John wrote:
> I'd suggest picking up THE BLACK DAHLIA, which
although part of the L.A.
> quartet, stands alone, as do all of the 4 really.
It's a good example of
> everything the guy does well, along with all his
excesses. One can pretty
> much decide how one will feel about Ellroy from
that.
>
> Check that. THE BIG NOWHERE is probably better as a
whole.
I'd go as far to say that Ellroy's L. A. Quartet should be
required reading for any hardboiled fan, but it you only read
one of the four, I'd opt for the Black Dahlia over the Big
Nowhere. From my POV it had a tighter narrative and was more
accessible than the Big Nowhere. Also, it's the first
chronologically. (althoughs not technically a series)
I'm not a huge fan of series either, but Stark's Parker
series is great (and the first, Payback, is a classic). And
you'd be doing yourself a disservice to overlook Willeford's
Hoke Mosely series. And on a slightly more obscure note, the
Matt Helm books are also great, as nasty as the Dean Martin
movies are not.
Brad
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