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Dead Extra
The early forties have been a tough time for Jack Chesley. His plane was shot down over Germany and he spent two years in a brutal POW camp. During that time, his wife fell in the tub and died.
Prior to her death, the early forties were even tougher for Jack’s wife, Wilma. After Jack was mistakenly presumed dead, she went on a bender that ended with her wrongful commitment to the Camarillo State Psychiatric Hospital. While there, she took up with an alcoholic socialite, a junkie pianist, and a shady hospital employee who promised her a way out. Only that way out set her on the path to the end of her road.
Now Jack’s back in Los Angeles. His sister-in-law and Wilma’s twin, Gertie, hunts him down to tell him Wilma’s death was no she was murdered. Gertie’s first efforts to find the truth earned her a bullet to the collarbone. But that doesn’t mean Gertie is ready to give up. She knows the right places to look and the right people to ask. She needs Jack, who was a cop for a short time before the war, to stick his nose into these places and ask these questions so that, together, they can figure out who killed Wilma, and why.
Dead Extra follows the parallel storylines of Wilma in the months before her murder in 1944 and Jack and Gertie’s search for the killer in 1946. Their adventures carry them through Hollywood’s second-tier studios, nearby psychiatric hospitals, Pasadena mansions, downtown jazz clubs, and one seriously sleazy motor court in Oxnard.
Taking its cues from early noir masters like James M. Cain and Raymond Chandler as well as contemporary neo-noir writers like Walter Mosley and Megan Abbott, Dead Extra explores new shadows on the seedy side of midcentury Southern California.
Prior to her death, the early forties were even tougher for Jack’s wife, Wilma. After Jack was mistakenly presumed dead, she went on a bender that ended with her wrongful commitment to the Camarillo State Psychiatric Hospital. While there, she took up with an alcoholic socialite, a junkie pianist, and a shady hospital employee who promised her a way out. Only that way out set her on the path to the end of her road.
Now Jack’s back in Los Angeles. His sister-in-law and Wilma’s twin, Gertie, hunts him down to tell him Wilma’s death was no she was murdered. Gertie’s first efforts to find the truth earned her a bullet to the collarbone. But that doesn’t mean Gertie is ready to give up. She knows the right places to look and the right people to ask. She needs Jack, who was a cop for a short time before the war, to stick his nose into these places and ask these questions so that, together, they can figure out who killed Wilma, and why.
Dead Extra follows the parallel storylines of Wilma in the months before her murder in 1944 and Jack and Gertie’s search for the killer in 1946. Their adventures carry them through Hollywood’s second-tier studios, nearby psychiatric hospitals, Pasadena mansions, downtown jazz clubs, and one seriously sleazy motor court in Oxnard.
Taking its cues from early noir masters like James M. Cain and Raymond Chandler as well as contemporary neo-noir writers like Walter Mosley and Megan Abbott, Dead Extra explores new shadows on the seedy side of midcentury Southern California.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published May 14, 2019
5 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 8, 2019
A strong, straight-up L.A. noir crime novel that's set in the 1940s but written by a modern man who brings a more authentic and realistic-- and therefore more enjoyable-- portrayal of women than in any of the vintage noir classics. A terrific read that would make a terrific movie (or TV series).
March 31, 2020
Characters, plot, surprise - it has it all
This was one of those that just popped up when I was looking for a new ebook. Sounded interesting, and the few sample pages were pretty good, so I tried it. I really enjoyed it. Jack is recently back from Germany and the dead. He'd been shot down and the USAF thought he'd died along with the rest of the crew. He came home to find that his wife Wilma was dead. Her twin said it was murder.
He starts to investigate, and discovers truths he didn't really want to know.
At the same time, Wilma is telling her story. Thank you Sean, for the chapter headings. They helped keep the timeline straight.
The characters are well drawn. It wasn't hard to see them as real people, even the bit players. The dialogue is reminiscent of the 40s (at least what I've read and heard in films) but not so much that it was hard to follow. Definitely a good read.
This was one of those that just popped up when I was looking for a new ebook. Sounded interesting, and the few sample pages were pretty good, so I tried it. I really enjoyed it. Jack is recently back from Germany and the dead. He'd been shot down and the USAF thought he'd died along with the rest of the crew. He came home to find that his wife Wilma was dead. Her twin said it was murder.
He starts to investigate, and discovers truths he didn't really want to know.
At the same time, Wilma is telling her story. Thank you Sean, for the chapter headings. They helped keep the timeline straight.
The characters are well drawn. It wasn't hard to see them as real people, even the bit players. The dialogue is reminiscent of the 40s (at least what I've read and heard in films) but not so much that it was hard to follow. Definitely a good read.
April 10, 2023
Such a great book and the fact that the author was a professor of mine this semester made it all the better. Such a great story and so much history and research was poured into the novel.
May 25, 2021
In my opinion a poorly written book with a plot that wanders all over the place. There are some interesting characters and the descriptions of the City of LA tend to be illuminating. The author tries too hard to imitate the noir novels of the 50s and in my opinion does a bad job. The plot has some merit as it tells the story of a returned soldier from WW II, who supposedly died in an airplane crash. Upon his return he finds out that his wife is dead and was probably murdered. He decides to investigate despite the fact that certain people tell him to leave it alone.
September 15, 2019
A decent modern noir (but set in the 1940s). It has all of the violence, sex, murder, alcohol and lack of justice that we’ve all come to expect from the genre. For the record, Gertie should carry the next novel all on her own.
January 10, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyed this. A well crafted story, and (I'm assuming as I am no expert) historically accurate with its references. As such, it felt like I was taken back in time to the post-WWII period it was set in.
November 14, 2020
A perfect Los Angeles Hollywood noir circa 1940s. A murder, an investigation, corruption, crooked cops, actors and extras and ladies behind the scenes. Can’t give it away, but a perfect one day read.
December 5, 2021
Well written and interesting. Strong women characters, unlike most true 40s noir novels. I recommend it.
February 20, 2022
Great modern noir, set in seedy 1950s LA. All the beauty of classic noir, without the casual racism and misogyny.
December 22, 2022
GREAT BOOK! Loved that it was set in SoCal especially because I’m familiar with the cities that the story takes place in. The author did an incredible job at incorporating multiple view points.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews