Customer Reviews
A superb storyteller 
2008-04-24
Lolita Files is one of my favorite authors. She is an excellent writer, and her stories are very entertaining. Also, she creates believable characters. And if it wasn't for all those reasons, I would have hated this book. In the beginning, the story is so gripping and funny. Then at some point, it's no longer funny because of immoral acts committed. And then when you reach the end, you are left hanging. I wanted to rip this book into pieces. Such a disappointing ending, but I'm glad I read it.
Crazy, Just Crazy 
2007-08-16
This book is...I don't even know what to call it. It's truly is horrible for the first 100 pages. It's nothing like you've ever read or ever would expect from Lolita Files. I bought it (for like a quarter) despite all the bad reviews cause I just had to see for myself. Besides I usually like different stuff anyway. But as I was reading it, I couldn't believe this was the same author who wrote Child of God. BUT WAIT, HERE'S THE CRAZY PART, after about the 100th page, this novel gets insanely good! I mean it gets AMAZINGLY good!!! So if you can hang in there for that long (and the first part is terrible) then this is a really good story. I don't know what was going on with Miss Files when she penned this one, but it's definitely a bittersweet achievement.
Suckers Always Pay For Beauty----One Way or Another 2007-08-05
Regarding sex in literature, I try not to be prudish in my sensibilities, but I have sometimes been offended by "filth"--openly self-serving, very often freakish, and explicit sex--which serves no literary function other than as TNA & DNA pornography written in a "blue" language--used only for the sake of selling books to lonely, sexually unfulfilled, mostly middle-class women. Most such books are terribly written by wanna-be and talentless writers. A few have real talent, but are still manipulative seekers of mass-market suckers.
Intrigued by the wide disparity of reviews expressed (hated-it/loved-it) for Lolita Files novel SEX.LIES.MURDER.FAME I decided to read it for myself and form my own opinion. Here it is: I think this novel was excellent!! Yes, the sex was raunchy and explicit, but it is exactly this which pimps, sexual predators, and sociopaths use to manipulate and/or degrade women--women they hate--and think are stupid. The novel's protaganist, Penn, is a sociopath, or as we old-schoolers would say, a psychopath. (A book which I correspondingly recommend for reading is THE SOCIOPATH NEXT DOOR.) Sociopaths are always CHARMING PEOPLE!!! Sometimes with very high IQ's. But god help those who live next door or who fall under the spell of the "pretty boys" ala Ted Bundy.
Lesson to be learned??? Plain men who get a "pretty girl" will certainly lose their money (perhaps, like Russell Simmons.) But plain or pretty women who get "pretty boys" may lose their lives.
I appreciated the wit and intelligence of Lolita Files in SLMF, particularly the way she used literary and philosophical theories and appropriate quotes as examples of character. Had some of the language and sex been less "blue" and more implied, it might be perceived as a masterwork of literature. Even so, I enjoyed the book, and read selected passages (sans some of the blue notes) to my 22 year old and very religious daughter. Because women--all women--need to hear and know such things--things which are much more effective (Straight,no chaser) when told by other women. I say, Thanks, to Lolita Files.
From a Black Man, a Black Father, and a reader.
Um....well... 2007-07-20
I don't want to say it was a bad book. Ms. Files has once again demonstrated her command of the written word, but the story was just overall a dark comedy, if I could call it that. Some parts were funny, and the ending, I wanted-if I could borrow a term from one reviewer-closure. All matters resolved. I got to the end and was like, 'okaay, now what?' If you're looking for her usual sistah-girl lit, you won't find it here. A great departure (not her first) but her talents as a writer still keep me as a fan.
Shocking, funny, sexy 2007-04-11
I've been a Lolita Files since day one, but was leary of this book because of the title. So unlike "Scenes From A Sistah" and "Getting To The Good Part." I generally don't read books with the word sex in the title because I want to get more out of book than that. The first chapter of this book was just a little too much Beryl, but I guess Ms Files felt like we needed a solid understanding of Beryl and she was right. Though this book is unlike her others (along with Child Of God)I thought it was an excellent page turner and was amazed that the woman who wrote "Scenes From A Sistah" could flip the entire script and invent these characters and add them to paper. Lolita Files is a SERIOUS talent who can write damn near anything you're interested in reading and I hope that this show of skills leads to bigger and better things for her. You go, girl!!!
Disappointed! 
2007-01-12
I consider myself a true fan of Ms Lolita Files, I have been following her career since Scenes from a Sistah and for her to release something like this is disappointing. I haven't even finished the book, because I have yet to understand what it's about. If she released another book I wouldn't hesitate to buy it because I know her talent, she just slipped up on this one.
Library book! 
2006-11-16
I do not like the fact that my book was a library book. If that was the case, I would have went to my own library and got the book. I do like the book but I don't like all the labeling over it. I had to take off stickers from the book!
Difficult to follow 2006-10-30
I thought the theme of the book was interesting, but the book had too much going on. It had too many characters and the plot was EXTREMELY far out there. The graphic nature of Penn's behavior is sickening. I read another reviewer say that she understood why he was so cruel. I would have to disagree. There is no justification for him being such an arrogant maniac. Also with the technological advances of forensics today wouldn't the police be able to track him down ? The language was a challenge which I liked, but I would not recommend this a read for those who want a "light" read. Too heavy for me :|
Was this supposed to be funny??? 2006-10-03
If so then it deserves 5 stars and all the praise some of the other reviewers gave it. If not then I can only, in good conscience give it 3 stars...and maybe that is being generous. It said on the back flap that this was supposed to be a satire, a satire of what I am not sure though. I enjoyed this book up until about half way through when it just became so preposterous that I kept finding myself laying it down to have a good laugh. Everything about the second half of this book was utterly ridiculous and had the feel as though it was written by someone who does not live in the real world. Also the ending, in my opinion, left a lot to be desired. There were many questions left unanswered and no real feeling of closure.
`SEX.LIES.MURDER.FAME' is the first book by Lolita Files that I have read but despite my particular distaste for this book I do plan to pick up some of her previous works as I hear they are supposed to be very good. The one saving grace for `SEX.LIES.MURDER.FAME' was the prose, Lolita Files is obviously a talented writer who should stick with story lines based somewhat in reality.
Lolita Files has veered into another direction. 2006-08-02
"Sex. Lies. Murder. Fame." is Lolita Files sixth book and she has written a book that mainstream readers might not be hesitate enough to pick up. Lolita Files' writing style really reaches out to you and leads you along the journey of a story that's full of the drama, the sex, the lies, the Life we might all dream of living and love to read about.
Yes, It starts out slow (as many others has said here), introducing you to the key players on their likes, dislikes, annoyances, schemes, plots, secrets, greed and their quirks. This story picks up about 1/3 of the way into the book with full force. Each character is described with so much depth and precision you either love them, feel sorry for them, hate them, envy them or want to be them!, but I wouldn't go that far.
This book consist of Beryl Unger, who's an editor you need if you want to be a best selling author. Sharlyn Tate, her only friend, and is the best selling author of romance novels and who is also neglected by her husband. And of course Penn Hamilton, who is young, handsome, a brilliant writer, just looking for a break and fame. I fully agree with one reviewer who stated "was it necessary to keep repeating over and over how unattractive Beryl was" - that I felt was definitely insensitive, but I guess this is the world we live in fiction or nonfiction.
If you are looking for something challenging as well as entertaining, then you will find what you are looking for here. Lolita Files has created a great story line, a juicy plot and an addictive read. She has shown us so many different parts of herself as a writer and this recent book prove it.
