Status Updates From Le Dahlia noir

Earliest appearance of “touch grass” in fiction?

It’s interesting to see which aspects of the LA Quarter Ellroy developed first: Buzz Meeks gets a throwaway mention, The Big Nowhere is referenced à la Chandler’s Big Sleep, and now the Nite Owl from LA Confidential.

Missing: Dudley Smith . . . (I guess Ellroy made up for that with Perfidia)

Ellroy’s fusion of a haunting first person voice that grows from curiosity to obsession and ultimately addiction while reflecting on how others seek to insert their lives into the murder case is incredible.