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My Dirty California
In this literary thriller, a young man descends into the Los Angeles underworld to find his family’s killer—aided by a group of strangers with their own shadowy pasts.
When Marty returns to Pennsylvania after living in California for ten years, he’s happily welcomed by his father and older brother, Jody. The joyful reunion is short-lived. Two days later, Jody enters the house to find his father and Marty shot dead as their masked killer flees out the back door. Without any answers from the local police, Jody heads to Los Angeles looking for who murdered his family and why.
Soon, he finds a trove of strange videos recorded by his brother that leads him into the city’s most dangerous corners, where he comes up against drug dealers, crooked cops, surf gangs, and black-market profiteers. As his investigation expands, it also intersects with Pen, a documentary filmmaker who suspects humanity is living in a simulation and that her missing father found a portal to escape; Renata, an undocumented immigrant who might have evidence to support Pen’s theory; and Tiph, a young mother whose desperate efforts to support her only child via a stolen art stash could prove the key to answering all these mysteries.
My Dirty California is a cinematic, suspenseful, intricately plotted thriller that explores the darker side of the glamorous Golden State.
When Marty returns to Pennsylvania after living in California for ten years, he’s happily welcomed by his father and older brother, Jody. The joyful reunion is short-lived. Two days later, Jody enters the house to find his father and Marty shot dead as their masked killer flees out the back door. Without any answers from the local police, Jody heads to Los Angeles looking for who murdered his family and why.
Soon, he finds a trove of strange videos recorded by his brother that leads him into the city’s most dangerous corners, where he comes up against drug dealers, crooked cops, surf gangs, and black-market profiteers. As his investigation expands, it also intersects with Pen, a documentary filmmaker who suspects humanity is living in a simulation and that her missing father found a portal to escape; Renata, an undocumented immigrant who might have evidence to support Pen’s theory; and Tiph, a young mother whose desperate efforts to support her only child via a stolen art stash could prove the key to answering all these mysteries.
My Dirty California is a cinematic, suspenseful, intricately plotted thriller that explores the darker side of the glamorous Golden State.
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 30, 2022
26 people are currently reading
5695 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
August 24, 2023
I love this state, I really do. Yet, at times, California feels like something hip someone in marketing tried to fit in a bottle to sell. California is the kind of place that can make a person who doesn’t care about flowers care about wildflowers. But there’s a dark history below California’s undeniably beautiful surface. A dark history with how its destiny manifested. Japanese internment. The LA riots. The California Alien Land Law of 1913. The Mexican-American War. Facebook. Sometimes I think California never left the gold rush era. Gold was merely substituted with other treasure to chase. Movies. Fame. Waves. Venture capital. Youth. Wine. Love. Spirituality. Technology. I guess I’m part of the everlasting, ever-changing rush.--------------------------------------
When I first moved to LA, I realized no one here goes bowling. There’s too much to do. Marty Morrel did it all. He explored every inch of the city of LA, every crack and crevice of the state of California, and it’s all documented in hundreds of videos, thousands of pictures, and scores of essays and journal entries. Even if there hadn’t been any crimes, I think I would have wanted to make a podcast about Marty. But there were crimes. I thought murders would be the most disturbing part of this podcast, but that was before I learned about Pandora’s House. - from a fictional, unaired podcastAs you can see, My Dirty California opens with a fun, noir narration. The sensibility persists, although there is no troubled detective or PI asking uncomfortable questions, drinking too much, and getting beaten up. After that opening bit, Mosberg leaves the boundless beauty (the clean aspect?) of the state to other writers. This is today’s off-the-tourist-map California, violence, murder, drugs, trafficking, scams, surfer dudes, documentary film-making, outrageous, long-lasting parties, portraits of some Cali subcultures, a bit of mental illness, sleuthing, sex (only a little) and some serious other-worldly notions. There are LOLs to be had here, and even some tears. Jody, Pen, Tish and Renata are all searching for something, and Marty Morrel is at the center of it all.
Jason Mosberg - from his site
Unfortunately for Marty he is not around, as he becomes late early on. After a ten-year hiatus he returned to his home near Lancaster, PA, where his father and brother, Jody, live. Soon after, a hooded gunman kills him, for reasons unknown, and his father, for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But before his demise, he had clued Jody in to a project he had been working on
“I’ve been making this thing. I don’t really know what it is yet. It’s called My Dirty California.”When Jody decides to heads out to LA to find out what Marty was up to, what got him killed, that collection is his starting point, along with letters and postcards his brother had sent home. Jody is not the only person availing of Marty’s trove.
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s a website. But it’s really just a place I’ve been doing a . . . project. I didn’t even know what it was at first. I wasn’t trying to define it. Eventually it kinda became a video log, about my adventures or whatever. A place to store all the pictures I take. And I kept up with it. Posting these videos online.”
“So it’s a blog.”
“No,” Marty says…“It’s more a place I can store all these photos and videos and essays till I figure out what to do with the project. Maybe at some point I’ll edit them into a documentary or a piece of long-form web video art.”
Penelope Rhodes is a documentary film maker. She’d had some success with an earlier film about a UFO, which gets her several meetings about her new project. The driving force of her life is finding her father, who vanished when she was a kid. However, this is a search with a difference. Pen has a rather peculiar idea of what may have happened to him, involving Matrix-like simulations. Don’t ask. She is fixated on finding a particular place, Pandora’s House, where she believes it might be possible to move from this simulation (the one we are all living in) to another, where her father might be. This obsession has made getting by in this simulation rather a challenge. In her explorations, she comes across Marty’s vast materials, and follows the clues wherever they lead, or wherever she imagines they might lead.
Typhony Carter is young, married, with one son. She works cleaning houses, but cannot get enough work to keep her family afloat. Her husband, Mike, is a dedicated father. But when they go to a rally about cops killing yet another black teen, Mike gets into it with a counter-protester and winds up in jail. Times get even tougher, so when a scheme appears, that involves finding a hoard of art, supposedly secreted away by a recently deceased collector/dealer, she takes on the mission.
Renata, 19, travels from Mexico to the USA hoping for a better life, not, of course, through the legal channels. There is a contact in LA who can help her, a family friend. But things do not go to plan and Renata winds up trying to survive an abduction. Marty had been trying to find out what happened to her. Now there are others looking as well.
The POV alternates among Jody, Pen, Renata, and Typh. Jody is our driving force, where we spend the most time. There are 89 chapters in the book. Jody gets 31, then Pen, 24, Renata, 18, and Typh, 16. The chapters are short, so the four stories move along at a lively clip, clearly a product of a screenwriter’s appreciation of pacing
It also makes it possible to read this whenever you have small bits of available time, if that is something you like to do.
Since this is California, wheeled transportation figures large. Almost all the characters are assigned an auto-trait, like hair or eye color, or age. Jody, for example, drives a gray pickup. Pen drives a Prius. People are tracked, as well as defined, by the cars they drive. There is an Acura, an Accord, an old Lexus sedan, a Ford Focus, even a Tesla, and plenty more. I only started keeping track part way through. It is a small, fun element. There are appealing. surprising cameos by a range of wild creatures. These include a kangaroo, a wobbegong shark, and a jaguar. The notion of moving from one reality to another is given a look beyond Pen’s particular take on it.
Mosberg offers sly commentary on local sub-cultures. He looks a bit at how good intentions are used for dark ends. One thing to be aware of, different characters are on unparallell timelines, although those timelines do intersect. Characters in adjoining chapters could be doing what they do months apart. I found it a wee bit disconcerting at first, as actual dates are not provided, but one soon gets used to it.
Character engagement – Jody is righteous, on an understandable truth-seeking quest. His motivation makes sense and he is easy to pull for. Pen is also on a quest, although it remains to be seen for us whether there is enough reality basis there for us to go all in with her. Wanting to find your lost father may be a noble ambition, but she may just be nuts. Pandora’s House may be just another conspiracy theory (she nurtures loads of those) Makes it a bit tougher to go all in for her emotionally. Renata is an innocent soul, a pure victim, beset by dark forces, just wanting a better life. But is there enough more about her in here to make us care beyond wanting her to escape? Typh is a decent sort, although, in order to provide for her family, she is willing to go legally and morally rogue. So, depending on what works for ya, you may find one or more of these four worthy of following. I enjoyed the weaving together of the strands, as they all continue to connect through Marty’s storehouse of intel.
There is a considerable cast of supporting actors. Two thuggish sorts were a particular delight, a source of considerable merriment. There are occasional bits in which this character or that is presented in a bit more depth, but that is not what this book is about. It is about the story, and, of course, the state.
Bottom line for me was that I really loved this book. It kept me interested, offered enough characters to care about, gave a peek into places and groups I have never experienced, in short it kept me entertained for the duration. You may or may not ever find your way to Pandora’s House, but you should have no trouble finding your way to a copy of My Dirty California.
“Various rumors exist about Pandora’s House. Some people say the architect Zaha Hadid was paid eight figures to design a top secret underground property in Southern California but she had to sign an NDA, and no one knows where it is. Another rumor suggests the Church of Scientology began building a two-hundred-million-dollar bunker but abandoned the project halfway through and sold the property to a couple millennials whose parents had made billions in the dot-com era, and they use the house to throw elaborate weeklong parties. Some say it’s where the notorious lizard people live underground. Other people say the house was constructed by the US government as a safe house for the top one percent in the case of an apocalyptic event.”
“Has anyone actually seen the house?” asks Matt.
“Lots of people claim to have. It’s difficult to know for sure.
Review posted – September 23, 2022
Publication dates
----------Hardcover - August 30, 2022
----------Trade paperback - August 22, 2023
I received an DRC (digital review copy) of My Dirty California from Simon & Schuster in return for a fair review, and surrendering certain tapes that had come into my possession. Thanks, folks, and thanks to NetGalley for facilitating.
This review has been cross-posted on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Stop by and say Hi!
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to Mosberg’s personal and Twitter pages
Profile
Jason Mosberg works as a screenwriter and TV creator in Los Angeles. He is the creator of the CBS All Access series One Dollar
Item of Interest from the author
-----Crime reads - Don’t Turn My Book Into a TV Series on the fixation in Hollywood these days on Intellectual Property, or IP.
I first wrote My Dirty California as a pilot script and I gave it to a producer I knew—let’s call him Bob—a couple years ago. And at the time, Bob said he read the script and it wasn’t for him. A few days after the announcement of the sale of the book My Dirty California to Simon & Schuster, Bob called and said, “I heard you sold a book, what’s it about?” He was interested. And he had no recollection of the script I sent him because he probably didn’t bother to read it. That was just a script. But this? This is a book. This is IP.
September 22, 2022
"This is Jody. My first entry. I'm going to use my brother's website to keep track of all this . . . "
Marty, the prodigal son, returns to his home town after a ten-year absence. Too bad someone followed him, and two days later . . . he's a corpse. His older brother, Jody, studies Marty's vlog looking for clues as he heads to California in search of the real killer.
The writing is quite good here, but Mosberg's plot is INVOLVED to the point of being CONVOLUTED. And, although the story is intriguing, my interest began to cool at the halfway point. The ending, however, was satisfying enough to bring my rating up to four stars.
With a little tightening, this one will make one hell of a mini-series.
Be prepared to binge watch . . .
A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the read.
Marty, the prodigal son, returns to his home town after a ten-year absence. Too bad someone followed him, and two days later . . . he's a corpse. His older brother, Jody, studies Marty's vlog looking for clues as he heads to California in search of the real killer.
The writing is quite good here, but Mosberg's plot is INVOLVED to the point of being CONVOLUTED. And, although the story is intriguing, my interest began to cool at the halfway point. The ending, however, was satisfying enough to bring my rating up to four stars.
With a little tightening, this one will make one hell of a mini-series.
Be prepared to binge watch . . .
A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the read.
September 15, 2022
When Jodi’s father and brother Marty are murdered, Jodi travels to California and tries to piece together the motive for the crime by using Marty’s blog called My Dirty California. The story is told through several groups of characters who eventually intersect. There is a documentary filmmaker who thinks we are all part of a simulation, a Mexican immigrant and some people trying to become art thieves. There is also human trafficking and drug dealing, and Jodi is diagnosed with obsessive compulsive personality disorder (which adds nothing useful to the story).
The author is a screenwriter and TV creator who probably wants this book developed into a TV series. It might work better that way than it does as as a book. There are too many characters and too much plot in this book. And it doesn’t help that the chronology is jumbled. It was all just overdone but it did hold my interest.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
The author is a screenwriter and TV creator who probably wants this book developed into a TV series. It might work better that way than it does as as a book. There are too many characters and too much plot in this book. And it doesn’t help that the chronology is jumbled. It was all just overdone but it did hold my interest.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
July 6, 2022
Hands down this is my favorite book of 2022 (so far). Jason Mosberg brings an authentic version of California to the pages through characters with unique backstories and personalities. The entire plot seems completely unique while still tackling familiar subject matter. His writing shows an acute attention to detail. From the way Californians say "the" before the highway number down to diners you can find near California state parks. This book offers a new play on the multiple point of view mysteries that seem to be everywhere but also seem to be the same. The reader is slowly introduced to each character and each of them is on their own personal journey to find what the need in life. Jody wants answers about his brother’s death, Pen wants the truth, Tiph wants the best for her family, and Renata wants a better life. Somehow these lives that seem separate become woven together in the underbelly of California. This is one of those books where the jacket blub doesn’t do it justice but rewards the ones that take the risk.
I recommend this book for anyone that likes revenge tales, mysteries, light science fiction, smuggling, heists, escape stories and a little bit of social commentary.
Thank you to net galley and Simon and Schuster for a letting me read an advanced copy of this book. As of now it is set for an August 30, 2022 release.
I recommend this book for anyone that likes revenge tales, mysteries, light science fiction, smuggling, heists, escape stories and a little bit of social commentary.
Thank you to net galley and Simon and Schuster for a letting me read an advanced copy of this book. As of now it is set for an August 30, 2022 release.
September 22, 2022
Jody is living with his father in Pennsylvania when his long-lost brother returns home from California. Two days later, his brother and father are murdered, and Jody heads to Los Angeles to find out why.
Pen is a documentary filmmaker convinced everyone is living in a simulation and is searching for an escape portal.
Renata is an undocumented immigrant trapped in a windowless room with walls that mysteriously glow.
Tiph is a young mother with a husband in prison and a plan to steal a stolen art stash.
MY DIRTY CALIFORNIA manages to plot these intersecting storylines into a unique literary thriller. It kept me on my toes and turning pages. Was it a thriller? Sci-fi? Did unreliable narrators surround me? I had no idea how it would end.
Bonus: Jody takes a road trip through the state, checking off places his brother recommended. I smiled when he named places I remembered from our seven years living on the Central Coast.
Pen is a documentary filmmaker convinced everyone is living in a simulation and is searching for an escape portal.
Renata is an undocumented immigrant trapped in a windowless room with walls that mysteriously glow.
Tiph is a young mother with a husband in prison and a plan to steal a stolen art stash.
MY DIRTY CALIFORNIA manages to plot these intersecting storylines into a unique literary thriller. It kept me on my toes and turning pages. Was it a thriller? Sci-fi? Did unreliable narrators surround me? I had no idea how it would end.
Bonus: Jody takes a road trip through the state, checking off places his brother recommended. I smiled when he named places I remembered from our seven years living on the Central Coast.
April 8, 2024
This novel was a bit confusing in terms of timeline and the ending felt rushed. That being said I really enjoyed it and I am looking forward to Jason Mosberg's next book!
May 20, 2022
could have been better
May 6, 2024
I hated how many characters this book was told through & I hate how poorly their stories tied together. I hated how the author wrote about LA (and California as a whole) like such a transplant. Characters like “Roller” were too irrelevant throughout the book to be such major players. I really liked the story & the plot, I just wish the book didn’t read like a verbose teleplay!
May 27, 2022
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Marty Morrel left Pennsylvania 10 years ago at the age of 17. Following his mother’s death, his father seemed to have trouble connecting with Marty and his older brother Jody. Jody has been diagnosed with obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), which is different from OCD. Those with OCPD may engage in rigid behaviors and procedures, but don’t have intrusive thoughts and overwhelming compulsions those with OCD have. Jody’s compulsion is to make lists.
Marty returns home, and the reunion is going well. At least it was until Jody leaves to run an errand and returns to find his father dead, his brother dying and the gunman fleeing. Jody begins searching for the murderer, and finds his brother’s blog, My Dirty California. Marty had posted videos of his journeys through California, and Jody decides that tracing Marty’s footsteps will lead him to the killer. There are a string of interconnected stories and characters that Jody meets along the way: a documentary filmmaker who believes life is a simulation and is searching for the portal to another dimension, an undocumented immigrant who might have found the portal, Marty’s friends and acquaintances who have stories to tell, and a woman searching for a massive stash of stolen art.
It’s a strange story with a lot of moving parts, but it works on some level. However, there are times when the story goes along well, then gets bogged down with lists. Jody retraces his brother’s travels, and we hear about everywhere he went, where he ate, what he ate. Also, the simulation portal is enough science fiction for the plot. However, we are introduced to all kinds of believe it or not strange theories: Bimini Road, pyramids, Faraday cage, Mandela effect. If you're a sci-fi buff, all this might be meaningful, but I found it disrupting because I HAD to stop reading and look up things like lizard people that live underground. I had no idea!
https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/
Marty Morrel left Pennsylvania 10 years ago at the age of 17. Following his mother’s death, his father seemed to have trouble connecting with Marty and his older brother Jody. Jody has been diagnosed with obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), which is different from OCD. Those with OCPD may engage in rigid behaviors and procedures, but don’t have intrusive thoughts and overwhelming compulsions those with OCD have. Jody’s compulsion is to make lists.
Marty returns home, and the reunion is going well. At least it was until Jody leaves to run an errand and returns to find his father dead, his brother dying and the gunman fleeing. Jody begins searching for the murderer, and finds his brother’s blog, My Dirty California. Marty had posted videos of his journeys through California, and Jody decides that tracing Marty’s footsteps will lead him to the killer. There are a string of interconnected stories and characters that Jody meets along the way: a documentary filmmaker who believes life is a simulation and is searching for the portal to another dimension, an undocumented immigrant who might have found the portal, Marty’s friends and acquaintances who have stories to tell, and a woman searching for a massive stash of stolen art.
It’s a strange story with a lot of moving parts, but it works on some level. However, there are times when the story goes along well, then gets bogged down with lists. Jody retraces his brother’s travels, and we hear about everywhere he went, where he ate, what he ate. Also, the simulation portal is enough science fiction for the plot. However, we are introduced to all kinds of believe it or not strange theories: Bimini Road, pyramids, Faraday cage, Mandela effect. If you're a sci-fi buff, all this might be meaningful, but I found it disrupting because I HAD to stop reading and look up things like lizard people that live underground. I had no idea!
https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/
September 2, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyable book with multiple stories and just one story. Weird, exciting, action, suspense and an enjoyable listen with characters you can understand and some that no one will ever... odd I like those.
Takes a bit to get in to but, really enjoyed.
Takes a bit to get in to but, really enjoyed.
June 17, 2023
Review coming soon
April 13, 2022
My Dirty California takes the reader on a wild journey through California, as the protagonist, Jody, looks for the killer of his brother Marty and his Dad back in Pennsylvania. While the book initially starts out as what appears to be the typical revenge novel, it morphs into one crazy ride where we meet any number of eccentric characters, and also learn of Marty’s website, called My Dirty California. Jody uses the videos on it to try to piece together the motive for the killing.
In the meantime we meet the other main characters. Renata is an illegal who makes it to California, and who meets Marty before disappearing. Pen makes documentaries and believes there are portals to other worlds. Tiphony’s husband is in jail, and gets her involved in a scheme to recover stolen art. How these disparate plot lines resolve themselves and come together make this book a great read.
My thanks to Simon & Schuster and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this entertaining novel.
In the meantime we meet the other main characters. Renata is an illegal who makes it to California, and who meets Marty before disappearing. Pen makes documentaries and believes there are portals to other worlds. Tiphony’s husband is in jail, and gets her involved in a scheme to recover stolen art. How these disparate plot lines resolve themselves and come together make this book a great read.
My thanks to Simon & Schuster and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this entertaining novel.
November 11, 2023
There was a short while at the beginning of the book where I thought it might be confusing with the different perspectives taking place in different times, instead of following a chronological narrative. But after a few chapters, I got into the pace of the story and it was easy to follow. It was fun to see how the different perspectives would eventually overlap.
I also had a lot of fun with Pen’s chapters and her simulation theory stuff. I loved that aspect, although in the end it didn’t really add anything to the story.
Jody’s chapters in the audiobook were read by Cory Brill, so I enjoyed them as well if only for that part of the story. But I also liked the mystery aspect of him trying to find out who killed his family and why, and how the whole thing ended up being much bigger than it seemed at first.
Typh’s chapters were interesting and fun too with the treasure hunt aspect. I’ll admit it added an interesting way of how everything connected in the end, although it made the plot quite convoluted.
Renata’s parts were heartbreaking. Of course, even her chapters could be edited away and the mystery would still have been interesting, but I really loved how her perspective showed the reality of what was going on (sorry if this is hard to understand, I’m trying not to spoil anything).
So, the mystery was interesting and the book was a page turner in that aspect. But sometimes I found it weird how some people were so willing to talk details about something. Of course it helped moving the plot along, but several times I was like, why is this person spilling the beans like that to Someone they only just met? That kind of bothered me because it happened at least three times.
The way we changed perspectives and how convoluted the plot was made me think this might actually work as a TV show. Makes sense because apparently the author is a screenwriter?
All in all, I liked this fine and the ending was nice, hence four stars. I am not sure i will read more from the author, but I might if his next book sounds interesting.
I also had a lot of fun with Pen’s chapters and her simulation theory stuff. I loved that aspect, although in the end it didn’t really add anything to the story.
Jody’s chapters in the audiobook were read by Cory Brill, so I enjoyed them as well if only for that part of the story. But I also liked the mystery aspect of him trying to find out who killed his family and why, and how the whole thing ended up being much bigger than it seemed at first.
Typh’s chapters were interesting and fun too with the treasure hunt aspect. I’ll admit it added an interesting way of how everything connected in the end, although it made the plot quite convoluted.
Renata’s parts were heartbreaking. Of course, even her chapters could be edited away and the mystery would still have been interesting, but I really loved how her perspective showed the reality of what was going on (sorry if this is hard to understand, I’m trying not to spoil anything).
So, the mystery was interesting and the book was a page turner in that aspect. But sometimes I found it weird how some people were so willing to talk details about something. Of course it helped moving the plot along, but several times I was like, why is this person spilling the beans like that to Someone they only just met? That kind of bothered me because it happened at least three times.
The way we changed perspectives and how convoluted the plot was made me think this might actually work as a TV show. Makes sense because apparently the author is a screenwriter?
All in all, I liked this fine and the ending was nice, hence four stars. I am not sure i will read more from the author, but I might if his next book sounds interesting.
June 27, 2022
Thank you Edelweiss and NetGallery for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5
Jody and his father haven't seen Marty, Jody's younger brother, in a very long time, so when Marty shows up at the family home, Jody isn't sure what to make of it. When Jody comes home after a run to the store to find his brother and father murdered, he makes up his mind to find out who the murderer is. His quest leads him to California, where Marty has spent the last decade, and he takes a deep dive into his brother's website called My Dirty California, in which Marty documented his escapades across the state, to look for clues. Along the way, Jody is introduced to the LA lifestyle and a wacky cast of characters. His search into Marty's death also leads to self-discovery and Jody, a bit of an odd duck himself, comes into his own, solving a major crime while also figuring out just what it is he wants out of life.
The books features an interesting cast including a documentary film maker who believes in other dimensions, a never-do-well crook and his wife, surfer dudes and party girls, and an art gallery owner who may or may not have had something to do with Marty's death. Each person is looking for something and their individual searches line up with Jody's quest to learn the truth about Marty's murder.
The chapters are short--perfect for late night reading when you say to yourself "just one more chapter...oh, wait, the next one isn't very long. Maybe two more chapters....". Will you read all night? Depends on if you like a mystery wrapped up in a meandering plot with a quirky cast of characters, each dealing with their own set of struggles and obstacles. Some will succeed, some won't.
My suggestion: Grab this book, sit back, and enjoy the ride.
3.5/5
Jody and his father haven't seen Marty, Jody's younger brother, in a very long time, so when Marty shows up at the family home, Jody isn't sure what to make of it. When Jody comes home after a run to the store to find his brother and father murdered, he makes up his mind to find out who the murderer is. His quest leads him to California, where Marty has spent the last decade, and he takes a deep dive into his brother's website called My Dirty California, in which Marty documented his escapades across the state, to look for clues. Along the way, Jody is introduced to the LA lifestyle and a wacky cast of characters. His search into Marty's death also leads to self-discovery and Jody, a bit of an odd duck himself, comes into his own, solving a major crime while also figuring out just what it is he wants out of life.
The books features an interesting cast including a documentary film maker who believes in other dimensions, a never-do-well crook and his wife, surfer dudes and party girls, and an art gallery owner who may or may not have had something to do with Marty's death. Each person is looking for something and their individual searches line up with Jody's quest to learn the truth about Marty's murder.
The chapters are short--perfect for late night reading when you say to yourself "just one more chapter...oh, wait, the next one isn't very long. Maybe two more chapters....". Will you read all night? Depends on if you like a mystery wrapped up in a meandering plot with a quirky cast of characters, each dealing with their own set of struggles and obstacles. Some will succeed, some won't.
My suggestion: Grab this book, sit back, and enjoy the ride.
September 2, 2024
Really wanted to like this one. Love the structure and non-linear concept but hated how generic this whole story was. Needs flavor!!!!
October 24, 2022
My Dirty California was a book that I had never heard of up until the author had liked a couple of my reviews specifically that of Tapping the Source by Kem Nunn. Now he didn't ask me to read his book or offer a copy for reviews. But I did find a copy on the subscription service I read a lot of my Ebook and audiobooks from. So I figured that it wouldn't hurt to give it a shot and see whether it was any good. Now I'm a big fan of these California noir-style books, it's part of the reason I loved Tapping the Source. It is however something that I haven't seen come up all that often in recent years. But having read the blurb on this it sounds like the sort of book that was going to tick a lot of boxes for me. It also sounds satisfyingly complicated enough to keep me going through what is a longer book than I usually go for.
Now, this is definitely one of those books that you need to keep your wits about you. You have to get used to the narrative swapping between multiple heroes as we get this grand sprawling tale. I suppose you can call Jody the main protagonist. He is after all the person that sets this demented spiral all into action. It's interesting to see how what might seem like a fairly small event in the history of the world go on to create a vortex that can pull in so many people and ultimately change so much for all those who touch it. But this is getting massively ahead of myself. Jody is the kind of guy that wants to do right by his friends and family but always seems to manage to go about it in just slightly the wrong way. As a result, he seems to hit dead ends or nearly get himself killed more than once. What he does have going for him is his doggedness. It's this that will ultimately see him through to the end of this complex and twisted Cali Noir novel.
As for our other heroes, each has a very important part to play in this tale. Now usually you would think that less time would be devoted to fleshing out these characters and making them have a purpose beyond helping Jody's plot. But here Mosberg has devoted just as much time to each of them allowing these characters to breathe into their own tales and also how they fit into this world. It was a relief to see that their pages weren't just for the purpose of feeling space. Pen, Renata, and Typh all have unique tales that I was happy to get stuck into. I suppose in some ways it is like getting four separate novels that happen to intersect at different points allowing for a much big world for us to explore. But I would have happily spent the whole book with any of them and still greatly enjoyed myself.
As for this sundrenched tell of deceit and skull duggery where exactly is one to begin. It's one of those books where you can feel the oppressive heat beating down on the back of your neck and the salty sea water caress your lips. I can see these people playing out their fates before my eyes and it's one that seems to get worse and worse as the book goes on. I guess if you are going to go down the route of Noir crime fiction bad things are to be expected really. But for me, it does seem like he managed to find a new angle to tackle this. And in doing so has created an intriguing narrative, all be it a very complex one You can tell that Mosberg must have taken a great deal of time in plotting out this narrative as at times it seems like a complete cat's cradle. But thankfully it is one that does pull its self-taught into a most satisfying conclusion.
My Dirty California is a book that took me on a trip to places that I had not expected. It is at times a heartbreaking tale as we follow these heroes on what seems like fool's errands. And with another twist also a down-and-dirty fight for survival from which I can still feel the dirt under my fingernails and smell the blood on my clothes. But then again, it has moments that made me laugh out loud. So what category does this book really fall into? I feel the answer is the place Cali Noir has always been and at the same time is where it's headed towards. There is something about these dirty deeds being done in the dark in a place where it is impossible to escape the beating heat of the sun. These characters are sure to stay with me for some time if not for anything else other than the sheer endurance that it took for them to fight their way to the last few pages.
Now, this is definitely one of those books that you need to keep your wits about you. You have to get used to the narrative swapping between multiple heroes as we get this grand sprawling tale. I suppose you can call Jody the main protagonist. He is after all the person that sets this demented spiral all into action. It's interesting to see how what might seem like a fairly small event in the history of the world go on to create a vortex that can pull in so many people and ultimately change so much for all those who touch it. But this is getting massively ahead of myself. Jody is the kind of guy that wants to do right by his friends and family but always seems to manage to go about it in just slightly the wrong way. As a result, he seems to hit dead ends or nearly get himself killed more than once. What he does have going for him is his doggedness. It's this that will ultimately see him through to the end of this complex and twisted Cali Noir novel.
As for our other heroes, each has a very important part to play in this tale. Now usually you would think that less time would be devoted to fleshing out these characters and making them have a purpose beyond helping Jody's plot. But here Mosberg has devoted just as much time to each of them allowing these characters to breathe into their own tales and also how they fit into this world. It was a relief to see that their pages weren't just for the purpose of feeling space. Pen, Renata, and Typh all have unique tales that I was happy to get stuck into. I suppose in some ways it is like getting four separate novels that happen to intersect at different points allowing for a much big world for us to explore. But I would have happily spent the whole book with any of them and still greatly enjoyed myself.
As for this sundrenched tell of deceit and skull duggery where exactly is one to begin. It's one of those books where you can feel the oppressive heat beating down on the back of your neck and the salty sea water caress your lips. I can see these people playing out their fates before my eyes and it's one that seems to get worse and worse as the book goes on. I guess if you are going to go down the route of Noir crime fiction bad things are to be expected really. But for me, it does seem like he managed to find a new angle to tackle this. And in doing so has created an intriguing narrative, all be it a very complex one You can tell that Mosberg must have taken a great deal of time in plotting out this narrative as at times it seems like a complete cat's cradle. But thankfully it is one that does pull its self-taught into a most satisfying conclusion.
My Dirty California is a book that took me on a trip to places that I had not expected. It is at times a heartbreaking tale as we follow these heroes on what seems like fool's errands. And with another twist also a down-and-dirty fight for survival from which I can still feel the dirt under my fingernails and smell the blood on my clothes. But then again, it has moments that made me laugh out loud. So what category does this book really fall into? I feel the answer is the place Cali Noir has always been and at the same time is where it's headed towards. There is something about these dirty deeds being done in the dark in a place where it is impossible to escape the beating heat of the sun. These characters are sure to stay with me for some time if not for anything else other than the sheer endurance that it took for them to fight their way to the last few pages.
September 10, 2023
Jasona Mosberga sam zapazio kao autora jedne od onih "najboljih serija koje nikada niste gledali", konkretno reč je o ONE DOLLAR koju je u celosti režirao Craig Zobel za onovremeni Paramountov network, dok se još nije pojavio Taylor Sheridan i rešio stvar. Ali, u ONE DOLLAR je već bilo korena Sheridanovog postupka, bio je to krimić izuzetne literarnosti ali i izuzetno uspele dramaturgije smešten u rust belt, sa junacima gde se mešaju kriminogeni tipovi i "običan svet" koji je naprosto očajan. Serija nije ostavila dubljeg traga osim u slučaju mog utiska, a to još uvek nije dovoljno da nekome ostvari karijeru.
Napisao je Mosberg scenario i za jedan film u kom je sporednu ali nametljivu ulogu ostvario Nic Cage i to je jedna od tema sa kojima se autoironično obračunava u ovom briljantnom romanu.
Čovek ne mora da je posetio Kaliforniju da bi u ovom romanu uživao ali svakako je korisno imati barem nekog poznanika koji tamo živeo jer će to vibrantnost i autentičnost ovog rukopisa da vam učini opipljivijom.
U žanrovskom pogledu ovo je krimić, misterija u kojoj se traži ubica - u ovom konkretnom slučaju, počinilac i eventualni naručilac ubistva oca i sina u Pensilvaniji a istragu sprovodi preživeli stariji brat, vođen jedinim opipljivim tragom a to je blog pokojnog brata koji je otišao u Kaliforniju i posle nekoliko godina se vratio da bude ubijen u zavičaju.
Međutim, Mosberg formalno iskoračuje iz žanra jer uvodi i motiv fantastike kojim veoma vešto rukovodi držeći ga na ničijoj zemlji između psihoze jedne od junakinja i nečega što možda zaista postoji, a u pogledu samog teksta veoma zanimljivo koncipira izlaganje. Naime, poglavlja cezuje za likove, a oni u duhu priče ne doživljavaju svoje deonice priče u istom vremenu, već je svako u "svom vremenu" i povremeno se ukrštaju. Time, Mosberg čini intrigantnim ne samo ono što je sadašnjost i budućnost junaka već i njihova neposredna prošlost i nudi dosta prostora za razne pripovedačke manevre.
Knjiga nije složena za čitanje, ali svakako nije baš ni jednostavna kao neki starinski krimić. pa je tim pre interesantno da sam autor naglašava kako je ovu ideju razvijao i kao predložak za televizijsku seriju. Nema sumnje da bi ta serija bila formalno veoma zanimljiva kao ONE DOLLAR koji ima sličnu ovakvu strukturu ali ipak ne ovako radikalnu, i ne znam da li roman prati zamišljenu tehniku pripovedanja serije.
Ipak, ono što je sasvim sigurno jeste da Mosberg ovde ispisuje roman koji uprkos tome što je bio pitch za seriju ni u jednom momentu ne izgleda kao hendikepirani i nabildovani scenario pretvoren iz dramske forme u konvencionalniju pripovedačku prozu. Ovo izgleda kao da je zamišljeno i pisano kao roman (koji bih rado video ekranizovan u formi serije, doduše).
