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Los Angeles
It is a hoarse whisper over a crackling cell phone - "Angel" - and then the connection is lost. Angel is convinced that the voice belongs to his beautiful and enigmatic neighbor, Angela -- and that she is terrified for her life. He paces the floor, waiting for the phone to ring again, calls the police, searches her apartment, but there is no trace of her anywhere, not for days. So begins a haunted man's quest to uncover what happened to the woman he has fallen in love with. Only now does he realize that he knows nearly nothing about her.
Angel has his secrets, too. He is the son of one of Hollywood's most successful movie producers, but he has turned away from that bright and power-ridden world. Instead, he leads a cloistered existence, nursing an unfinished screenplay as Ridley Scott's Blade Runner loops ceaselessly in his darkened apartment. But now, for the first time in years, because of Angela's sudden disappearance, Angel is propelled into action. Following the few clues he has gathered about her, he trails Angela through the hard glitter of Los Angeles days and nights.
With every new piece of knowledge arrives another question and an even more chilling Did he merely imagine Angela? Is someone deliberately leading him? Is the phantom he is pursuing the very fear he has been running from? In the murky underworld beneath the bright surface of Los Angeles, everything he knew about her -- and himself -- begins to unravel. In this city of secrets that aren't meant to be told and people who aren't meant to be found, Angel may soon discover that the most dangerous lies of all are the ones you tell yourself.
Angel has his secrets, too. He is the son of one of Hollywood's most successful movie producers, but he has turned away from that bright and power-ridden world. Instead, he leads a cloistered existence, nursing an unfinished screenplay as Ridley Scott's Blade Runner loops ceaselessly in his darkened apartment. But now, for the first time in years, because of Angela's sudden disappearance, Angel is propelled into action. Following the few clues he has gathered about her, he trails Angela through the hard glitter of Los Angeles days and nights.
With every new piece of knowledge arrives another question and an even more chilling Did he merely imagine Angela? Is someone deliberately leading him? Is the phantom he is pursuing the very fear he has been running from? In the murky underworld beneath the bright surface of Los Angeles, everything he knew about her -- and himself -- begins to unravel. In this city of secrets that aren't meant to be told and people who aren't meant to be found, Angel may soon discover that the most dangerous lies of all are the ones you tell yourself.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
3 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 5, 2010
There are a lot of things to love about this book. I read it based on the blurb by Will Christopher Baer, but it certainly doesn't have the prose of Baer, and I did question the believability of certain aspects of the novel. The dark/light metaphors were a bit heavy-handed at times, and the plot was predictable at times. BUT there were moments of brilliance, the ending was solid, and I actually felt some emotion there, some sympathy, and it moved me. I enjoyed this book. It's a book I liked, but didn't love. For others, this book may have a stronger appeal. Maybe my expectations of Baer were too much. Maybe the Blade Runner quotes bugged me more than most. Pick it up, read a sample chapter, see if you dig his style. It's a good book.
April 29, 2025
Angel is unstable. He often finds refuge in his own world, where Angela loves him, from the realities of his family and loneliness. His world is beautiful and confusing; the exact details of events unexplainable.
And for as unstable as his narration seems, we see this escapism in even the most sensible of characters, Frank: a wildly successful lawyer with a dark past.
How do we change reality in our heads to deal with truth? To deal with hurt?
“Why do I miss her if she wasn’t real?”
And for as unstable as his narration seems, we see this escapism in even the most sensible of characters, Frank: a wildly successful lawyer with a dark past.
How do we change reality in our heads to deal with truth? To deal with hurt?
“Why do I miss her if she wasn’t real?”
May 25, 2007
My mom loaned me this book and advised me that it was a light read - which it was. I read over half of it on the plane home from Kansas City to Los Angeles. I read the remaining pages over the next few days. I really liked the book's noir feel and the very original main character. There were lots of plot twists and turns and the reader never really feels like they are sure of anything until close to the end of the story which makes it interesting. Another good Los Angeles detective story.
June 8, 2022
It is a very awesome book
March 12, 2022
Light reading. Not complex enough for my type of reading. Very very drama teen style. I hate characters that are built to be dramatised and complained about how miserable their life is. No good. Books should inspire you to do something. I could not feel that in this book.
April 5, 2018
Not really captivating... The story was rather disappointing as well.
September 1, 2025
I really love the book, the smoky atmosphere it brings and the psychological depictions of the MC. I wouldn’t say it’s for everyone but the how Angel romanticised the whole situation resonated with me to a degree (not as extreme). I will always say this is one of my favourite books and I wish everyone saw what I saw in it
July 23, 2010
I read this for a book club read. It's not something I would normally pick up, but I enjoy when I'm forced to leave my comfort zone with books and delve into something that isn't my usual fare.
Angel Veronchek is the son of a famous movie producer, lives in Los Angeles, and is an albino. When Smith was writing down his character sketches, these must have been the only three things on the list, because almost everything we learn about him is a riff on one of those three motifs. This isn't to say the background that springs from those three characteristics are bad, but after awhile it all seems very familiar. In a character-driven story, this will cramp the story a bit.
Angel meets a woman named Angela. They seem to be getting along really well, almost into boyfriend/girlfriend territory, and then she disappears. Angel receives a phone call from Angela, but she is disconnected early. Now Angel takes it upon himself to find her.
What happens next is an interesting ride through L.A., with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. However, I had a suspicion early in the book as to how this story would end, and I hoped I was wrong. But I wasn't. I'm not the type of person that tries to solve a mystery before it's over, I generally just enjoy the ride. So when I know the ending 50 pages into the story, someone didn't try hard enough. The end wouldn't have been so disappointing if the bulk of the story didn't hinge on it being a surprise. Even more puzzling, I don't think Smith intended for the ending to be surprise. He drops an abundance of clues throughout the narrative, so that the only one surprised by the end is Angel himself. I was really into the story, believing that the end would really blow me away...hence my disappointment.
Plot disappointment aside, Peter Moore Smith's prose is fun to read. The man turns a good simile and metaphor on every page, and his use of them never wore me out. Likewise, his imagery and description are stunning and work well in the story.
Angel Veronchek is the son of a famous movie producer, lives in Los Angeles, and is an albino. When Smith was writing down his character sketches, these must have been the only three things on the list, because almost everything we learn about him is a riff on one of those three motifs. This isn't to say the background that springs from those three characteristics are bad, but after awhile it all seems very familiar. In a character-driven story, this will cramp the story a bit.
Angel meets a woman named Angela. They seem to be getting along really well, almost into boyfriend/girlfriend territory, and then she disappears. Angel receives a phone call from Angela, but she is disconnected early. Now Angel takes it upon himself to find her.
What happens next is an interesting ride through L.A., with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. However, I had a suspicion early in the book as to how this story would end, and I hoped I was wrong. But I wasn't. I'm not the type of person that tries to solve a mystery before it's over, I generally just enjoy the ride. So when I know the ending 50 pages into the story, someone didn't try hard enough. The end wouldn't have been so disappointing if the bulk of the story didn't hinge on it being a surprise. Even more puzzling, I don't think Smith intended for the ending to be surprise. He drops an abundance of clues throughout the narrative, so that the only one surprised by the end is Angel himself. I was really into the story, believing that the end would really blow me away...hence my disappointment.
Plot disappointment aside, Peter Moore Smith's prose is fun to read. The man turns a good simile and metaphor on every page, and his use of them never wore me out. Likewise, his imagery and description are stunning and work well in the story.
September 22, 2023
Interesting exploration of mental illness, reality, and wealth.
September 10, 2017
I liked this quite a bit, but it did feel a bit bloated and wandered a bit. I wasn't sure what to expect at all when I picked up the book. Could have been thriller, fantasy, whatever. However, it's much more of a psychological thing like The Machinist, Memento, and Fight Club, which is coincidental since I just really started reading just after I finished watching The Machinist (well, I'd read the first chapter a couple weeks before, but then put it down).
June 10, 2008
I found this in the bargain bin at Borders and I'm glad I bought it.
Very noir feel without being cheesy. A fascinating, original main character and Smith does an enviable job of making Los Angeles as a city an equally interesting main character.
This was one of those surprising reads where I really knew nothing about the story and enjoyed watching it unfold. Good stuff.
Very noir feel without being cheesy. A fascinating, original main character and Smith does an enviable job of making Los Angeles as a city an equally interesting main character.
This was one of those surprising reads where I really knew nothing about the story and enjoyed watching it unfold. Good stuff.
April 2, 2009
I finally pulled this off my to-read pile and gobbled it up in two days. Whether it was because I was homesick for LA or I was in the mood for good noir, this book fit the bill.
A serpentine plot, very unique narrator and LA as a primary character all her own, this novel is a good fix for anyone with a noir craving.
A serpentine plot, very unique narrator and LA as a primary character all her own, this novel is a good fix for anyone with a noir craving.
December 5, 2009
I don't really know what to say about this book - it was intriguing, I wanted to give up on it several times and each time the plot twist motivated me to keep reading. The stereotypes and Blade Runner undercurrent are totally plausible to me based on my years living in LA.
August 10, 2008
Very well written, lives up to its title, creepy and contemporary classic LA noir.
Read
June 21, 2012Half way throught could not finish this book
October 3, 2015
it was an OK read. slow and not what I was hoping considering I waited so long to get around to reading it.
May 17, 2013
Confusing, but intriguing. It had me torn whether I wanted to finish it or not. Glad Angel came out on top.
December 24, 2014
Los Angeles is a confusing, interesting weird book about an albino. Not sure if I liked it, but it was
different.
different.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews