Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frames | 2008 | Loren D. Estleman | Buy |
| 2 | Alone | 2009 | Loren D. Estleman | Buy |
| 3 | Alive! | 2013 | Loren D. Estleman | Buy |
| 4 | Shoot | 2016 | Loren D. Estleman | Buy |
| 5 | Brazen | 2016 | Loren D. Estleman | Buy |
| 6 | Indigo | 2020 | Loren D. Estleman | Buy |
| 7 | Vamp | 2023 | Loren D. Estleman | Buy |
The Valentino series is Loren D. Estleman’s lighter mystery offering, centered on a film archivist at UCLA who keeps stumbling across dead bodies while searching for lost movies. The first book, Frames (2008), introduces Valentino as he buys a derelict movie theater and finds a skeleton during renovations. The series mixes classic Hollywood lore with modern murder investigations.
With seven books from Frames through Vamp (2023), the series has a more playful tone than Estleman’s hardboiled Amos Walker novels. Valentino’s passion for film history drives each plot, whether he is tracking down a missing Erich von Stroheim film or investigating a death on a movie set. The books appeal to mystery readers who also enjoy old Hollywood trivia and the culture of film preservation.