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Most Helpful Reviews
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Liked It “Excellent. Rarely disappoints, spot on vernacular, great interwoven plot lines and characters.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “THe language was a bit Greek to me as the content had a great deal of "police-talk" which I was not familiar with.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“It was kinda of strange to tell the truth, but good”
Kathy H wrote this review 12 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Excellent. Rarely disappoints, spot on vernacular, great interwoven plot lines and characters.”
Philip M wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“It is written in a rather...'did this, then that' sort of way. But once it hooks you, it is hard to put down. It is dark and disturbing, really revealing the ugly underbelly of LA during the 40s. The language is rough and the whole city was corrupt..bordering on evil. It is a sadly true glimpse at a very immoral time in history. I like true crime/mystery so I like it pretty well, but it is very dark. I gave it only 3 stars...I liked the writing style and it is riveting at times. I like that he 'solves' the murder mystery and that the loose ends are tied up, but it seems like toward the end, it went on forever! If you love gritty true crime fiction, then this is the book for you. It was also interesting when you think that the author's mother was raped and murdered when he was a child. ”
Sheila P wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“THe language was a bit Greek to me as the content had a great deal of "police-talk" which I was not familiar with. ”
Boots S wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“One of the only "Mystery" books I've ever read. A well constructed plot built around the real life murder of the Black Dahlia. Read the book skip the movie.”
Davy M wrote this review 4 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“BOA YOUNG WOMAN WHO ARRIVES IN HOLLYWOOD LOOKING FOR STARDOM AND ROMANCE AND FINDS ONLY PROSTITUTION PORNOGRAPHY, AND DEATH. TO TRY DOWN HER KILLER, POLICE DETECTIVE BUCKY BLEICHERT MUST PIECE TOGETHER THE FINAL DAYS OF HER LIFE, AN ACT OF RECOVERY THAT BRINGS HIM TO CONFRONT NOT JUST POWERFUL FIGURES FROM THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND BUSINESS COMMUNITIES, BUT ALSO HIS OWN BARELY SUPPRESSED DEMONS.
Rei wrote this review Friday, October 30 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
LATER BLEICHERT'S DICOVERY OF THE MURDER "SCENE" IN A BUILDING THAT, QUITE LITERALLY, SUPPORTS PART OF THE FAMOUS HOLLYWOOD SIGN BRINGS TOGETHER THE NOVEL'S PRIMARY AREAS OF CONCERN: PORNOGRAPHY, SPECTACLE AND THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. JUST AS THE REBUILDING OF LOS ANGELES IN THE POST-SECOND WORLD WAR ERA INVOLEVES PHYSICALLY SCARRING THE LANDSCAPE FOR PROFIT, THE SPECTACULAR CUTTING OF ELIZABETH SHORT IS LINKED TO THE COMMERCIAL AMBITIONS OF A SEXUALLY DEVIANT PROPERTY DEVELOPER. IN ALL OF THIS, UNLIKE RAYMOND CHANDLER'S ARCHETYPAL DETECTIVE, BLEICHERT CANNONT REMAIN EMOTIONALLY AND SEXUALLY DETACHED: HIS OWN OBSESSION WITH THE MURDERED WOMAN RUINS BOTH HIS MARRIAGE AND HIS PROMISING CAREER. THE SCENE WHERE HE LURES A PROSTITUTE BACK TO A MOTEL ROOM LITTERED WITH PHOTOGRAPHS OF ELIZABETH SHOR'S HORRIBLY MUTILATED CORPSE AND FORCES THE TERRIFIED WOMAN TO DRESS UP AS THE BLACK DAHLIA IS AS DISTURBING AS IT IS EFFECTIVE. THOUGH THE KILLER IS EVENTUALLY REVEALED, IT IS THE SUPERSTURATION OF TVIOLENCE, SEXUAL DEPRAVITY, AND CORRUPTION THAT ENDURES. APOK NOTES:
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“The darkest of crime fiction, written so well and perceptively that it transcends the genre.”
Sweet Ol' Bob wrote this review Monday, October 19 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
1 of 1 members found this review helpful“it's true that Ellroy is near the top of the list as far as modern hardboiled detective scribes are concerned. The problem is, I had read this book sandwiched between Chandlers and it really started to mottle the shine of this book, sadly. Also doing it a disservice is the film.”
Raz wrote this review Saturday, October 10 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Interesting book. While it is fiction, it weaves in a lot of facts from this period of time. ”
Dianne K wrote this review Thursday, September 17 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“A book much different than one I have ever read before. A book that reminds that we can be challenged at all levels. :)”
Miss Becerra wrote this review Monday, September 21 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
