There's Only One Sin in Hollywood: A Novel

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2026 by Electric Literature, CrimeReads, The Nerd Daily, Queerty, She Reads, and more!

A cinematic, razor-sharp novel following a backlot fixer’s daring investigation into the suspicious death of a closeted Black actor within the glamorous world of Hollywood

“Deliciously witty… There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood is a quintessential Hollywood novel and an LA classic for our times." —Laura Warrell, author of Sweet, Soft, Plenty, Rhythm

Xavier C. Barlow, one of Hollywood’s young Black stars taking the industry by storm in the late 1950s, is Skyline Studios’s ambitious attempt to rival Sidney Poitier. His arrival into the industry is calculated, his charm is magnetic, and his seductive screen presence appeals to both audiences and celebrities across generations.

But years later, after Xavier dies at the height of his fame, Aaron Touissant—Skyline’s designated backlot fixer who helps the studio’s stars stay as deep in the closet as humanly possible—is finally ready to expose the powerful culprits responsible for his untimely death.

Written from Aaron's panoramic lens, There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood is a searing portrait of the movie industry as a manicured minefield and a compelling journey into the queer history of Los Angeles.