January 26, 2023 • 26 mins
In this week's episode of Living in the Sprawl: Southern California's Most Adventurous Podcast, host Jon Steinberg shares his list of 10 must read mystery novels set throughout Southern California. His list includes: "In a Lonely Place" by Dorothy Hughes, "Inherent Vice" by Thomas Pynchon, "IQ" by Joe Ide, "Damage Control" by Denise Hamilton, "California Girl" by T Jefferson Parker, "The Black Dahlia" by James Ellroy, "The Black Echo" by Michael Connelly, "The Moving Target" by Ross McDonald, "Devil in a Blue Dress" by Walter Mosley, "The Big Sleep" by Raymond Chandler.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:09):
Hello, and welcome to anotherinstallment of living in the
sprawl.
So the California's mostadventurous podcast I am as
always your humble host andcorrespondent.
My name is John Steinberg and Iam joined in tandem by my lovely
and infinitely talented producerslash my wife.
Her name is Lisa Steinberg.
(00:30):
We are the team here at sprawlenterprises.
Ready to bring you yet?
Another exciting foray into thevast expansive terrain that we
have lovingly dubbed the sprawl.
On today's show.
We hit the books.
We get a bit.
Uh, learned on the programtoday.
(00:50):
We're taking a look.
At the 10.
Must read mystery novels thatare set within the glorious.
Bounds of the SouthernCalifornia sprawl.
When I was a kid, I first pickedup a copy.
Of LA confidential.
I was about seven.
And, um, well, let's just goahead and say that I was hooked.
(01:14):
The mystery at the center of thenovel.
The juicy.
Todd Reed elements surroundingthe action.
The seemingly endless array ofsupporting characters.
With motivations that weresometimes.
Abundantly clear and sometimesnot clear at all.
In short.
I became an early adopter of allthings, mystery.
(01:39):
Over time.
Agatha Christie.
Dashel Hamot.
James M.
Cain.
Patricia Highsmith.
And there.
Other noted.
Literary brethren.
And snared me with tales rangingfrom.
Private investigators seekingthe identity of dastardly
culprits behind a series.
(02:01):
Of landmark crimes.
Or it could be.
The disappearance.
Of an error.
Shrouded.
And a mysterious.
On determinable Hayes.
That certain authors just happento calculate exactly right.
Los Angeles and SouthernCalifornia.
More broadly speaking.
R.
(02:21):
One of the greatest locales formysteries in the modern era.
That never ending stream.
Of Hills mountains.
Canyons.
Reservoirs.
Hidden mansions.
Hillside estates.
Beaches desert.
Mountains.
(02:42):
Snow sun.
Everything.
All of the possibilities existwithin the sprawl.
And lucky for us.
As we'll come to understand.
This area has been and willcontinue to be a fertile
breeding ground.
For all things mystery.
(03:03):
So.
Let's take a look this week.
At the 10 must read mysterynovels set within the bounds of
the Southern California spurRaul.
And number 10.
In a lonely place.
By the famed poet, Dorothy B.
Hughes.
Now those of you unfamiliar withthe novel might.
(03:26):
I have heard.
Of the quintessential 1950filmed war annotation and that
starred one Humphrey Bogart andGloria Graham.
Dorothy B.
Hughes was not a lifelong, soCal resident.
She bided her adult time.
In New Mexico.
Missouri dispel in New York anddid enjoy a brief period.
(03:51):
Out in LA LA land.
And it's in this.
Wicked novel.
That Ms.
Hughes.
Crafts.
A wonderfully engagingnarrative.
Centered around the exploits.
Of Dixon steel.
He's a serial killer question,mark.
He's trying to help track down aserial killer.
(04:13):
Period.
There are a plethora of twistsand turns in this.
Unsettling.
Paige Turner.
And the way in which.
Post world war two.
Los Angeles is depicted.
Remind those of us living incurrent day.
L a.
That the city once.
(04:34):
Really was a place where youcould zip around from Manhattan
beach to Alhambra back toHollywood and over the hill to
Tarzana.
Not so much today.
But that's okay because we getto celebrate the legacy of this
wonderful place in pieces ofliterature.
Like.
The all time great mystery novelin a lonely place by Ms.
(05:00):
dorothy b hughes Number nineinherent vice by noted literary
recluse, Thomas Pynchon.
Now Pinchin along with figureslike Don DeLillo.
Laurie Moore.
Paul Auster and a host of othershave come to define post-modern
(05:21):
literature in the 20th century.
And here at vice.
If we're talking about pensions.
Bibliography is one of the moreaccessible works.
That he ever put out to thepublic.
Here.
We're transported back.
To a greasy time in Los Angeleshistory.
(05:43):
We're introduced to docSpilotro.
A pot smoking.
Private eye.
Uh, tasked with tracking down.
A mega wealthy.
Industrialist who's gonemissing.
Enter some shady characters.
Uh, bizarre police detective.
Multiple.
Damsels in distress.
(06:04):
And you've got yourself themakings of a classic mystery
novel.
For those of you that haven't.
Sat with one of Mr.
Pensions books.
I dare you to read gravity'srainbow the all time example of
a book.
That universally has elicitedthe response.
(06:24):
I got through it when peoplecomplete the story.
Here.
It's a low down.
In the mud.
Reckless version of the city ofangels.
Albeit contrasted with the.
Ever flowing sunshine.
Matriculating in the air.
Thomas Pynchon.
(06:45):
Never intended for the work tobe turned.
Into a film, but that's exactlywhat happened when.
Living in the sprawl.
Favorite son, Paul ThomasAnderson.
Adapted this book.
For the big screen.
Some years back.
Joaquin Phoenix portrays.
Doc's below TRO in the movie.
Josh Brolin's involved.
(07:05):
Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson.
A cast of cinematic luminaries.
But go back and read thisengrossing novel.
That'll transport you back to atime.
When people showered far lesswar, significantly more hair
product.
And everyone seemed to have an aPfarius side hustle.
(07:28):
Uh, number eight.
I Q.
Bye Joe EDA.
A more recent entry.
On our list, this 2016 Edgaraward finalist.
Demonstrates.
That be it in the 1940s, the1970s or in the present day.
The city of angels.
(07:49):
Has the market cornered onmysterious.
Here, the action takes placelargely in the south Los Angeles
portion.
Of the city.
Where amateur.
Sleuth Isaiah Quinn Taba.
Attempts to piece together.
Some truly horrific events.
(08:10):
Now we get.
Some action concerning the musicindustry.
Some downright nasty rappers arein the mix.
And all the action is neatlyjuxtaposed.
With the.
Stark reality imposed by thesocio economic reality.
Of the Southern part of thecity.
(08:32):
This is far removed from.
The Hilltop mansions that dot.
The roads.
Hovering over Hollywood.
It's a gritty.
Blue collar.
Landscape that is heavilydivorced from the more
glamorous.
Side of Los Angeles.
Joe Or EDA.
(08:54):
Who was raised in south LosAngeles draws upon.
His own set of experiencesgrowing up in the area.
Tapping into is JapaneseAmerican background.
And using all the tools at hisdisposal to craft a truly
memorable.
Work.
Of fiction.
(09:14):
It's IQ by Joe EDA.
And number seven, damage controlby Denise Hamilton.
Again.
On the newer side of things.
The book.
Concerns.
A dead girl, a corruptpolitician.
A series.
(09:34):
Of wrongdoing folks up to.
No good.
In west Los Angeles.
The way in which Hamilton.
Draws upon the city's uniquecharacter to flesh out the
narrative is truly impressive.
Our main.
Protagonist here.
Comes to her unique set ofcircumstances.
(09:56):
Slightly jaded.
But still clear-eyed enough.
To be able to see a situationfor what it is.
The writing here is terrific.
Ms.
Hamilton.
Also a Southern Californianative.
Has.
Curated.
Some excellent.
Mystery oriented and thought Inthe last 20 years or so.
(10:20):
So it's no surprise that her ownwork would be this suburb.
And number seven, we highlyrecommend.
That you dive into.
The proverbial swamp.
With damage control.
Uh, number six, California girlby T Jefferson Parker.
(10:42):
Now, right off the bat.
The first thing that I wasstruck by was the fact that this
author.
Has a first initial that doesn'tactually stand for anything.
The T.
Is merely a T.
And his mother thought.
That by listing T Jefferson.
It would make him appear moreRegal and estimable in the eyes
(11:05):
of others kind of reminds me ofthe world, according to Garp
where Ts Garp.
Really stands for nothing.
In any event.
Mr.
Parker.
Has said.
His relatively modern story.
Within the confines of orangecounty.
Here we get.
Some of the seedier characters.
(11:27):
Breathing in.
The ocean side air in placeslike Laguna beach and Newport
beach.
The narrative is tight.
The details.
Leap off the page.
And one cannot help, butcontinue turning pages once
they've really gotten started.
(11:47):
Mr.
Parker has long been renowned.
As a Maestro in the mysteryfield.
Panning.
A host of successful mysterynovels that all pretty much
derive.
Their essence.
By looking in.
To the toddler, your side.
Of the OSI.
At number six.
(12:08):
It's California girl.
By T which doesn't stand foranything.
Jefferson Parker.
And number five, the blackDahlia by James Ellroy.
I alluded to the work of Mr.
Ellroy at the outset of thepodcast.
And indeed you may be reasonablywondering, well then why isn't
(12:29):
it higher on the list?
Well, I didn't want to put LAconfidential on there.
See, I never liked repeatingstuff on the podcast.
And for long time listeners, youmay recall.
An episode early on where wediscussed some of our favorite
authors.
That draw from.
The sprawl as a character.
(12:50):
James Ellroy was discussed atthat point.
And though the black Dahlia isnot on the same level as LA
confidential.
It is pretty close.
This is actually one in a seriesof four.
The others being eliteconfidential, the big nowhere
and white jazz.
In Mr.
(13:11):
Ellroy's.
Much ballyhooed Los Angeles.
Quartet series.
Corrupt police.
Fast women.
A little bit of all time boxing.
And some.
Historical revision.
Make this an unforgettablenovel.
Now of course the black Dahlia.
(13:31):
Which for those that don't knowis the unsolved 1947 murder.
Um, Elizabeth Short.
And then the subsequent.
Arrangement of the body in agrotesque gruesome manner.
In Leimert park.
Has.
As I mentioned never actuallybeen solved.
But Mr.
Ellroy provides.
(13:52):
His analysis on the case.
And indeed.
Comes up with a potential.
Culprit behind.
The disturbing murder.
This one was also turned into afilm.
Brian de Palma.
One of my favorite directors.
Josh Hartnett, Aaron Eckhart.
Scarlett Johannson.
Unfortunately, the film is notthat great, but the book really
(14:15):
is.
And for those of you.
Like the team here at sprawlenterprises that are interested
in all things, true crime.
This is a wonderful.
Must read.
Novel.
That does its darndest.
To create.
A reasonable solution.
To the unsolved murder ofElizabeth Short.
(14:37):
More commonly known as the blackdahlia At number four, the black
echo by Michael Connolly.
This is the first.
In the Hieronymus Bosch series.
Written long before Mr.
Connolly.
Would enjoy.
Fame the world over in a muchdeserved reputation as one of
(15:00):
the real Alions.
Of.
Crime fiction.
In this.
Novel.
We learned a great deal aboutthe tunnels.
Hiding.
Beneath the city.
And.
All of the skullduggery.
That could potentially go on.
Underneath the pavement.
The success of this bookprompted Connolly to continue
(15:22):
on.
His Hieronymus Bosch series.
And as of this recording, He'sbeen writing.
Bosch stories for going on 30years now.
The team here at sprawlenterprises actually got to
attend a recent.
Michael Connolly interview inperson.
We got a book signed.
(15:43):
He had a nice moment with theman.
And it was important that we didthat because.
If we're talking about activemystery writers.
There are basically none thatare as decorated as Michael
Connolly, the Bosch series.
It's coming close to rivalingthe output of other folks that
(16:04):
we haven't talked about yet onthis podcast.
And it all started.
Within the pages of the blackecho.
So for those of you.
That adore the Amazon show.
By all the Harry Bosch books.
It may have been easy to haveskipped this first.
Installment in the series.
(16:25):
But we assure you, it isdefinitely worth your time.
The black echo from michaelConnolly.
At number three.
The moving target by RossMacDonald.
This is the first.
In the Lu Archer series.
By the end of it.
And there would be 18 books inthe series.
(16:47):
Multiple film adaptations.
And.
The justification for a lengthy.
The spell at the top.
Of the metaphorical crimefiction mountain.
Ross MacDonald real name,Kenneth Miller.
Created the Archer character.
Known.
In the Paul Newman movies asHarper.
(17:10):
And here we've got a grizzled.
Private investigator.
The guy that likes to drink,likes to smoke.
Chase women.
What.
In the 1950s would have seemedlike a quote unquote man's man.
And we transport that man's man.
To the fictional locale.
(17:30):
St Teresa.
Sorry, Santa Teresa.
Which was McDonald's stand infor Santa Barbara.
And it would be decades laterthat Sue Grafton, who we also
talked about on thataforementioned.
Episode concerning sprawlauthors.
Who would also set her.
(17:50):
Alphabet series in.
Santa Teresa.
And the moving target.
Uh, Lou Archer finds himself.
Attempting to track down.
A missing.
Financial whale.
Some less.
Then scrupulous daughters enterthe equation.
And Archer finds himself.
Plumbing the depths of theSouthern California underworld.
(18:15):
A riveting tale.
That has captivated audiencesfor going on 50 plus years now.
The moving target kicked off.
A glorious.
Crime fiction run.
That continues to the presentday.
Ross MacDonald.
Perhaps isn't quite as famous assome of his literary
(18:37):
counterparts.
But he is.
More than deserving.
I have a place near the tippytop of the heap.
When we discuss.
Great.
Crime fiction, mystery writers.
And it all started here thefirst book and the Lou Archer
series the moving target Andthere were two devil in a blue
(19:01):
dress by Walter Mosley.
Mostly grew up in the southland.
And draws upon the experiencesfrom his upbringing to craft
this narrative.
With as much realism.
And grit as humanly possible.
This is the first in the easyRawlins series.
A.
(19:21):
Ridiculously successful.
Compilation of novels.
Focusing on.
Amateur private investigator,easy Rawlins.
The happenings on display here.
It take place.
In Watts.
And other portions of the city.
But it's Mosley's.
Seemingly effortless ability tocapture the plight.
(19:43):
And desires.
Of residents from Watts.
That really.
Take this novel to the nextlevel.
Some of, you may have seen thefilm adaptation with Denzel
Washington.
And Jennifer Beals.
But again, I think we'renoticing a trend.
We've got some missing.
Uh, figures.
Some fast women.
(20:04):
Character's not on the up andup.
A sorted collection.
Of thieves hula gains.
And.
The elite.
Mostly who we also mentioned onour episode from quite a while
ago, concerning.
Sprawl based authors.
Has.
Made a career.
(20:26):
of documenting.
The lives.
Of marginalized.
Communities in south LosAngeles.
Easy Rawlins.
Mosley's most lauded creation.
Is a war veteran.
With a knack for putting complexconcepts together.
Rollins.
Battles discrimination.
(20:47):
Doubt.
And other elements.
To make a go at solvingmysteries.
indeed Mosley.
Has proven.
To be.
One of the better mysterysolvers working in contemporary
crime fiction.
His books, breeze by you neverfeel as though.
(21:08):
You're stuck in the mud at theaction always flows and there's
no better example of that.
Then the narrative.
Contained within the pages ofthis first easy Rawlins mystery
devil in a blue dress.
Unequivocally a must read forany.
Mystery reader.
Out there today.
(21:30):
And that means we've arrived atour number one.
So lot.
So.
It simply has to be the bigsleep by Raymond Chandler
because of course it does.
Raymond Chandler only wroteseven novels.
But his legacy looms, large andvast.
A true underdog story.
(21:52):
Chandler didn't even begin.
His work as a novelist until hereached his forties.
But what he gave to the world inthe form.
Of iconic, private investigator,Philip Marlowe.
Will last.
For generations across.
The globe.
Philip Marlowe.
Who we meet?
In this novel.
(22:13):
Has a tendency to find himselfin.
Some rather complicatedscenarios.
I remember reading a quote whereRaymond Chandler said, Hey, if.
I ever get to a point.
In the writing process where Ican't really figure out where
the next plot point should comefrom.
I just go ahead and throw insome henchman.
(22:34):
And I find that interesting.
Because Chandler, unlike many ofhis peers.
As someone that made his boneson the back.
Of writing that.
Really gathered as much aspossible.
From stuff like atmosphere,vibe, mood.
The plot wasn't as central.
As Chandler saw it.
(22:55):
So in this way.
He invites comparison to theCohen brothers who have
famously.
You mentioned.
That in all of their movies,they are going for atmosphere as
opposed to plot.
Philip Marlowe is anunforgettable private
investigator.
Maybe the best.
(23:16):
The team here at sprawlenterprises actually argues that
it is the best.
Example of.
A.
Character that can sustain.
An entire series of novels.
See, there's this trend inliterature.
That has.
The 25th book in the filled theblank series or the 50th book in
the exploits of such and suchperson.
(23:38):
Here.
Just because of the lateness inlife.
When Chandler began his career,we've only got seven novels draw
upon.
So he never got to the point inhis career where the action
became flabby and bloated.
It's a tight seven and it allstarts.
With the.
(23:59):
Web of deceit on display withinthe pages of the big sleep.
Now, of course, this is one ofthe more famous mystery movies
of all time.
And Humphrey Bogart is involvedand you should absolutely watch
that film, but don't sleep onthe book.
I hate making ponds and I didthat without thinking about it.
(24:22):
The big sleep.
Number one on our list of thequintessential mystery novels
set within the bounds ofSouthern California.
And that's going to do it foranother episode of the show.
We'd like to thank everyone fromthe bottom of our hearts for
listening to the work that weput out a couple of easy ways to
(24:43):
support the podcast, hop onapple iTunes, or wherever you
listen to the show, leave us afive star rating and a nice
review.
That stuff really helps us outon the business.
End.
Follow us on Instagram.
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Write us an email.
We always love to correspondwith listeners living in the
(25:05):
sprawl podcast@gmail.com is theaddress where you can send
those.
Additionally, we'd like toremind you about our dynamic,
incredible website.
And it's on this website whereyou can snap up living in the
sprawl merchandise.
If you can think of it.
And we can make it happen, whichwe can.
(25:25):
Living in the sprawl, ourwebsite, that's the place to
order it up.
So on behalf of myself.
I am one half of the team, yourhumble correspondent and host.
My name is John Steinberg joinedby my lovely and talented
producer slash my wife.
Her name is Lisa Steinberg.
Thanking you again for listeningto another episode of living in
(25:49):
the sprawl.
Southern California's mostadventurous podcast.
We'll chat again real soon.
Hello, and welcome to anotherinstallment of living in the
sprawl.
So the California's mostadventurous podcast I am as
always your humble host andcorrespondent.
My name is John Steinberg and Iam joined in tandem by my lovely
and infinitely talented producerslash my wife.
Her name is Lisa Steinberg.
(00:30):
We are the team here at sprawlenterprises.
Ready to bring you yet?
Another exciting foray into thevast expansive terrain that we
have lovingly dubbed the sprawl.
On today's show.
We hit the books.
We get a bit.
Uh, learned on the programtoday.
(00:50):
We're taking a look.
At the 10.
Must read mystery novels thatare set within the glorious.
Bounds of the SouthernCalifornia sprawl.
When I was a kid, I first pickedup a copy.
Of LA confidential.
I was about seven.
And, um, well, let's just goahead and say that I was hooked.
(01:14):
The mystery at the center of thenovel.
The juicy.
Todd Reed elements surroundingthe action.
The seemingly endless array ofsupporting characters.
With motivations that weresometimes.
Abundantly clear and sometimesnot clear at all.
In short.
I became an early adopter of allthings, mystery.
(01:39):
Over time.
Agatha Christie.
Dashel Hamot.
James M.
Cain.
Patricia Highsmith.
And there.
Other noted.
Literary brethren.
And snared me with tales rangingfrom.
Private investigators seekingthe identity of dastardly
culprits behind a series.
(02:01):
Of landmark crimes.
Or it could be.
The disappearance.
Of an error.
Shrouded.
And a mysterious.
On determinable Hayes.
That certain authors just happento calculate exactly right.
Los Angeles and SouthernCalifornia.
More broadly speaking.
R.
(02:21):
One of the greatest locales formysteries in the modern era.
That never ending stream.
Of Hills mountains.
Canyons.
Reservoirs.
Hidden mansions.
Hillside estates.
Beaches desert.
Mountains.
(02:42):
Snow sun.
Everything.
