. I thought I had the killer pegged until the author threw in that one last twist at the end of the book.
I Play One On TV is a well-written book that kept me guessing until the end. The characters were fleshed out, and I enjoyed reading it.
I would recommend I Played One On TV to anyone over the age of 13. There is mild violence and some mild language.
The blurb for I Play One On TV caught my interest when I read it. A teenage actor is compelled to look for the truth when the real-life killer contacts him. He and his friends must figure out if the real-life killer is innocent and, if he is, who killed the victim. That alone made me want to read the book.
The plotline for I Play One On TV was fast-paced. Once the book got going (it did take a chapter for the backstory to be explained), it took off and didn’t slow down. There was a little bit of lag in the middle of the book, but the author was able to get the book back on track.
The characters were well written and fleshed out. What I liked the most about these characters is that they were typical teenagers. Put aside the mystery, and they were typical band/chorus/drama geeks. I LOVED it.
The mystery angle of the book kept me guessing until the end. I thought I had the killer pegged until the author threw in that one last twist at the end of the book.
I Play One On TV is a well-written book that kept me guessing until the end. The characters were fleshed out, and I enjoyed reading it.
I would recommend I Played One On TV to anyone over the age of 13. There is mild violence and some mild language.
Read
January 20, 2023There is a good reason that "I Play One On TV" received an Agatha Award and an Anthony Award--it is a well-crafted story that will appeal to both young adults and those who are still young at heart. The characters and pacing are great. The plot is interesting and engaging. Warmth, humor, camaraderie and courage exist in this tight-knit group of drama students who come together to solve a murder and ensure justice prevails for the wrongly accused.
September 23, 2021
Excellent fast-paced YA thriller. Alan Orloff is a master of suspense.
January 27, 2023
I was at Bouchercon in Mpls. when this won.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews