Status Updates From The Black Dahlia

This is unnervingly real - I remember seeing a documentary about Ellroy where he talked about this book in connection with the disappearance of his mother, I think, and I have to keep reminding myself that, although informed by that event, this is fiction. Christ, it’s grim. The 2 lead characters are working men of the 40s and not easy to like.

The boxing match was excitingly told. The level of detail in the police routines is impressive but I hope we get the plot moving soon.

Some of the hard boiled language takes me a bit to decipher, but otherwise this has the makings of a book that I can really get lost in. It also just feels great to start something new

Tough guy vernacular, boxing, cops, brawls… what did I expect?