At nearly 70,000 words and a work of fiction based on true events, Sunset Downs is a glimpse into the lives of a handful of characters heavily involved in the hard rock music scene of Hollywood, California, from 1984 to 1986. Told from multiple perspectives, the novel focuses its attention on the fans rather than the bands, although there are cameos by groups such as Guns N’ Roses and Poison who discovered fame during this era. 

Sunset Downs paints a vivid picture of nights in Los Angeles from the foothills of the San Fernando Valley to the alleys of Hollywood to the Sunset Strip itself, following those frequenting clubs such as the Troubadour and Whisky a Go-Go weekend after weekend to watch the bands they love take the stage. One of the youngest on the scene, Paul provides the only first-person account of the proceedings, pondering his place in the world throughout his time in high school, slowly becoming disenchanted by the mystique of the scene, seeing more dead ends than success stories. 

The book explores a loss of innocence amid the raucous crowds seeking an escape each weekend and casts darkness on the brilliant spectacle of the lights bathing the revelers in those Hollywood nights.