Welcome to Los Angeles shallows

Ellroy's first novel is surprising mastery. A well-crafted plot, varied characters and with a minimum thickness, a dive into the back of the Gulf World décor and a little trip to Mexico are on the menu of this thriller full of blood, dust and fury. The central figure is of course a detective, of course a former cop who is older alcoholic, while slang blooms all pages. Only small downside: the dialogues sometimes a bit (too) Surrealists. Ellroy does not revolutionize the black novel with this opus but simply places the bar very high. For a first attempt is a master stroke.