When anthropology graduate student Blackwell James returns from the Amazon jungle with a trunk full of hallucinogenic vines, but no research notes, his life suddenly becomes a wild, high-octane tale of adventure, suspense, and intrigue.In an attempt to help Blackwell finish his elusive Ph.D., his professor and mentor secures a job for him in Los Angeles, a place he has never been, to work on a primate experiment - something he knows nothing about. And walking unarmed into the world of Hollywood proves to be even more dangerous for Blackwell than the Amazon.Caught up in the secret ambitions of his employers, Blackwell James? trip through a surreal world of movies and movie stars, murder, money, a secret society, a ghost town, two large chimpanzees, and several shamanistic drug-induced journeys makes The Graduate Student a riveting ride.