MY DIRTY CALIFORNIA dakle jeste krimić u svakom pogledu, ali uspeva da bude mnogo više jer gradi likove i situacije koji umnogome nadilaze funkcionalnost koja krasi žanrovske likove i daje im život izvan žanrovskog zadatka. Konačno, u ovom romanu postoji ono što karakteriše značajne krimiće a to je taj trenutak transgresije u kome preispitujemo ljudsku prirodu i ono što je privlači zločinu.
Nažalost, Mosberg još nije objavljivan kod nas, plašim se i da neće jer on ni u Americi nije značajan i popularan pisac pa ga teško mogu zamisliti u izdanju neke naše kuće koje, s pravom, ipak jure da objave ono što je popularno i značajno. Ipak, verujem da bi neka kuća kao Booka, Blum ili Kontrast lako uklopili ovaj roman u svoje edicije.
Napisao je Mosberg scenario i za jedan film u kom je sporednu ali nametljivu ulogu ostvario Nic Cage i to je jedna od tema sa kojima se autoironično obračunava u ovom briljantnom romanu.
Čovek ne mora da je posetio Kaliforniju da bi u ovom romanu uživao ali svakako je korisno imati barem nekog poznanika koji tamo živeo jer će to vibrantnost i autentičnost ovog rukopisa da vam učini opipljivijom.
U žanrovskom pogledu ovo je krimić, misterija u kojoj se traži ubica - u ovom konkretnom slučaju, počinilac i eventualni naručilac ubistva oca i sina u Pensilvaniji a istragu sprovodi preživeli stariji brat, vođen jedinim opipljivim tragom a to je blog pokojnog brata koji je otišao u Kaliforniju i posle nekoliko godina se vratio da bude ubijen u zavičaju.
Međutim, Mosberg formalno iskoračuje iz žanra jer uvodi i motiv fantastike kojim veoma vešto rukovodi držeći ga na ničijoj zemlji između psihoze jedne od junakinja i nečega što možda zaista postoji, a u pogledu samog teksta veoma zanimljivo koncipira izlaganje. Naime, poglavlja cezuje za likove, a oni u duhu priče ne doživljavaju svoje deonice priče u istom vremenu, već je svako u "svom vremenu" i povremeno se ukrštaju. Time, Mosberg čini intrigantnim ne samo ono što je sadašnjost i budućnost junaka već i njihova neposredna prošlost i nudi dosta prostora za razne pripovedačke manevre.
Knjiga nije složena za čitanje, ali svakako nije baš ni jednostavna kao neki starinski krimić. pa je tim pre interesantno da sam autor naglašava kako je ovu ideju razvijao i kao predložak za televizijsku seriju. Nema sumnje da bi ta serija bila formalno veoma zanimljiva kao ONE DOLLAR koji ima sličnu ovakvu strukturu ali ipak ne ovako radikalnu, i ne znam da li roman prati zamišljenu tehniku pripovedanja serije.
Ipak, ono što je sasvim sigurno jeste da Mosberg ovde ispisuje roman koji uprkos tome što je bio pitch za seriju ni u jednom momentu ne izgleda kao hendikepirani i nabildovani scenario pretvoren iz dramske forme u konvencionalniju pripovedačku prozu. Ovo izgleda kao da je zamišljeno i pisano kao roman (koji bih rado video ekranizovan u formi serije, doduše).
MY DIRTY CALIFORNIA dakle jeste krimić u svakom pogledu, ali uspeva da bude mnogo više jer gradi likove i situacije koji umnogome nadilaze funkcionalnost koja krasi žanrovske likove i daje im život izvan žanrovskog zadatka. Konačno, u ovom romanu postoji ono što karakteriše značajne krimiće a to je taj trenutak transgresije u kome preispitujemo ljudsku prirodu i ono što je privlači zločinu.
Nažalost, Mosberg još nije objavljivan kod nas, plašim se i da neće jer on ni u Americi nije značajan i popularan pisac pa ga teško mogu zamisliti u izdanju neke naše kuće koje, s pravom, ipak jure da objave ono što je popularno i značajno. Ipak, verujem da bi neka kuća kao Booka, Blum ili Kontrast lako uklopili ovaj roman u svoje edicije.
March 29, 2022
Definitely enjoyed this one start to finish. Kept me intrigued and guessing through the whole thing. Like nothing else I’ve read in the last few years. A wonderful debut novel. Recommended for anyone who enjoys a good story that takes you places you don’t expect.
Also all of the LA film stuff rings absolutely true
Also all of the LA film stuff rings absolutely true
December 1, 2022
"My Dirty California" is the second novel by screenwriter Jason Mosberg, you may know him from the TV series "One Dollar" and the full-length "Arsenal" with Nicolas Cage. In the novel, by the way, there will be a funny episode when the hero, spontaneously trying to impersonate a screenwriter, declares that this actor played in the film according to his script.
But in fact, "My Dirty California" is rather not funny, but a gloomy thing, although the serial ability to weave together a lot of lines, keeping in constant tension makes listening to this book exciting, like watching an action-packed movie. And Igor Knyazev's wonderful performance creates a downright visual series. A detective thriller with elements of mysticism and conspiracy. 34-year-old Jody experiences the collapse of his world overnight when an unknown person kills his brother and father. The younger brother, Marty, who left home at the age of seventeen, just unexpectedly returned after a ten-year absence, and literally the next day there was an attack, and the two people closest to Jody are not in the world. Perhaps the site that my brother did will help shed light on the reasons?
The young Mexican Renata aspires to get to America and is ready to go through many difficulties for this, but she can't imagine what problems she will have to face when the dream comes true. A young black Typhoni is going through a bad time: her husband is in prison. she is under house arrest with a monitor bracelet on her ankle and permission to visit only places listed on the list. The rent is being raised, there is nowhere to take money, but the wayward hubby suddenly throws up the idea of an adventure from prison that will enrich them. The documentary filmmaker Pen is convinced that our world is a computer simulation, which means there is an opportunity to penetrate from it into other, neighboring ones.
Make no mistake, by the end all the storylines will converge and you will get a cool thriller, besides imbued with an incredible love for California. Which will make you fall in love with this state.
Делайте хор!
Я посмотрел весь штат. Повидал его мечты, его кошмары. И красоту. И грязь.
"Моя грязная Калифорния" детективный триллер с элементами мистики и конспирологии. 34-летний Джоди переживает крушение своего мира, когда неизвестный убивает его брата и отца. Младший брат, Марти ушел из дома семнадцатилетним и только что неожиданно вернулся после десяти лет отсутствия. В отличие от непредсказуемого Марти, Джоди домосед и фанат планирования. Симпатичный мужик, все у него на месте, но зациклен на, как бы сформулировать - технологической правильности, на том. чтобы все делать хорошо - "Делай хор!" его девиз по жизни
Живет с отцом, копит на дом, работает какую-то простую работу, тренирует в свободное время детскую футбольную команду. Подумывает о женитьбе, но это после того как купит дом. А буквально на следующий день после возвращения Марти нападение, и двух самых близких Джоди людей нет на свете. Возможно пролить свет на причины поможет сайт, который брат делал? Называется "Моя грязная Калифорния". Джоди пускается по следу убийцы.
Юная мексиканка Рената стремится попасть в Америку и готова ради этого пережить многие трудности, но она и представить не может, с какими проблемами придется столкнуться, когда мечта исполнится. А когда она добралась до Лос-Анджелеса, единственная из всей группы, казалось жизнь начинает налаживаться. И работу удалось найти, и жилье, и в любимый футбол сыграла, и познакомилась с нормальным парнем, и даже на экскурсию выберется в таинственный Дом Пандоры.
Чернокожая сотрудница клининговой компании, читай - уборщица, Тифони (через "о" и с одной "ф" это в честь богини африканского пантеона, а не "Завтрака у Тиффани") переживает не лучшее время. Муж в тюрьме, сама мать-одиночка с браслетом-монитором на лодыжке и разрешением посещать только внесенные в список места. Непутевый муженек внезапно подбрасывает из тюрьмы идею авантюры, которая их обогатит. Тиф терпеть не может его прожектерства, но сейчас она в безвыходном положении: квартплату повышают, количество рабочих часов сокращают, денег взять неоткуда. Остается пуститься на поиски краденых шедевров.
Режиссер-документалист Пен убеждена, что наш мир - это компьютерная симуляция, а значит есть возможность проникать из него в другие, соседние. Положим, про Матрицу нам еще братья Вачовски объяснили, еще когда были братьями, и про множественность миров всякий имеет понятие. Но признайтесь, вы ведь всерьез не верите в реальность путешествий между мирами? А если верите, то молчите об этом. Пен не молчит, она выращена отцом после того, как мать бросила ее шестилетней, а отец свято верил, что способ найти место, где ткань реальности истончается и перейти из нашей в другую - что способ существует. И когда однажды исчез, Пен не сомневалась, он отыскал.
Это второй роман сценариста Джейсона Мосберга, вы можете знать его по сериалу "Один доллар" и полнометражному "Арсеналу" с Николасом Кейджем. В романе, кстати, будет забавный эпизод, когда герой, спонтанно пытаясь выдать себя за сценариста, заявит, что в фильме по его сценарию, играл этот актер. Но на самом деле "Моя грязная Калифорния" скорее не забавная, а мрачная, хотя сериальное умение сплетать воедино множество линий, держа в постоянном напряжении делает прослушивание этой книги захватывающим, как просмотр остросюжетного фильма. А замечательное исполнение Игоря Князева создает прямо-таки визуальный ряд.
Не сомневайтесь, к финалу все сюжетные линии сойдутся и вы получите классный триллер, к тому же проникнутый невероятной любовью к Калифорнии. Роман, который и вас заочно заставит влюбиться в этот штат.
But in fact, "My Dirty California" is rather not funny, but a gloomy thing, although the serial ability to weave together a lot of lines, keeping in constant tension makes listening to this book exciting, like watching an action-packed movie. And Igor Knyazev's wonderful performance creates a downright visual series. A detective thriller with elements of mysticism and conspiracy. 34-year-old Jody experiences the collapse of his world overnight when an unknown person kills his brother and father. The younger brother, Marty, who left home at the age of seventeen, just unexpectedly returned after a ten-year absence, and literally the next day there was an attack, and the two people closest to Jody are not in the world. Perhaps the site that my brother did will help shed light on the reasons?
The young Mexican Renata aspires to get to America and is ready to go through many difficulties for this, but she can't imagine what problems she will have to face when the dream comes true. A young black Typhoni is going through a bad time: her husband is in prison. she is under house arrest with a monitor bracelet on her ankle and permission to visit only places listed on the list. The rent is being raised, there is nowhere to take money, but the wayward hubby suddenly throws up the idea of an adventure from prison that will enrich them. The documentary filmmaker Pen is convinced that our world is a computer simulation, which means there is an opportunity to penetrate from it into other, neighboring ones.
Make no mistake, by the end all the storylines will converge and you will get a cool thriller, besides imbued with an incredible love for California. Which will make you fall in love with this state.
Делайте хор!
Я посмотрел весь штат. Повидал его мечты, его кошмары. И красоту. И грязь.
"Моя грязная Калифорния" детективный триллер с элементами мистики и конспирологии. 34-летний Джоди переживает крушение своего мира, когда неизвестный убивает его брата и отца. Младший брат, Марти ушел из дома семнадцатилетним и только что неожиданно вернулся после десяти лет отсутствия. В отличие от непредсказуемого Марти, Джоди домосед и фанат планирования. Симпатичный мужик, все у него на месте, но зациклен на, как бы сформулировать - технологической правильности, на том. чтобы все делать хорошо - "Делай хор!" его девиз по жизни
Живет с отцом, копит на дом, работает какую-то простую работу, тренирует в свободное время детскую футбольную команду. Подумывает о женитьбе, но это после того как купит дом. А буквально на следующий день после возвращения Марти нападение, и двух самых близких Джоди людей нет на свете. Возможно пролить свет на причины поможет сайт, который брат делал? Называется "Моя грязная Калифорния". Джоди пускается по следу убийцы.
Юная мексиканка Рената стремится попасть в Америку и готова ради этого пережить многие трудности, но она и представить не может, с какими проблемами придется столкнуться, когда мечта исполнится. А когда она добралась до Лос-Анджелеса, единственная из всей группы, казалось жизнь начинает налаживаться. И работу удалось найти, и жилье, и в любимый футбол сыграла, и познакомилась с нормальным парнем, и даже на экскурсию выберется в таинственный Дом Пандоры.
Чернокожая сотрудница клининговой компании, читай - уборщица, Тифони (через "о" и с одной "ф" это в честь богини африканского пантеона, а не "Завтрака у Тиффани") переживает не лучшее время. Муж в тюрьме, сама мать-одиночка с браслетом-монитором на лодыжке и разрешением посещать только внесенные в список места. Непутевый муженек внезапно подбрасывает из тюрьмы идею авантюры, которая их обогатит. Тиф терпеть не может его прожектерства, но сейчас она в безвыходном положении: квартплату повышают, количество рабочих часов сокращают, денег взять неоткуда. Остается пуститься на поиски краденых шедевров.
Режиссер-документалист Пен убеждена, что наш мир - это компьютерная симуляция, а значит есть возможность проникать из него в другие, соседние. Положим, про Матрицу нам еще братья Вачовски объяснили, еще когда были братьями, и про множественность миров всякий имеет понятие. Но признайтесь, вы ведь всерьез не верите в реальность путешествий между мирами? А если верите, то молчите об этом. Пен не молчит, она выращена отцом после того, как мать бросила ее шестилетней, а отец свято верил, что способ найти место, где ткань реальности истончается и перейти из нашей в другую - что способ существует. И когда однажды исчез, Пен не сомневалась, он отыскал.
Это второй роман сценариста Джейсона Мосберга, вы можете знать его по сериалу "Один доллар" и полнометражному "Арсеналу" с Николасом Кейджем. В романе, кстати, будет забавный эпизод, когда герой, спонтанно пытаясь выдать себя за сценариста, заявит, что в фильме по его сценарию, играл этот актер. Но на самом деле "Моя грязная Калифорния" скорее не забавная, а мрачная, хотя сериальное умение сплетать воедино множество линий, держа в постоянном напряжении делает прослушивание этой книги захватывающим, как просмотр остросюжетного фильма. А замечательное исполнение Игоря Князева создает прямо-таки визуальный ряд.
Не сомневайтесь, к финалу все сюжетные линии сойдутся и вы получите классный триллер, к тому же проникнутый невероятной любовью к Калифорнии. Роман, который и вас заочно заставит влюбиться в этот штат.
October 29, 2022
Did not love this book
I really did not enjoy this book. It was well written and as a mystery, could have been great if the author had focused on the actual mystery better. Instead, the book takes you on a rambling, tedious journey. The whole storyline with Pen and the simulations was completely useless and could have been eliminated altogether. Same with Renata's story. Tiphony was a great narrator but even her story could have been eliminated and it would not have changed this book for me. Overall, I found this to be a tedious, overrated read and way too long for what you get. 2.5 stars
I really did not enjoy this book. It was well written and as a mystery, could have been great if the author had focused on the actual mystery better. Instead, the book takes you on a rambling, tedious journey. The whole storyline with Pen and the simulations was completely useless and could have been eliminated altogether. Same with Renata's story. Tiphony was a great narrator but even her story could have been eliminated and it would not have changed this book for me. Overall, I found this to be a tedious, overrated read and way too long for what you get. 2.5 stars
September 23, 2022
I like a novel that is unique, part mystery, part suspense and contains great character development and fun description. Well written, MY DIRTY CALIFORNIA, has all of these compelling qualities. The descriptions of the myriad places, parks, and people in California are a gift to understanding the Golden State. There is challenge to deciphering how the characters intertwine. The reward is the journey to the gratifying conclusion! Congratulations to Jason on this intriguing novel; I can’t wait for the next one!
September 7, 2022
This one is a page turner, I couldn't put it down. The 4 intertwined stories are so interwoven and keep you guessing on the mysteries and what's going to happen next. I loved the characters too, they felt unique and real and quirky. They way the author brings out the setting - LA and California - made me feel like I lived there myself. I cried at the end and that hardly ever happens. Two big thumbs up!
October 9, 2022
First of all, I read this book in 4 days. I was totally gripped by each of the four plot lines and time would fly by as I advanced through the short chapters. The references to all these very specific places in California - like hole in the wall restaurants in Encinitas - is also really exciting whether your familiar with the areas or not. The ending left me satisfied with enough questions being answered, without too much explicit narrative. I am dying for this to become a TV show.
September 16, 2022
This was a real page turner; I read it in 4 days. The book is told from the viewpoint of 4 different characters each with interesting and different backstories who eventually intersect with each other. You know it’s a good book when the final sentences bring a tear to your eye because you’ve become so invested in characters. 10/10 recommend
October 4, 2022
Honestly couldn't put it down - I read almost the whole book in one sitting. You get to love and root for all the characters and I couldn't have guessed how it would end until the last page. I loved the mix of romance, mystery, crime, and a little bit of sci-fi mixed in. I'm not a Californian but I'm sure those who live there would love it even more for all the references to different places.
July 2, 2022
If you are looking for a good book to read this summer then you can't do much better than My Dirty California by Jason Mosberg. It is a suspenseful and gritty. I found myself not wanting to stop reading to find out where this was going. It is really engaging and perfect for a summer read.
June 10, 2022
A combination of fantasy, science fiction and mystery that didn't fit together well. Too many weird theories tossed in, along with characters that don't connect.
January 1, 2023
Gosh this was convoluted
May 26, 2023
I don’t like large books. For me, optimally, a novel should come in around 300 pages. Which means it doesn’t just take me longer to get through the larger books but it takes me longer to get TO them. And so, this novel, as enticing as it sounded, waiting on my Netgalley TBR list for quite a while. But…once I picked it up, I didn’t want to put it down. Yes, it’s over 400 pages, but it was well worth it for how fun, how engaging, how clever this mystery was.
I’m very selective with my thrillers, striving to avoid the clichéd work populating the market right now. This one isn’t clichéd at all.
My Dirty California is all original, a compelling mystery wrapped into a love song for a state of dreamers.
You get to follow a story of two estranged brothers, one as a ghostly presence lingering on the edges, one as a protagonist trying to solve his murder. It’s a maze of terrific characters and a plethora of concepts from crimes to conspiracy theories, all terrifically written and character driven.
Sun-baked, ocean-bathed, dirty yet so beguiling, California is the main character of this story and so much more than just a location.
The rest of the characters are no slouches either and are compelling in their own ways with their dramas and triumphs, conspiracy theories and crimes and complexly convoluted yet always engaging personal journeys.
You get aspiring criminals, aspiring detectives, aspiring dimension travelers. A real kitchen sink of a novel in the best possible way.
The mystery at the center of this novel is serpentine, clever, multi-layered, loaded with twists and surprises.
All in all, a great read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
I’m very selective with my thrillers, striving to avoid the clichéd work populating the market right now. This one isn’t clichéd at all.
My Dirty California is all original, a compelling mystery wrapped into a love song for a state of dreamers.
You get to follow a story of two estranged brothers, one as a ghostly presence lingering on the edges, one as a protagonist trying to solve his murder. It’s a maze of terrific characters and a plethora of concepts from crimes to conspiracy theories, all terrifically written and character driven.
Sun-baked, ocean-bathed, dirty yet so beguiling, California is the main character of this story and so much more than just a location.
The rest of the characters are no slouches either and are compelling in their own ways with their dramas and triumphs, conspiracy theories and crimes and complexly convoluted yet always engaging personal journeys.
You get aspiring criminals, aspiring detectives, aspiring dimension travelers. A real kitchen sink of a novel in the best possible way.
The mystery at the center of this novel is serpentine, clever, multi-layered, loaded with twists and surprises.
All in all, a great read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
April 25, 2023
I’m leaving a review before I even finish book because it is so very difficult to put down book and so other things like sleep lol. I was expecting a documentary on how dirty California has gotten, (I mean come on that’s one issue In California that again our great leaders don’t care about!! And I live in cali so I see this everyday. No I was wrong it’s not a documentary on how dirty is getting it a genre or a couple of possible genres you can book in and man it has been a dream of a book to me. I love a mystery, I love crime shows and detectives movies. I also love love love scifi and I guess that is a combination I just have to read!! Well written, it jumps a little from one person and scene to the next but so far it comes together brilliantly and I really want to read all night but got to get kid to school tomorrow so needs me sleep. If when I do finish it is as good as I believe it will be I’ll review again or update but author well done you have me tied to your story and loving 🥰 it
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