There's Only One Sin in Hollywood - Hardcover

Newson, Rasheed

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1250406145 ISBN 13: 9781250406149

Publisher: Flatiron Books, 2026

Synopsis

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, from the bestselling author of My Government Means to Kill Me

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's burgeoning success. 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 as part-confessional, part-cris de coeur 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.

About this title

About the Author

Rasheed Newson is the author of the bestselling novel My Government Means to Kill Me, which was a Lambda Literary finalist and a New York Times Notable Book. He is also a film and television writer (Bel-Air, The Chi, and Narcos). He currently resides in Pasadena, California with his husband, two children, and their dog, Gigi.

Edition details

• Publisher: Flatiron Books
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1250406145
• ISBN 13: 9781250406149
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 304