The L.A. Novelist Who Doesn’t Get Her Due
Jackie Collins wrote flashy Hollywood thrillers, but isn’t often thought of as a canonical Los Angeles writer.
The Atlantic's Sophie Gilbert shines a light on a lesser-known Los Angeles novelist, Jackie Collins, whose works have often been overlooked in favor of more celebrated city writers. Collins penned provocative 1980s thrillers featuring scheming Hollywood insiders, long before reality television made such stories commonplace. Gilbert's article reveals Collins' deep connection to the city she portrayed, noting how her novels captured the glamour and darkness of Beverly Hills, a place she knew intimately despite living just outside its elite confines.
Her insight reveals that Collins was an insider who observed the city's complexities, chronicling a Hollywood before it became synonymous with brand-activation and AI-drafted emails. In doing so, she revealed the city's ever-evolving literary landscape, where today's best sellers still grapple with the same themes of fame, power, and degradation that Collins masterfully explored decades ago.
Written by urgent.news from The Atlantic's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
