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The Hollywood Home Front Trilogy #1

All the Gin Joints: A novel of World War II Hollywood

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Luke Valenti has never fit into his swaggering family of overbearing loudmouths. Even worse, the world is at war again and Uncle Sam has stamped his draft notice “4-F” — the ultimate rejection — because of a rare eye condition that has left Luke unable to see colors. So instead, he dreams of escaping Brooklyn for the beaches of Montauk.

That is, until a stolen prop from The Maltese Falcon pitches him down a reluctant path to Hollywood. Luke is tasked with returning it to Warner Brothers, where Humphrey Bogart is about to embark on the movie that will launch his career into the stratosphere: Casablanca.

But the production is chaotic. Bogie is desperately unhappy in his marriage. Ingrid Bergman feels lost and alone. The script is constantly rewritten, and the overbearing director hates that damned song. Nobody thinks this movie will amount to anything—except the guy who sees in black and white. Finally, Luke has found his way in.

But studio stuntman Gus O’Farrell wants him out again: Luke has replaced him as the star’s stand-in, and Gus is having none of it. Bogie warns Luke to keep his friends close and his enemies closer. It’s great advice, but when a chance to reverse his 4-F status presents itself, Luke needs to learn that distinguishing friends from enemies can be a tricky business in a land where artifice blurs reality like murky shadows in a back alley.

From the author of the Hollywood’s Garden of Allah novels comes a story set against the making of one of the most beloved films of all time—and the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

434 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 19, 2021

74 people are currently reading
119 people want to read

About the author

Martin Turnbull

22 books241 followers
Martin Turnbull has worked as a private tour guide showing both locals and out-of-towners the movie studios, Beverly Hills mansions, Hollywood hills vistas and where all the bodies are buried. For nine years, he has also volunteered as an historical walking tour docent with the Los Angeles Conservancy. He worked for a summer as a guide at the Warner Bros. movie studios in Burbank showing movie fans through the sound stages where Bogie and Bacall, Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, and James Cagney created some of Hollywood’s classic motion pictures.

From an early age, Martin was enchanted with old movies from Hollywood’s golden era–from the dawn of the talkies in the late 1920s to the dusk of the studio system in the late 1950s–and has spent many, many a happy hour watching the likes of Garland, Gable, Crawford, Garbo, Grant, Miller, Kelly, Astaire, Rogers, Turner, Welles go through their paces.

When he discovered the wonderful world of biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs, his love of reading merged with his love of movies and his love of history to produce a three-headed hydra gobbling up everything in his path. Ever since then, he’s been on a mission to learn and share as much as he can about this unique time.

Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Martin moved to Los Angeles in the mid-90s.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
Profile Image for Cathy.
44 reviews1 follower
July 31, 2021
Cannot get enough of Martin Turnbull's Hollywood.
Profile Image for Dave Taylor.
Author 49 books36 followers
October 9, 2021
Regular guy Luke Valenti has grown up the runt of his manly, aggressive New York Italian-American family, obsessed with lighthouses and cinema. It's the 1940's and while World War II rages, Hollywood is producing some of its best movies against that backdrop. When Luke agrees to hand-deliver a purloined movie prop back to the Warner Bros studio lot in Southern California he's as surprised as anyone when he meets and becomes friends with Humphrey Bogart. Through Bogie, he is soon hobnobbing with Peter Lorre, Bette Davis, and a cast of other celebrities. His heart is with continuity girl Nell, however, if he can just avoid the jealous harassment of his on-set nemesis Gus...

There's lots to enjoy about All the Gin Joints, but be aware that it's "fanfic", a story based loosely on historical fact but generously sprinkled with fictional stories, encounters, dialog, and much more. Did Bogie and his wife Virginia Mayo befriend a guy named Luke in the way portrayed in the book? If that matters to you, then this might be the wrong genre and you should head to the history section instead. If you can cut author Turnbull some slack, however, it's a really fun read.
Profile Image for Kayleigh P.
372 reviews41 followers
May 21, 2023
A fun romp through Hollywood with Humphrey Bogart and friends during the filing of Casablanca and America entering WW2. Glitz and glamour galore. I’ve never read a book about the Hollywood Regency but apparently it’s a whole genre, and I’m so happy to have discovered it.

Bogie is a major player but the MC is a young man named Luke that Bogie hires as his assistant after Luke is compelled to move form Brooklyn to LA. There are multiple subplots, and I especially love the folks who lived with Luke at the boarding house and also Bette Davis!! The author knows his Old Hollywood and I was convinced how well researched the book was as I read it, but the author’s note added even more background.

This story was just a blast and I’m excited to read the rest of the trilogy.
68 reviews6 followers
September 21, 2021
My expectations were exceeded!

Having read Martin Turnbull’s previous books, I knew I was in for another Old Hollywood treat. But All the Gin Joints goes beyond the delicious stories woven into the Garden of Allah series. We get to sit on the set of the now classic Casablanca and listen to Bogart, Bergman, Lorre, and Greenstreet as they wind their way through filming and production. Leading us to it all is a regular Joe from Brooklyn who makes it feel as though we won a Modern Screen contest, with this fantasy as our prize. Getting a peek into the lives of such great screen legends, with such fly-on-the-wall dialogue, makes this book a must-read for Classic Hollywood buffs everywhere. I can’t wait to see what’s next from my favorite author!
Profile Image for Helen Robare.
813 reviews5 followers
August 6, 2021
A GREAT book! Martin Turnbull is the kind of writer/author that I love to read. Why? Because even though I wasn't too thrilled about the subject of this book, from the first paragraph I was hooked! I found the Garden of Allah series to be unique and very interesting. Because of the Garden of Allah series, I first heard about Alla Nazimova (which is surprising because my dad was born in 1910 and was an avid moviegoer from an early age and he never mentioned her.) I had heard of Irving Thalburg but didn't know much about him beyond what his stars had to say about him. Because of Martin Turnbull, I learned about Nazimova and Thalburg.

In the same vein, I learned a lot about Humphrey Bogart and his first marriage. Most of my information about Humphrey came from Lauren Bacall's autobiographies.

But enough about me. :)

This book was (as I said) very interesting from the first sentence to the last. The young man (Luke) is sent on a journey to California with one of the five Maltese Falcons that found its way out of the studio. It is Luke's duty to return the Falcon to the studio before they realized it was missing.

Along the way, Luke makes new friends and at least one enemy. He gets a girlfriend and the kindly old lady who knows the truth about Luke and who sent him to California dies. But it was a death for a good reason. It allowed Luke to put down new roots in CA.

If there is one complaint about this book, the two elderly ladies enter the book and then are taken out in different ways. Now, this might be because I'm a "lady of a certain age" myself but I LIKE reading about the elderly and my generation.

But other than that, the book was excellent. Although I think Luke is a contester for Superman because it seems like he can do anything and everything! However, the background information is given and the other characters cause this not to matter too much to me.

If you like/love stories about the golden age of Hollywood and getting to know the stars of that age, this book is for you. If you like stories where imaginary characters interact with those stars of the golden age, then this book is for you. If you like books that are a mixture of true history and made-up characters, then this book is definitely for YOU! (And so are all of Martin Turnbull's books!).
21 reviews
August 1, 2021
A wonderful book

This author is passionate and knowledgeable about this era of Hollywood and that shines out from the pages of his books. His Garden of Allah series of novels were a triumph and this is book one of a new trilogy.
It has relatable characters that are likeable, a great plot and a good sprinkling of Hollywood stardust. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait for the next book in the series
1,168 reviews6 followers
August 3, 2021
Martin Turnbull’s Garden of Allah series was the best and I was so sad when I finished the last book but this new book “All The Gin Joints” promises to be even better than the last series if that is possible. This book had me from page 1 and is true to the time period. I love the 1940s and this book transports the reader right into the thick of the action. Fights between the Bogarts and the goings on behind the scenes. How so like Hedda Hopper! Keep em coming!
5 reviews
August 15, 2021
Another wonderful read.

I am 82 and remember most of the actors and actresses you portray in your novels. They are really wonderful stories about interesting people. I am a real fan of “CASABLANCA” and now your story had induced me to watch the movie again with your views in mind. I started “ All the Gin Joints” and couldn’t,t put it down…it ended too soon. I am now waiting impatiently for your next Hollywood installment.
Profile Image for Sibyl Reagan.
29 reviews11 followers
July 24, 2021
Every time I think “it can’t be as good as the last”, it is. If you adored the cast of characters in the Garden of Allah series, you will ADORE this book. I hope this is not the last we will see of Luke and Nell!
14 reviews
August 3, 2021
Great story, great characters. Sad that it’s ended I need more stories like this
Profile Image for Ethel.
222 reviews4 followers
March 9, 2022
"A kiss is just a kiss," or is it. In this novel taking place in 1942 the reader is taken behind the scenes and is privy to much more than many of us would have known. Luke Valenti the character that holds the book together comes from a large Italian family...he is the "runt" of the litter (if I have to describe him, he reminds me of a young Frank Sinatra -- small, skinny kid). Requested to take a stolen prop back to Hollywood, he is "fortunate" to witness Hollywood films in the making. He is also (as luck would have it) fortunate to meet one of his idols, Humphrey Bogart. Yes the great Bogie! With Luke as the "glue" that holds the book together, we read pages of information we may never have known. "Casablanca" was one of Bogart's early films and one which is a classic. We read about his marriage of Mayo Methot, their rough and tumble relationship, the jealousies, the fights. Yet, more than that, we catch a glimpse of what it takes to make a movie, to perhaps witness the idiosyncrasies and habits of these larger than life celebrities.

Growing up in the 50's these stars were my fantasy as the movies they made kept me coming back for more. In reading this book, I can't imagine what my young mind would think if I really knew what was going on behind the scenes. Magazines I read ("Modern Screen," "Photoplay") only helped me fantasize these people. In reading this novel, I know I would have been dismayed, it would have crushed the glitz and glamour that entertained me through my teen years. However, now in this century, in the year 2022, we look at life more realistically. No, we're no longer phased about what we read, as if whatever these celebrities do changes our lives. Of course, the movie business is just that a business. It always was, we just didn't know. I'm being cynical, but life does that. Yet, when you read a book such as this, it takes you back to another time, when you idolized your favorite stars, and you think "I miss those years," those simpler days.

Turnbull gives you the opportunity to go back, for that I am happy. Happy for the nostalgia of those times and in my mind to be that young person who loved the glitz and the glamour. Bogart was 42 years old when he made "Casablanca" and much older when he made "Sabrina." I hesitate to think how he felt at that age making a film with Audrey Hepburn, that young, fresh faced girl, who could have been his daughter. So, Martin Turnbull, if you write about that, I will read it. I will read whatever you write, it's fascinating!
504 reviews10 followers
February 15, 2023
I am so glad that the author, Martin Turnbull went ahead and started a new series after completing this wonderful “Garden of Allah” series. Nothing beats historical fiction on the Golden Era in Hollywood for me! I adore these type of stories and this book was simply marvelous! This story introduces Humphrey Bogart and making of The Maltese Falcon to us while we travel on Luke Valenti’s cottontails throughout the book. I love how the author wove factual events into this historical fiction and made it so interesting to read. Such a worthy read. I’d give it more than 5 stars (10 if I could).

The story centers on this young man, Luke Valenti of the Valenti Construction company in New York who is routinely ignored by his family all of his life. He’s so unlike his brothers who are big and buff while he is skinny. His “auntie” (not by blood) adores him and would have him over as often as possible. It happens that one day, a Maltese Falcon prop from the movie was mailed to a friend of the auntie. The person who mailed it “supposedly” stole it from the studio and had a change of heart, begged them to bring it back. The auntie persuaded Luke to take a trip to Hollywood to return the prop. After several weeks of cajoling, he begrudgingly agreed to do it. He took the train to Hollywood. That’s where I’m going to stop and strongly encourage you to pick up the book to read and find out how Humphrey Bogart and Luke became friends and whether the Maltese falcon prop was successfully returned to the studios.
Profile Image for Debra Pawlak.
Author 9 books23 followers
November 3, 2023
I so enjoyed author Martin Turnbull's series on The Garden of Allah Hotel that I thought I'd give the Hollywood Home Front Series a whirl. Well, let me say this--I was not disappointed. After reading All the Gin Joints (Book #1), I could hardly wait to start Book #2, Thank Your Lucky Stars. The story focuses on a young Indiana girl named Nell Davenport who ran from South Bend straight to Hollywood where she landed a job at Warner Bros. Studio as a script continuity girl. There, she befriended a New Yorker by the name of Luke Valenti who was simply running an errand and had no intention of staying in Los Angeles. Of course, the errand had something to do with a mysterious Maltese Falcon movie prop and the story only gets better from there. Featuring several famous players like Humphrey Bogart, Sidney Greenstreet, and Peter Lorre, Nell is assigned to the filming of 'Casablanca'. Turnbull brings 1940s Hollywood alive against the backdrop of World War II and spins a fine story where famous people mingle with the not-so-famous. The book is well-written and well-researched and I highly recommend giving the series a try.
3 reviews
January 25, 2022
Takes you back to the glamour of old Hollywood!

Another excellent read from Martin Turnbull! As with each of his novels, the reader is transported to yesteryear, and the story weaves in details and personalities of some of our most beloved stars of the Golden Era. This engaging tale follows a young man that finds himself in Hollywood, his friendships with Bogie, Lorre, Bergman, Davis and other celebrities of the day, the iconic film 'Casablanca,' and the effects that WWII had on the industry and its players. I couldn't put it down - and now I want to go watch 'Casablanca!'
Profile Image for Kara Prem.
786 reviews7 followers
February 15, 2022
Main character Luke is the youngest son in a large Italian family and he doesn't feel that he fits in. It's WWII time and Luke is ineligible for service due to his colorblindness. His hope is to get work in a lighthouse. However, his godmother somewhat tricks him into delivering a movie prop back to Hollywood which leads him to a chance encounter with Humphrey Bogart, an unusual group of fellow residents in a boarding house, a young woman that he falls in love with and a few unsavory characters, one who never redeems himself. Totally enjoyable novel.
Profile Image for Shannon.
26 reviews
April 23, 2023
A winner

A wonderful story with well defined (and written) characters. World War II and its Hollywood history make for a wonderfully intense story. I have never been disappointed by one of Martin Turnbull's novels. He's a meticulous researcher of the time periods/eras he writes his characters into. He knows his Hollywood history inside/out. My suggestion is buy and read all of his books. I waited for the 3rd book in this current series to drop before I read book 1. Had to! The characters he creates are so addictive!! Thank you Martin Turnbull!
93 reviews
January 4, 2022
Turnball can spin a yarn like nobody can! I swear he has eavesdropped on every celebrity from 1925 on that has ever made a movie. Which makes Turnball about 125 years old! But that is how alive and vibrant his characters become. This is a helluva read. Indulge yourself and fall in love with good writing once again.
2 reviews1 follower
February 12, 2022
OK story, dialog needs work

I’ve read all the Garden of Allah books, and while I thought the dialog was a bit off on those as well, the overall story,the setting, timeframe and characters kept me going. I’ve also read the other standalone books, which I liked to varying degrees. this one is my least favorite unfortunately.
Profile Image for Neil Fidler.
25 reviews
March 10, 2023
Anything with Bogie and Brooklyn!

A delightful romp through early WWII Hollywood and the filming of one of the greatest movies ever made. This novel has just about everything I love including Golden-era Hollywood w/ Bogie,, the Brooklyn Dodgers/Ebbets Field and the US Navy! Well done Mr. Turnbull!
9 reviews
December 28, 2024
His books are always good reads

I’ve liked reading Martin Turnbull’s books a lot. They’re very informative about old Hollywood and also a lot of fun. His characters are always interesting to follow and I’m glad this is another series of books. I have the next book in this series already and plan to start it today.
25 reviews1 follower
October 28, 2021
Another MUST read

Martin pens another home run with All the Gin Joints!
His attention to detail and historical accuracy make you that you are/were there.
Can't wait for the next two books
Profile Image for Libby.
125 reviews
November 13, 2021
Wonderful Book

I really loved this book and am looking forward to the next part. Martin Turnbull makes old Hollywood come alive. Not only is the story enjoyable but there's some interesting history mixed in. Another winner for Martin Turnbull!
3 reviews
January 22, 2022
Grabs you from the start

I love Mr. Turnbull's books and have read all of them. Every one of them hooks you at the start and keeps you hooked until the very end. Can't wait until his next one.
Profile Image for Gina l Frye.
4 reviews
April 29, 2022
Amazing

Can't wait for the next book! A wonderful time machine that drops you in a fantastic time in history with fascinating characters that you mourn the loss of them when the book is over. We are blessed to have Martin Turnbull to be our tour guide!
Profile Image for Mindy.
17 reviews
May 22, 2022
Loved every minute ❤️

Another amazing book from Martin Turnbull! I've read every book he's written multiple times and can't wait for the next one. He manages to make you feel like you're there in the middle of the Hollywood excitement.
22 reviews
February 17, 2024
Beginning of Another Literary Obsession

There is so much Old Hollywood in this story that I often found myself sidetracked into researching names, places and events throughout the book.

So much fun!
23 reviews
April 11, 2024
An Unusual and Fascinating Plot

It is almost impossible to believe that this story is fiction. For much of the novel it was hard to tell which way the plot was headed. The characters seem real and relatable, the history involved tracks real. I was sorry to see the book end.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews

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