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California Girl
Alternate cover edition of ASIN B000GCFD7W
The Orange County, California, that the Becker brothers knew as boys is no more—unrecognizably altered since the afternoon in 1954 when Nick, Clay, David, and Andy rumbled with the lowlife Vonns, while five-year-old Janelle Vonn watched from the sidelines. The new decade has ushered in the era of Johnson, hippies, John Birchers, and LSD. Clay becomes a casualty of a far-off jungle war. Nick becomes a cop, Andy a reporter, David a minister. And a terrible crime touches them all in ways they could never have anticipated when the mutilated corpse of teenage beauty queen Janelle Vonn is discovered in an abandoned warehouse.
The Orange County, California, that the Becker brothers knew as boys is no more—unrecognizably altered since the afternoon in 1954 when Nick, Clay, David, and Andy rumbled with the lowlife Vonns, while five-year-old Janelle Vonn watched from the sidelines. The new decade has ushered in the era of Johnson, hippies, John Birchers, and LSD. Clay becomes a casualty of a far-off jungle war. Nick becomes a cop, Andy a reporter, David a minister. And a terrible crime touches them all in ways they could never have anticipated when the mutilated corpse of teenage beauty queen Janelle Vonn is discovered in an abandoned warehouse.
416 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2004
293 people are currently reading
1136 people want to read
About the author
T. Jefferson Parker
99 books852 followersT. Jefferson Parker is the bestselling author of 26 crime novels, including Edgar Award-winners SILENT JOE and CALIFORNIA GIRL. Parker's next work is coming-of-age thriller, A THOUSAND STEPS, set for January of 2022. He lives with his family in a small town in north San Diego County, and enjoys fishing, hiking and beachcombing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 241 reviews
January 24, 2018
On the surface, California Girl is a well written crime novel. It will particularly appeal to those who have a familiarity with Orange County, California and are interested in a story that captures the atmosphere of the OC of the 1950s and 60s with its orange groves, hippie culture, and drive-in churches. There are cameo appearances by California icons Timothy Leary, Charles Manson, and Richard Nixon. Just the local interest and plot action are enough to make this a worthwhile read, but the author has gone a step further and woven some thoughtful issues throughout the setting and plot.
Telling the truth can be painfully difficult and this becomes a noticeable theme throughout the novel. This seemingly black and white concept becomes shades of gray when seen in the context of the story and the lives of the characters who find that they may hurt good people and reward the despicable if they tell the truth. A minor, yet not insignificant theme, is the struggle of growing up in a counter culture such as that of the 1960s. Thoughts and ways of life changed rapidly during this period and created much personal and societal upheaval. I appreciated that Parker never trivialized these themes or turned them into cliches.
This was my first T. Jefferson Parker novel and my experience would lead me to seek out other books by this author.
Telling the truth can be painfully difficult and this becomes a noticeable theme throughout the novel. This seemingly black and white concept becomes shades of gray when seen in the context of the story and the lives of the characters who find that they may hurt good people and reward the despicable if they tell the truth. A minor, yet not insignificant theme, is the struggle of growing up in a counter culture such as that of the 1960s. Thoughts and ways of life changed rapidly during this period and created much personal and societal upheaval. I appreciated that Parker never trivialized these themes or turned them into cliches.
This was my first T. Jefferson Parker novel and my experience would lead me to seek out other books by this author.
January 9, 2020
3.5 stars rounded to 4.
This is my first book by this author, published in 2004.
It started very slow.
The first 15% was extremely boring and I almost quit, but from there on things got a bit better, but it becomes even better after 55%.
It’s an absorbing family saga, after all.
But I felt that this book was too long.
Anyways, the writing is terrific and the ending was very satisfying and quite touching.
I’m very happy for not quitting this book, so, if you want to read this book, be patient. There is a reward.
This is my first book by this author, published in 2004.
It started very slow.
The first 15% was extremely boring and I almost quit, but from there on things got a bit better, but it becomes even better after 55%.
It’s an absorbing family saga, after all.
But I felt that this book was too long.
Anyways, the writing is terrific and the ending was very satisfying and quite touching.
I’m very happy for not quitting this book, so, if you want to read this book, be patient. There is a reward.
Want to read
June 19, 2018This hardcover book is the limited and signed first edition that has been specially bound and produced by the publisher and is signed by T. Jefferson Parker.
January 2, 2014
Excellent book. Its the kind of story you think about when your not reading and cant wait to get back to it. A solid four stars bleeding over into five.
August 31, 2015
Another very enjoyable and entertaining book from T.Jefferson Parker. A stand alone crime novel set in Orange County,California during the 50's and 60's.Kept me very interested from start to finish!
May 1, 2010
When I was a kid growing up in northern San Diego County in the Sixties and Seventies, we used to make a yearly trek to Disneyland. We'd also make other treks to points north, especially Long Beach. Up until around 1974 or so, northern San Diego County was a pretty podunk place, but Orange County was even podunkier. Going up I-5 (or I-405), you saw hardly any civilization until you hit Anaheim or Long Beach. Even Anaheim would have been nothing if it weren't for the cheap motels and coffee shops lining Harbor Blvd. to serve the crowds visiting Disneyland. The rest was orange groves. On the coastal side, Huntington Beach was nothing but oil wells that we would call "grasshoppers". The town I live in now barely existed. Most of the homes in my community were built in the Seventies.
California Girl by T. Jefferson Parker does a good job of capturing Orange County life as I imagine it was in 1968. Orange groves are starting to convert to suburbia. Drive-in churches come into existence. The beach life includes plenty of sex, drugs, and rock & roll. I recognized a lot of the landmarks described in the story. Unfortunately, it seemed like Parker was trying to squeeze in every detail about 1968 Orange County. The main characters' parents are acquainted with Richard Nixon. The murder victim was a follower/friend of Timothy Leary. We even get to meet a folk-singer named Charles Manson! Sometimes, you just need to stick with the details that are significant, not try to include everything.
Despite its historical accuracy and rich setting, California Girl was a bore. It took way too long for Detective Nick Becker to solve the murder. Heck, I knew who did it about halfway through. The "twist" wasn't even a twist to me. Don't even get me going about the part where Nick and Lobdell go down to Ensenada, Mexico to take their suspect back to Orange County. That whole sequence was completely unbelievable and implausible. I just didn't buy it.
Although I rarely give authors a second chance if I don't like the first book I read by them, I will try to read another of his works. I met him last weekend at the LA Times Festival of Books and he was quite personable. I've heard that he's a good writer and he does live in Orange County. I suspect I just got a lemon with California Girl.
California Girl by T. Jefferson Parker does a good job of capturing Orange County life as I imagine it was in 1968. Orange groves are starting to convert to suburbia. Drive-in churches come into existence. The beach life includes plenty of sex, drugs, and rock & roll. I recognized a lot of the landmarks described in the story. Unfortunately, it seemed like Parker was trying to squeeze in every detail about 1968 Orange County. The main characters' parents are acquainted with Richard Nixon. The murder victim was a follower/friend of Timothy Leary. We even get to meet a folk-singer named Charles Manson! Sometimes, you just need to stick with the details that are significant, not try to include everything.
Despite its historical accuracy and rich setting, California Girl was a bore. It took way too long for Detective Nick Becker to solve the murder. Heck, I knew who did it about halfway through. The "twist" wasn't even a twist to me. Don't even get me going about the part where Nick and Lobdell go down to Ensenada, Mexico to take their suspect back to Orange County. That whole sequence was completely unbelievable and implausible. I just didn't buy it.
Although I rarely give authors a second chance if I don't like the first book I read by them, I will try to read another of his works. I met him last weekend at the LA Times Festival of Books and he was quite personable. I've heard that he's a good writer and he does live in Orange County. I suspect I just got a lemon with California Girl.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2014
I am glad to have followed the advice of a fellow avid crime/thriller fan here on Goodreads to pick up a book by T. Jefferson Parker. There’s something about his storytelling that compels me. I enjoyed California Girl because it immersed me in a time and a place where I know little about. The sixties in Orange County, CA. If you want, it pretty much boils down to “sex, drugs, and rock&roll”. It must’ve been a time like no other; those sixties, people falling so easily into debauchery, but it’s much more than that. It’s a crime story alright, but it also felt like a chronicle of a family; the Becker family; four brothers who grow up in Tustin, Orange County raised by good people. Early on their lives are pretty much entangled with the Vonn family, who, as it appears don’t have the same moral compass the Becker family live by. Still, there are many layers to all the characters and believe me: they are all flawed – every single one of them. The author made me care about the Becker brothers. I liked how they stood by one and other.
It all starts with a boyhood rumble in 1954 between two neighbourhood families—the Vonns and the Beckers. After the Becker boys triumph, they watch as the little Vonn girl stares at them defiantly with an orange in each hand. Now the year is 1968, and nineteen-year-old Janelle Vonn is dead. She was raped, strangled, and her head was cut off. It’s Det. Nick Becker’s first homicide case; Andy Becker is the reporter writing about the case; and David Becker was Janelle’s minister. It will take the three brothers working together to solve this mystery.
Parker’s approach is refreshing and yet nostalgic. The different storylines are well plotted and give the reader a good sense of the brothers’ personalities and motivations. The only flaw is the carefree, careless and somewhat unsympathetic character of Janelle Vonn, which makes the brothers’ drive to solve her murder a bit forced. Yet I think their motivation has less to do with her as a person and more about the evocative image of a California Girl from a much simpler era.
It all starts with a boyhood rumble in 1954 between two neighbourhood families—the Vonns and the Beckers. After the Becker boys triumph, they watch as the little Vonn girl stares at them defiantly with an orange in each hand. Now the year is 1968, and nineteen-year-old Janelle Vonn is dead. She was raped, strangled, and her head was cut off. It’s Det. Nick Becker’s first homicide case; Andy Becker is the reporter writing about the case; and David Becker was Janelle’s minister. It will take the three brothers working together to solve this mystery.
Parker’s approach is refreshing and yet nostalgic. The different storylines are well plotted and give the reader a good sense of the brothers’ personalities and motivations. The only flaw is the carefree, careless and somewhat unsympathetic character of Janelle Vonn, which makes the brothers’ drive to solve her murder a bit forced. Yet I think their motivation has less to do with her as a person and more about the evocative image of a California Girl from a much simpler era.
June 13, 2010
I was thinking this was a five star when it began, and now I give it one AND place it on the "really bad" book shelf. That because of my growing disappointment the more I thought about it - I thought I really had found someone in author T. Jefferson Parker ... but he let me down. His protagonists, in all his novels, are basically the same guy, and in this novel he merges four brothers into one. The brothers are: a preacher, newspaper reporter, soldier, and detective. Their voice is the same. Their personalities are the same. They are almost worthy but all fall short. Add to that mix: Richard Nixon, Timothy Leary, and Charles Mansion. Add to that: a drug dealer, a star folk singer, a star politician, a high school coach, a frumpy partner/detective, and an egoist business magnate, and a family of white trash cretins. Now add beautiful teenage girl, sister of the cretins, and victim of the crime/mystery to be solved. This story mostly unfolds around 1968 in Southern California. The crime doesn't make sense - even though a crack FBI profiler nails it. Who did it? One of the above. And this bothers me the most - all of those people were trying to "help" the girl, with the exception of her brothers, who were her first victimizers. This girl has all these upstanding men trying to rescue her because she's so talented, smart, and beautiful and nobody can. Nobody thinks that maybe she could use some therapy (OK, it's the 60's); but what about school? How about one of these guys stepping up and getting her into college where she belonged. They didn't even try. They all used her. Creeps, all of them. There are some good scenes, however, and some good lines - but none of it rings true in the overarching narrative. Parker tried to do too much and wasn't up to it. I don't like being disappointed - one star.
December 16, 2016
It's not like I can call this a bad book, because it's well-written, but for me that doesn't amount to much if it's so boring. And this one is booooorrrrrriiiiinnnnnggggg. 250 pages in, Nick Becker moans that he's two weeks into his investigation and hasn't uncovered any clues. Yes, that's right! 250 pages where nothing has happened! This more a "sweeping" family saga than thriller or crime novel. It won an award for best crime novel in 2004, which makes me think 2004 must have been a lousy year for crime novels!
February 27, 2009
The main characters all interact on a casual and one to one basis with major news grabbers from the 1960's: Richard Nixon, Tim Leary and Charles Manson. I wonder how accurate these portrayals are to the truth; it sounded good and I appreciated in particular the interaction between one of our main characters and Manson. As a mystery I only found this book to be average, but it was redeemed by the history it recounted with the orange groves of Tustin, CA., the political and cult figures of the times, and the drug scene and cultural beliefs of that time. The story starts when our main characters are children and ends when they are old men, ... "two old farts with menus at arm's length talking about the past". It made me think about how, no matter the strength with which we live our lives, eventually we are the old ones if we are lucky.
March 5, 2012
As always I enjoyed T Jefferson Parker's writing. This is a police procedural, but almost epic in terms of scope and the fact that the action takes place primarily amongst 4 brothers growing up in Orange County California in the 50's and their interaction with a poorer family that lives nearby and the right wing politics that defined that era in Orange County. I am also certain that T Jefferson Parker has been stalking me all my life because just like "LA Outlaws" I know every street, every landmark he incorporates into the story. I lived on St. Anne in Laguna, hung out in Mystic Arts World and knew about the dark side of "The Brotherhood of Eternal Love." I also waiting on Nixon's G-Men when they came by the South Laguna Auto Club for maps. So I'm hoping I run into T Jefferson soon, so we can clear these little matters up.
June 27, 2012
My third book into the writings of T. Jefferson Parker and a stand alone at that.
The other books read were the Merci Rayborn series which I really enjoyed. This one, not as much.
Everything seemed a little contrived. Seems silly saying that because of course, it's fiction. But nevertheless, people from the 1960's are interjected in the novel such as Richard Nixson, Charles Manson, Thomas Leary and a few others. Unfortunately, most added nothing to the plot that I could determine.
However, I must say that if you're looking for a book about the 1960's in California...go no further. Read this book for a fictionalized account. Unfortunately, don't expect a great storyline to go with it though.
The other books read were the Merci Rayborn series which I really enjoyed. This one, not as much.
Everything seemed a little contrived. Seems silly saying that because of course, it's fiction. But nevertheless, people from the 1960's are interjected in the novel such as Richard Nixson, Charles Manson, Thomas Leary and a few others. Unfortunately, most added nothing to the plot that I could determine.
However, I must say that if you're looking for a book about the 1960's in California...go no further. Read this book for a fictionalized account. Unfortunately, don't expect a great storyline to go with it though.
March 11, 2020
This should have been a book that I devoured since it's supposed to be a mystery about who killed and decapitated a local beauty queen, but the slower than a sloth pacing was some next level torture to slog through. Nothing happens in most of the book, nothing except tedious details about southern California in the 1960s. A robot reading from my old organic chemistry textbook would have held my interest better than this did. The words of Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes kept spewing from my mouth page after page, "shut up, I don't care". How this won so many awards is the real mystery.
September 18, 2018
"'Listen to me, Nick. Everything we thought about Janelle Vonn was wrong.'"
San Clemente, California, summer 2004. 66-year-old Nick Becker meets his four years younger brother. "An old cop and an old reporter." Andy tells Nick, the cop, that they did not know the truth about momentous events that happened in 1968. This is a wonderful setup of a wonderful novel. T. Jefferson Parker's California Girl deservedly received the Edgar Award for the Best Novel in 2005. To me it is one of the best mysteries I have ever read. Not only is it a first-rate crime novel but also a great book about the 1960s Southern California. For once I have to agree with the blurb on the cover which screams "A gripping, atmospheric saga... An unforgettable book." Indeed. If not for the slightly bungled ending I might have even considered the extremely rare maximum rating.
The novel tells the story of the four Becker brothers whose lives were forever intertwined with the lives of the Vonns - three brothers, two younger sisters, one of them Janelle. We meet the kids in 1954, next to a packinghouse in Tustin, California, as the boys fight - the Beckers versus the Vonns - and the girls watch the fight. A powerful, unforgettable scene! Next, the author takes us to 1960 and then 1963 to portray the lives of orange growers community around Tustin, a sort of microcosm of Southern California. Evocative and masterfully written passages capture the sense of the times and make the readers feel they were present to witness the events.
Most of the plot happens in October 1968 when Nick is a freshly minted Homicide Detective in the Laguna PD and catches his first case. Andy is a newspaperman on an Orange County paper. Vietnam War rages in the background. The cultural revolution of the late 1960s has already begun. Real people from these tumultuous times - Timothy Leary, Richard Nixon, Charles Manson - appear on the pages, seamlessly woven into the tangle of fictitious events.
Several passages in the book will impress the readers with their realism and depth of psychological and sociological observation. Reverend Becker, one of the four brothers, is getting blackmailed by an FBI agent who wants him to become the agency's informant about the budding labor movement in California. In an arts store in Laguna Dr. Leary talks about "Coming Together in the Psychedelic Age," toiling on his signature task of expanding consciousness. The conversation between Reverend Becker and a "televangelism guru" exposes the unavoidable entanglement of religion and business.
I believe one of the reasons why the novel is so believable and compelling is that the author worked in his youth as a journalist for several Orange County papers, like The Newport Ensign. It's not difficult to guess that Mr. Parker writes about himself when, as Andy, he says
Four stars.
San Clemente, California, summer 2004. 66-year-old Nick Becker meets his four years younger brother. "An old cop and an old reporter." Andy tells Nick, the cop, that they did not know the truth about momentous events that happened in 1968. This is a wonderful setup of a wonderful novel. T. Jefferson Parker's California Girl deservedly received the Edgar Award for the Best Novel in 2005. To me it is one of the best mysteries I have ever read. Not only is it a first-rate crime novel but also a great book about the 1960s Southern California. For once I have to agree with the blurb on the cover which screams "A gripping, atmospheric saga... An unforgettable book." Indeed. If not for the slightly bungled ending I might have even considered the extremely rare maximum rating.
The novel tells the story of the four Becker brothers whose lives were forever intertwined with the lives of the Vonns - three brothers, two younger sisters, one of them Janelle. We meet the kids in 1954, next to a packinghouse in Tustin, California, as the boys fight - the Beckers versus the Vonns - and the girls watch the fight. A powerful, unforgettable scene! Next, the author takes us to 1960 and then 1963 to portray the lives of orange growers community around Tustin, a sort of microcosm of Southern California. Evocative and masterfully written passages capture the sense of the times and make the readers feel they were present to witness the events.
Most of the plot happens in October 1968 when Nick is a freshly minted Homicide Detective in the Laguna PD and catches his first case. Andy is a newspaperman on an Orange County paper. Vietnam War rages in the background. The cultural revolution of the late 1960s has already begun. Real people from these tumultuous times - Timothy Leary, Richard Nixon, Charles Manson - appear on the pages, seamlessly woven into the tangle of fictitious events.
Several passages in the book will impress the readers with their realism and depth of psychological and sociological observation. Reverend Becker, one of the four brothers, is getting blackmailed by an FBI agent who wants him to become the agency's informant about the budding labor movement in California. In an arts store in Laguna Dr. Leary talks about "Coming Together in the Psychedelic Age," toiling on his signature task of expanding consciousness. The conversation between Reverend Becker and a "televangelism guru" exposes the unavoidable entanglement of religion and business.
I believe one of the reasons why the novel is so believable and compelling is that the author worked in his youth as a journalist for several Orange County papers, like The Newport Ensign. It's not difficult to guess that Mr. Parker writes about himself when, as Andy, he says
"All he ever wanted to do was write a decent book someday and stick by the people he loved. Not accomplishing either of those, he thought."Well, Mr. Parker has certainly accomplished the first goal. California Girl is way more than just a decent book. If not for the overwrought ending, with its truly idiotic gimmick, it would be quite close to a great California novel.
Four stars.
June 11, 2012
California Girl is almost a history lesson in the 1960's for Orange County. It deals with the old John Birch Society, the hippies, dope, LSD and features cameos from Richard Nixon, Charlie Manson, and Timothy Leary (used fictiously, I'm certain-- but with an effort to be authentic).
The story features a lot of information and factioids about how the area was changing and some of the fads that were popular.
On top of that, Parker writes a decent mystery and populates it with a number of the usual suspects. Parker then uses the mechanism of the lives of three brothers to push the story forward. In places, the use of this mechanism is almost genius. We care about Andy, Nick and, David. We care about the murder victim, that they all knew. We care about how she managed to weave in and out of their lives. However, before the book is through, I found the mechanism to be a cheap method of providing information from one character to another. It was a good idea, and in my opinion, Parker managed to utilize it effectively for awhile, but then in the end, it just seemed a bit tired. On top of that-- I thought I had figured out the killer's identity pretty early on, but was uncertain enough that Parker mananged to keep me second guessing my initial guess, though I wasn't swayed.
Parker provides some interesting action scenes into this novel. One, is an altercation with a suspect that involves a permanent marker that was really very satisfying. Then, there is a conflict involving Charles Manson. In addition to this, there is a decent brawl scene to open the story, and a great gunfight scene late in the novel. Parker does a great job of making us feel as if we are there in the middle of the action.
As the novel progressed, I realized that Parker had created a snapshot of American life. Many of the characters in this novel had their own personal character flaws. As the story progressed, each of the brothers was choosing to make choices that bent their own version of morality. Parker shows us how the children of the 1960's entered into adulthood full of optimism, hopes and plans. eventually realizing that the choices they were making would not necessarily bring happiness. Injected into the story is the murder victim, abused and used, worldly, yet unsophisticated. A girl who really never stood a chance. And three brothers, whose lives were impacted more by her death, than her life.
The author puts the pieces of this novel together well. However, for me, the balance between the 1960's clash of cultures that was taking place and the murder mystery was slightly askew. Still a good book and I'm learning to really like Parker's dark writing.. but often, it seems as if all the characters are so sad and melancholy.
Minor gripe-- cover art seems to have nothing to do at all with the actual book. There is some mention of nude swimming at night with the Leary drug parties, but otherwise, I could make no connection with the cover at all. The "California Girl" is not a beach bunny or surfer chick.
The story features a lot of information and factioids about how the area was changing and some of the fads that were popular.
On top of that, Parker writes a decent mystery and populates it with a number of the usual suspects. Parker then uses the mechanism of the lives of three brothers to push the story forward. In places, the use of this mechanism is almost genius. We care about Andy, Nick and, David. We care about the murder victim, that they all knew. We care about how she managed to weave in and out of their lives. However, before the book is through, I found the mechanism to be a cheap method of providing information from one character to another. It was a good idea, and in my opinion, Parker managed to utilize it effectively for awhile, but then in the end, it just seemed a bit tired. On top of that-- I thought I had figured out the killer's identity pretty early on, but was uncertain enough that Parker mananged to keep me second guessing my initial guess, though I wasn't swayed.
Parker provides some interesting action scenes into this novel. One, is an altercation with a suspect that involves a permanent marker that was really very satisfying. Then, there is a conflict involving Charles Manson. In addition to this, there is a decent brawl scene to open the story, and a great gunfight scene late in the novel. Parker does a great job of making us feel as if we are there in the middle of the action.
As the novel progressed, I realized that Parker had created a snapshot of American life. Many of the characters in this novel had their own personal character flaws. As the story progressed, each of the brothers was choosing to make choices that bent their own version of morality. Parker shows us how the children of the 1960's entered into adulthood full of optimism, hopes and plans. eventually realizing that the choices they were making would not necessarily bring happiness. Injected into the story is the murder victim, abused and used, worldly, yet unsophisticated. A girl who really never stood a chance. And three brothers, whose lives were impacted more by her death, than her life.
The author puts the pieces of this novel together well. However, for me, the balance between the 1960's clash of cultures that was taking place and the murder mystery was slightly askew. Still a good book and I'm learning to really like Parker's dark writing.. but often, it seems as if all the characters are so sad and melancholy.
Minor gripe-- cover art seems to have nothing to do at all with the actual book. There is some mention of nude swimming at night with the Leary drug parties, but otherwise, I could make no connection with the cover at all. The "California Girl" is not a beach bunny or surfer chick.
October 14, 2012
Like Parker’s earlier Edgar winner, Silent Joe, California Girl is set in Orange County and brought home even more than the earlier book that Orange County is not Los Angeles.
There are a lot of ways one could describe California Girl. It’s a story about two families, the Beckers and the Vonns, and how they intersect and affect each other’s lives. It’s definitely a story of the changes in America, and specifically Orange County, from the 50s through the 60s and onward. Richard Nixon and Charles Manson make brief appearances, as does Timothy Leary. It’s also the story of three brothers – a clergyman, a journalist, and a cop – trying to love and support each other and be honest men in spite of their own human frailties and the compromises they sometimes have to make.
I have a hard time reading Parker’s books. They evoke corruption so well I almost have to hold my nose – even this book, which was not really about corruption, has a character who makes a fortune from a cleaner made of rotten oranges. Parker’s world is not a world I want to visit often. Although his characters enjoy the beauty and good weather of Southern California, they are also surrounded by urban sprawl and commercial ugliness (not to mention some extremely right-wing characters and others who are just generally unpleasant.) In some ways Parker’s books remind me of Donna Leon’s Guido Brunetti novels. But although Brunetti goes on beating his head against the wall of bureaucracy and corruption that confronts him at the end of nearly every book, he has the many compensations of Venice to console him. Parker’s Orange County doesn’t seem like a good place to live, but it’s a place we need to know about, and the stories he tells about it are worth hearing. So even though in many ways I didn’t “like” this book, I would highly recommend it.
There are a lot of ways one could describe California Girl. It’s a story about two families, the Beckers and the Vonns, and how they intersect and affect each other’s lives. It’s definitely a story of the changes in America, and specifically Orange County, from the 50s through the 60s and onward. Richard Nixon and Charles Manson make brief appearances, as does Timothy Leary. It’s also the story of three brothers – a clergyman, a journalist, and a cop – trying to love and support each other and be honest men in spite of their own human frailties and the compromises they sometimes have to make.
I have a hard time reading Parker’s books. They evoke corruption so well I almost have to hold my nose – even this book, which was not really about corruption, has a character who makes a fortune from a cleaner made of rotten oranges. Parker’s world is not a world I want to visit often. Although his characters enjoy the beauty and good weather of Southern California, they are also surrounded by urban sprawl and commercial ugliness (not to mention some extremely right-wing characters and others who are just generally unpleasant.) In some ways Parker’s books remind me of Donna Leon’s Guido Brunetti novels. But although Brunetti goes on beating his head against the wall of bureaucracy and corruption that confronts him at the end of nearly every book, he has the many compensations of Venice to console him. Parker’s Orange County doesn’t seem like a good place to live, but it’s a place we need to know about, and the stories he tells about it are worth hearing. So even though in many ways I didn’t “like” this book, I would highly recommend it.
July 8, 2009
Here's a mystery to kick start your summer! A hell of a good story, varied in its moods, rich in details about its 1968 southern California setting without being about the 1960s. To tell you the truth, I had to work at not crying at the end, which I didn't see coming. I'm struck by how nice it was to read a book that sits all by itself, no support from other books in a series, just selling its characters and creating its soul between two paperback covers, then saying "Done." I'm not done with this author, however. I'm curious about Silent Joe, which won the Edgar Award (as did California Girl), along with the LA Times Book Prize.
January 23, 2012
2005 Edgar Award winner for best novel. Well deserved. Novel follows two families from the 1950's through the 90's. A murder thrown in. Ending a bit weaker than the balance of the story and that is all that keeps me from giving 5 stars. Good discription of the political climate in California in the 50's and 60's. Well worth the read even if you are not a great mystery fan.
October 9, 2018
Good murder mystery that takes place mostly in the 1960's Orange County California and concludes in present day. Lots of interesting characters and the story moves along nicely. Anyone who lived thru the 60's will really be taken back to those very turbulent times. Even Timothy Leary and Charles Manson play small roles in the story. Enjoyed it !
February 23, 2015
Have already read this twice and I expect to re-read it every couple of years.
It's that good.
It's that good.
August 31, 2010
I really wanted to like this book. I grew up in So Cal in the sixties, and was looking forward to this novel. Ultimately though, the book left me flat.
Two key issues I have: First, I don't know why Richard Nixon, Charles Manson, and Timothy Leary... were even in the story.. sure they were all Icons of OC in the sixties, but this novel tries to connect them in a way that just doesn't ring authentic... I could accept Leary and the tie-ins with the drug culture or even Nixon being in there, though I don't think Nixon's inclusion adds anything. The Becker boys were a typical middle class family, A police officer, minister, soldier in Viet Nam, and reporter... why all the John Birch society stuff? Was that really a big movement in Orange county? Not saying it wasn't, just not a part of my experience..
My second complaint is in regards to plot twists. In order to pull this off successfully, the reader must be given subtle, emphasis on subtle, hints, clues that hopefully readers don't realize they are being given. The clues in California Girl are just too loudly telegraphed. It's way too obvious when you collect the victims fingers with skin underneath, to be frozen for future evidence...
Oh, one last thing.. the cover of my edition shows an apparently dead girl floating in the ocean... whats up with that?
Two key issues I have: First, I don't know why Richard Nixon, Charles Manson, and Timothy Leary... were even in the story.. sure they were all Icons of OC in the sixties, but this novel tries to connect them in a way that just doesn't ring authentic... I could accept Leary and the tie-ins with the drug culture or even Nixon being in there, though I don't think Nixon's inclusion adds anything. The Becker boys were a typical middle class family, A police officer, minister, soldier in Viet Nam, and reporter... why all the John Birch society stuff? Was that really a big movement in Orange county? Not saying it wasn't, just not a part of my experience..
My second complaint is in regards to plot twists. In order to pull this off successfully, the reader must be given subtle, emphasis on subtle, hints, clues that hopefully readers don't realize they are being given. The clues in California Girl are just too loudly telegraphed. It's way too obvious when you collect the victims fingers with skin underneath, to be frozen for future evidence...
Oh, one last thing.. the cover of my edition shows an apparently dead girl floating in the ocean... whats up with that?
June 23, 2019
One of the better Parker’s but perhaps not his best. In general, I’m a big fan of his flamboyant crime fiction. However, the time and place he writes about in this book - California in the ‘60s - will always particularly thrill and intrigue me, so I admit to being biased. I was lucky enough to have some amazing drug-addled hippie adventures there just after graduating from high school in 1968.
