Book Reviews

A Review of James Ellroy's L.A. Confidential, by Roger Cave

For those of you that have seen the film L.A. Confidential with Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey, and Kim Basinger, then James Ellroy's book is definitely for you.

Let's start with the writing, before we move on to why you have to consider this book a must read. Elloy's style is sharp, punchy, and definitely hard edged. He keeps the storyline racing along at quite a pace, bringing the characters in and out of the storyline like a Grand Master at chess. As for its comparison to the film, there isn't one. The book is far superior as you delve into the lives of each and every one of the characters. This allows you to understand why they are what they are, as it immerses you into the seedy underworld of 1950s Hollywood. Yes, at times, the books pace and style can make it difficult to follow, however, this all leads to the feel of the era. The characters are beautifully drawn, slotting into their world seamlessly and interacting with one another in a flawless fashion. It truly is a joy to behold.

Of course, we mainly focus on the life of Edmund Exley, who comes from a wealthy background and is a member of the Hollywood police. He left the Marines, after the war, as a decorated hero, but all is not as it seems. He's constantly hiding himself from others and has to use his sharp wits to gain his placing on the ladder. He is so ambitious and, due to his failings, has to use all his slyness to advance his career.

His chances come with Bloody Christmas and then the infamous Night Owl murders. He schemes and plots his way from a uniformed officer to Lieutenant, but makes enemies of most of the force, including the unstable Buddy White and the smooth Vincennes. He's hated, but respected. So far, not too different from the film, I hear you say. This is where things change.

Now, I don't want to give too much away, but what does Sid Hugden's of Hush Hush magazine have on Vincennes? What is Pierce Pratchett really involved in? What have the mob got to do with everything that is going on? What has Exley's father been up to? Why is an old case that his father worked on so important? The story constantly intertwines and then unravels in a joyous fashion. More and more questions are asked of the reader, with little being revealed as to what's going on. It really is a story of who has dirt on who, and how will they use it. Everyone is interlinked and considering the massive scope of the book it's quite a skill to bring it all back together again for the end.

The book has such a great set of back-stories and such a depth, that you just have to dive in and keep reading. For anyone interested in 1950s Hollywood and wants a sensational crime story, you really will not get any better.

In summary, it's quite nearly perfect!

By Roger Cave, July 2009

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