There's Only One Sin in Hollywood

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2026 by Electric Literature, CrimeReads, The Nerd Daily, Queerty, She Reads, and more!

"A compelling journey into the queer history of LA while also giving us a heartfelt story of a man on a mission." --Parade

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.

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. 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 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.

Rasheed Newson is the author of the national bestseller My Government Means to Kill Me, which was selected as a Lambda Literary finalist for Gay Fiction and was named one of the "100 Notable Books of 2022" by The New York Times. He is also a television drama writer, producer, and showrunner. He codeveloped Bel-Air and worked on The Chi, Animal Kingdom, and Narcos, among other drama series. Newson is a 2025-26 American Library in Paris Visiting Fellow. He currently lives with his husband and their two children in Pasadena.