| Set in post-war Los Angeles (1947-1949), _The Black Dahlia_ centers on the partnership of two former prizefighters -- narrator Bucky Bleichert and Lee Blanchard -- who are now officers with the LAPD. The sex murder of a young woman, found sliced in half, sends the two on a mission not only to break the case but to deal with corruption, racism and abuse among their fellow cops, and face their own pasts and their somewhat complicated and grubby personal codes. This excellent noir police thriller would become the first part of Ellroy's superb, gritty and profane "LA quartet," to be followed by _The Big Nowhere_, _L.A. Confidential_, and _White Jazz_. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - Dry-cynical - How difficult to spot villain? - Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues Time/era of story: Spying/Terrorism Thriller Yes Cloak & Dagger Plotlets: Misc. Murder Plotlets - - What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 30% Kind of investigator Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Crime Thriller Yes Who's the terrorist enemy here? Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes General Crime (including known murderer) Yes Who's the criminal enemy here? - finding a known killer Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Main Adversary How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting United States Yes The US: - Northeast - West - California The Americas (not US): Yes The Americas: - Mexico City? Yes City: - Los Angeles - dangerous Small town? Yes Misc setting - resort/hotel - fancy mansion Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - very gorey descriptions deaths/dead bodies Explicit sex in book? Yes What kind of sex: - descript of kissing - touching of anatomy - lesbians! - actual description of sex Unusual forms of death - asphyxiation - rough sex - perforation--bullets - blunt clubbing (like seals) Unusual form of death? Yes Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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