Read several years ago, and only vaguely remember this. ( )

Yes, I'm giving this book a full 5 star review. This is nothing literary or though provoking, but it's pure entertainment and I was entertained. It has all the whores, drugs, murder, and shitbags you can get in a 1950's set crime noir book. Los Angeles, Walt Disney, and Veronica Lake look-a-like prostitutes.

I've only seen the movie to this, so I can't judge the other books pat of the L.A. Quartet. I can say if you watched the movie, you should be able to read this book without any issues. I'd like to read the other books now to see if there are any connections and why this is a series.

SPOILER TIME!: (For people who watched the movie and read the book.)

One of the dramatic changes from the book and movie is the ending. The movie with a shocker that the head cop was the murderer. I still get surprised watching the movie, but maybe after reading the book I'll pick up stuff. In the books there is a ton of Disney references that were obviously cut from the film. While I can see why they were cut, I'd like to see an adaptation where they aren't cut because it's a big plot from the book.

The only complaint I have are the newspaper clippings sections. They are very much needed in the book, but a the same time they make things confusing for the readers. It goes back and forth with a narrative style to a newspaper style. I do like Ellroys writing style for the crime genre. If this wasn't crime, I think I'd get annoyed with the writing. ( )

Yikes. Too much cop cant. Too much crook cant. Too much Hollywood cant. Too much dialogue. Can't take it past page 30. Sorry. ( )

You've got to be kidding me: the endlessly complicated whodunnit hinges on one gigantic case of coincidence and mistaken identity? BOOOOOOOOOO.

There were redeeming things about this book, but I unenjoyed reading it too much to focus on them. FINITO! ( )

A set of twists and turns through the landscape of the underworld of L.A. This is another fine novel in James Ellroy's L.A Quartet and is different enough from the movie (which I viewed previously) to entice and bring the reader along for the wild ride. The plot is unpredictable and the characters are somewhat stoic in their bearing, possessing the attributes that are generally known in crime fiction. Nevertheless, there is much to like here and I felt fully engaged for the duration of the novel.

4 stars. ( )