| CLANDESTINE is the second novel, published in 1982, of James Ellroy.
In 1951, Fred Underhill is a talented young cop of the L.A.P.D. who believes to have found a serial killer. He asks police lieutenant Dudley Smith for help and soon will discover the evil side of Smith, a sadistic cop ready to do anything to arrest vicious killers. After having left the L.A.P.D., Underhill begins a redemptive trip which will last four years, until the day his past will knock at his door again. Recommended | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - Dry-cynical How difficult to spot villain? - Difficult, but some clues given Time/era of story: Misc. Murder Plotlets - "All in the family" murder What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 70% Kind of investigator Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Any non-mystery subplot? descript. of violence and chases - 20 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20 % Crime Thriller Yes Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 40's-50's Profession/status: Eccentric: Yes Motive of antagonist - power How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters Setting United States Yes The US: - Midwest - California City? Yes City: - Los Angeles Small town? Yes Small town people: - hostile, like Gomer Pyle on steroids Misc setting - resort/hotel Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - very gorey references to deaths/dead bodies and torture Explicit sex in book? Yes What kind of sex: - descript of kissing - lesbians! - actual description of sex - descript. of breasts - descript. of other female areas - descript. of male nudity - homosexuals doing their thing - rape (yeech!) Unusual forms of death - poisoning - perforation--bullets - perforation--swords/knives Unusual form of death? Yes Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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