August 16, 2019
Interesting profile of Orange County (where I grew up) in the 1960s. Parker's got a terse style that compliments the grisly murder-who-done-it style. But I'm afraid it got somewhat ponderous and humor-less, or color-less, half way in. I'll read other stuff by him, though, as he's a Tustin-area writer and his careful research into the area I used to live often brings back memories long lost.
August 3, 2016
Postal Book Club 3.2 (Nancy's book)
May 20, 2019
Nick, Andy and David Becker are brothers that live in Orange County California. A young girl that they knew is found dead and decapitated. Nick is a new homicide detective and tasked with the job of finding the murderer. He considers it a personal quest since his family knew the girl. During his investigation many secrets come out including things about members of his own family.
The book was pretty dull and you never knew who was the main character. The ending was OK because the last few chapters recaps the entire book. You can read the last four chapters and save yourself the trouble of reading the whole book.
The book was pretty dull and you never knew who was the main character. The ending was OK because the last few chapters recaps the entire book. You can read the last four chapters and save yourself the trouble of reading the whole book.
April 9, 2020
Six-word Review: Beauty queen's murder raises many issues.
Parker does a great job of capturing the atmosphere of Southern California in the 60s. I was living in Northern Califonia but traveling to LA and other Southern Califonia locations quite often. Orange County was undergoing lots of changes with the orange groves being morphed into housing developments, a rising conservatism with the John Birch Society, and a loss of the old neighborhoods.
The book opens in the 50s with a rumble between the boys of two families, the Beckers and the Vonns. The fight ends in basically a draw witnessed by the Vonn sisters, one of whom, janelle, a local beauty queen is found murdered in an abandoned orange packing plant some 15 years later.
The Becker Brothers have changed. One was killed in Vietnam, one is a homicide detective, another a reporter and the fourth a minister, opening his church in a deserted drive-in theater. The plot is complicated and peopled with well-developed characters making reading the book a pleasure.
There are no lack of suspects and others who know more than they say. Nick, the detective and Andy, the reporter, both work to solve the murder in their own way, and in doing so come up against dead ends and into some personal danger, also. Secrets get exposed. Family tensions are increased. As Orange County changes so do the Becker brothers.
Eventually, Nick closes the case with a surprising result and his brothers learn a lot about themselves and the rest of the family.
Parker's narrative wastes no words and the story moves quickly and succinctly so that it's hard to put the book down, making it an excellent introduction to Parker's work.
Parker does a great job of capturing the atmosphere of Southern California in the 60s. I was living in Northern Califonia but traveling to LA and other Southern Califonia locations quite often. Orange County was undergoing lots of changes with the orange groves being morphed into housing developments, a rising conservatism with the John Birch Society, and a loss of the old neighborhoods.
The book opens in the 50s with a rumble between the boys of two families, the Beckers and the Vonns. The fight ends in basically a draw witnessed by the Vonn sisters, one of whom, janelle, a local beauty queen is found murdered in an abandoned orange packing plant some 15 years later.
The Becker Brothers have changed. One was killed in Vietnam, one is a homicide detective, another a reporter and the fourth a minister, opening his church in a deserted drive-in theater. The plot is complicated and peopled with well-developed characters making reading the book a pleasure.
There are no lack of suspects and others who know more than they say. Nick, the detective and Andy, the reporter, both work to solve the murder in their own way, and in doing so come up against dead ends and into some personal danger, also. Secrets get exposed. Family tensions are increased. As Orange County changes so do the Becker brothers.
Eventually, Nick closes the case with a surprising result and his brothers learn a lot about themselves and the rest of the family.
Parker's narrative wastes no words and the story moves quickly and succinctly so that it's hard to put the book down, making it an excellent introduction to Parker's work.
August 9, 2013
I really liked this crime (plus) novel which is set, for the most part, in late 60s southern California.
It’s a bit of a half-hearted procedural novel. Half-hearted because in the late 60s there was little of the forensic science we have today and, to be honest, the investigating officer isn’t that good at his job.
So, although it’s nominally a crime novel, its themes are really much more familiar to a reader of mainstream fiction. It’s about family, sexuality, religion, growing older, the meaning of life. You know, all those fairly unimportant things.
Parker has a very easy style. He writing is confident and adroit. If anything, it’s a little too good, if that’s possible. A bit like a car salesman making his pitch. But, that also fits in with the story. It’s set in California where the sun’s always shining, the wind is always either bringing you enticing smells from the desert or refreshing aromas from the sea. But the story, like the titular girl, isn’t quite all it seems. At the heart of the novel, as at the heart of the swinging sixties, there is darkness.
The plot concerns three brothers: a preacher, a policeman and a journalist. A 19-year-old girl – known to all three brothers - is brutally murdered. As the story evolves we find out just how deeply one of the brothers was involved with the girl.
An undemanding read but one not without some nice insights into the human condition, and, after all, can you really ask for more?
8/10
It’s a bit of a half-hearted procedural novel. Half-hearted because in the late 60s there was little of the forensic science we have today and, to be honest, the investigating officer isn’t that good at his job.
