Review: Serialized

I'm a sucker for movies about authors. I don't think I've ever seen a single one that accurately depicts what an author or an author's life is really like, but I can't resist them.

Serialized, recently added to the Amazon Prime lineup, is, for the most part, an exception to my observation.

Everything the movie has to say about authors and publishers, critics and agents rings as true as the coffee mugs and tee shirts mystery writers love. You know, those emblazoned with phrases like, I'm a mystery writer. I kill those who piss me off.

All that aside, Serialized is a mystery thriller starring Vanessa Ray, whom you may know as Officer Eddie Janko on Blue Bloods, as the author.

Adam Korson, a familiar face in guest roles on many popular series, is the police detective. Tara Spencer-Nairn, a regular on The Listener and DeGrassi: The Next Generation, is the BFF with her own agenda. Tyler Hynes portrays the sleazy ex-husband, and Meghan Heffern is the ex-hubby's new wife.

Directed by Michel Poulette from a script by Doug Barber and James Phillips, Serialized was released in 2016 under the title Best-Selling Murder.

What's It About?


After getting dropped by her publisher, novelist Hannah Ryan blazess through the first chapter of a new work in which she has the protagonist murder her publisher.

Her BFF talks her into publishing it online as a subscription serial with a new chapter each week.

No sooner than subscriptions start rolling in than her publisher in real life is found real dead.

Each chapter that follows has Hannah killing off her enemies in her personal and professional life. To her horror, a serial killer follows suit in real life.

Watch the trailer for Serialized.

My Take

The writers had to have walked in a mid-list author's shoes more than a few miles! Everything they have to say about the vagaries of being an author rings true.

Yes, publishers revenues are down. Yes, erotica and vampire books kept the lights on at many a print publisher. Yes, publishers and other industry professionals only want you if you're raking in the big bucks. And, yes, authors have turned to online sales to try to make a living.

True to an author's publishing life, this is a movie with a well-formed plot with interesting characters--especially a likable heroine and hero.

A believable romance blooms between Hannah and the cop, and the mystery is fleshed out nicely. I must say I was surprised by the identity of the killer. Well-written, well-acted, and entertaining.

Takeaway Truth

Whether you're an author or a devoted mystery reader, Serialized will entertain you and may keep you guessing about the identity of the murderer.