So, although it’s nominally a crime novel, its themes are really much more familiar to a reader of mainstream fiction. It’s about family, sexuality, religion, growing older, the meaning of life. You know, all those fairly unimportant things.
Parker has a very easy style. He writing is confident and adroit. If anything, it’s a little too good, if that’s possible. A bit like a car salesman making his pitch. But, that also fits in with the story. It’s set in California where the sun’s always shining, the wind is always either bringing you enticing smells from the desert or refreshing aromas from the sea. But the story, like the titular girl, isn’t quite all it seems. At the heart of the novel, as at the heart of the swinging sixties, there is darkness.
The plot concerns three brothers: a preacher, a policeman and a journalist. A 19-year-old girl – known to all three brothers - is brutally murdered. As the story evolves we find out just how deeply one of the brothers was involved with the girl.
An undemanding read but one not without some nice insights into the human condition, and, after all, can you really ask for more?
8/10
September 3, 2007
CALIFORNIA GIRL (Police Proc/Amateur-Califorania-1950s to Cont) – G
Parker, T. Jefferson – 12th book
William Morrow, 2004- Hardcover
The Becker boys rumbled with the Vonn boys when they were young. But there was something about young Janelle Vonn that caught their eye. Now in the 1960's Janelle has reconnected with a couple of the Beckers, up until she is found murdered. Nick Becker, now a cop, is handling Janelle's murder as his first homicide case while Andy, a reporter, is also investigating.
*** I have loved some of Parker's books; just not this one. It begins in first person, moves to third person, and ends in first person. Real people from the 60's are included in the story for no real purpose other than setting. You're not certain whether it's a mystery or a family epic or both, but it so bogs down in the middle, I didn't particularly care. Parker does a very good job conveying a segment of life during the 60's. He is, in general, an excellent writer. Unfortunately, this book is just not up to par for me.
Parker, T. Jefferson – 12th book
William Morrow, 2004- Hardcover
The Becker boys rumbled with the Vonn boys when they were young. But there was something about young Janelle Vonn that caught their eye. Now in the 1960's Janelle has reconnected with a couple of the Beckers, up until she is found murdered. Nick Becker, now a cop, is handling Janelle's murder as his first homicide case while Andy, a reporter, is also investigating.
*** I have loved some of Parker's books; just not this one. It begins in first person, moves to third person, and ends in first person. Real people from the 60's are included in the story for no real purpose other than setting. You're not certain whether it's a mystery or a family epic or both, but it so bogs down in the middle, I didn't particularly care. Parker does a very good job conveying a segment of life during the 60's. He is, in general, an excellent writer. Unfortunately, this book is just not up to par for me.
Read
July 25, 2011I've only read one other T. Jefferson Parker book and it was one of those quick-read thrillers, so I didn't know quite what to expect from this book, but given that it won an Edgar Award (given to outstanding mysteries) I figured I was in for a great read. Umm, no. This book had a really interesting premise, and pretty multi-dimensional characters (most of them; some of them were straight out of Central Casting) but it just took FOREVER. And what I suspected would happen early on did, in a sort-of twist right out of "Cold Case."
The book starts out in 1954 Southern California, when the Becker brothers rumble with the tougher, less-fortunate Vonns. Which puts the wheels in motion for the two families to cross paths through the years. Ultimately, the youngest sister, Janelle, who escapes from her dead-end life, is found murdered, and her murder touches the Becker family in many ways. This had a lot of promise, and at the core was a great story, it just seemed really contrived. Disappointing.
The book starts out in 1954 Southern California, when the Becker brothers rumble with the tougher, less-fortunate Vonns. Which puts the wheels in motion for the two families to cross paths through the years. Ultimately, the youngest sister, Janelle, who escapes from her dead-end life, is found murdered, and her murder touches the Becker family in many ways. This had a lot of promise, and at the core was a great story, it just seemed really contrived. Disappointing.
October 28, 2013
California Girl was recommended and since I had never read this author, I decided to give it a try. I enjoyed it but not as much as I had hoped I would. I can't quite put my finger on what was missing though. Lovely setting in Orange County, CA, in the 50s and 60s. Those years were times of many cultural changes so there is some history here for those of you too young to remember that era.
Two families are involved in the plot in this big novel. It is a murder mystery but we also read about the drug culture (Timothy O'Leary makes what I assume is a fictional cameo appearance), religion and drive-in churches, poverty, transients, careers, and sex/adultery. The novel moves along nicely and most of the characters are well-developed. Some of these characters are certainly lacking morals which made it hard for me to like them.
I doubt I will commit to read another of Mr. Parker's novels although I've heard that it is either 'hit' or 'miss' with him. California Girl was somewhere in the middle of 'hit' or 'miss' for me.
Two families are involved in the plot in this big novel. It is a murder mystery but we also read about the drug culture (Timothy O'Leary makes what I assume is a fictional cameo appearance), religion and drive-in churches, poverty, transients, careers, and sex/adultery. The novel moves along nicely and most of the characters are well-developed. Some of these characters are certainly lacking morals which made it hard for me to like them.
I doubt I will commit to read another of Mr. Parker's novels although I've heard that it is either 'hit' or 'miss' with him. California Girl was somewhere in the middle of 'hit' or 'miss' for me.
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