All of the possibilities existwithin the sprawl.
And lucky for us.
As we'll come to understand.
This area has been and willcontinue to be a fertile
breeding ground.
For all things mystery.
(03:03):
So.
Let's take a look this week.
At the 10 must read mysterynovels set within the bounds of
the Southern California spurRaul.
And number 10.
In a lonely place.
By the famed poet, Dorothy B.
Hughes.
Now those of you unfamiliar withthe novel might.
(03:26):
I have heard.
Of the quintessential 1950filmed war annotation and that
starred one Humphrey Bogart andGloria Graham.
Dorothy B.
Hughes was not a lifelong, soCal resident.
She bided her adult time.
In New Mexico.
Missouri dispel in New York anddid enjoy a brief period.
(03:51):
Out in LA LA land.
And it's in this.
Wicked novel.
That Ms.
Hughes.
Crafts.
A wonderfully engagingnarrative.
Centered around the exploits.
Of Dixon steel.
He's a serial killer question,mark.
He's trying to help track down aserial killer.
(04:13):
Period.
There are a plethora of twistsand turns in this.
Unsettling.
Paige Turner.
And the way in which.
Post world war two.
Los Angeles is depicted.
Remind those of us living incurrent day.
L a.
That the city once.
(04:34):
Really was a place where youcould zip around from Manhattan
beach to Alhambra back toHollywood and over the hill to
Tarzana.
Not so much today.
But that's okay because we getto celebrate the legacy of this
wonderful place in pieces ofliterature.
Like.
The all time great mystery novelin a lonely place by Ms.
(05:00):
dorothy b hughes Number nineinherent vice by noted literary
recluse, Thomas Pynchon.
Now Pinchin along with figureslike Don DeLillo.
Laurie Moore.
Paul Auster and a host of othershave come to define post-modern
(05:21):
literature in the 20th century.
And here at vice.
If we're talking about pensions.
Bibliography is one of the moreaccessible works.
That he ever put out to thepublic.
Here.
We're transported back.
To a greasy time in Los Angeleshistory.
(05:43):
We're introduced to docSpilotro.
A pot smoking.
Private eye.
Uh, tasked with tracking down.
A mega wealthy.
Industrialist who's gonemissing.
Enter some shady characters.
Uh, bizarre police detective.
Multiple.
Damsels in distress.
(06:04):
And you've got yourself themakings of a classic mystery
novel.
For those of you that haven't.
Sat with one of Mr.
Pensions books.
I dare you to read gravity'srainbow the all time example of
a book.
That universally has elicitedthe response.
(06:24):
I got through it when peoplecomplete the story.
Here.
It's a low down.
In the mud.
Reckless version of the city ofangels.
Albeit contrasted with the.
Ever flowing sunshine.
Matriculating in the air.
Thomas Pynchon.
(06:45):
Never intended for the work tobe turned.
Into a film, but that's exactlywhat happened when.
Living in the sprawl.
Favorite son, Paul ThomasAnderson.
Adapted this book.
For the big screen.
Some years back.
Joaquin Phoenix portrays.
Doc's below TRO in the movie.
Josh Brolin's involved.
(07:05):
Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson.
A cast of cinematic luminaries.
But go back and read thisengrossing novel.
That'll transport you back to atime.
When people showered far lesswar, significantly more hair
product.
And everyone seemed to have an aPfarius side hustle.
(07:28):
Uh, number eight.
I Q.
Bye Joe EDA.
A more recent entry.
On our list, this 2016 Edgaraward finalist.
Demonstrates.
That be it in the 1940s, the1970s or in the present day.
The city of angels.
(07:49):
Has the market cornered onmysterious.
Here, the action takes placelargely in the south Los Angeles
portion.
Of the city.
Where amateur.
Sleuth Isaiah Quinn Taba.
Attempts to piece together.
Some truly horrific events.
(08:10):
Now we get.
Some action concerning the musicindustry.
Some downright nasty rappers arein the mix.
And all the action is neatlyjuxtaposed.
With the.
Stark reality imposed by thesocio economic reality.
Of the Southern part of thecity.
(08:32):
This is far removed from.
The Hilltop mansions that dot.
The roads.
Hovering over Hollywood.
It's a gritty.
Blue collar.
Landscape that is heavilydivorced from the more
glamorous.
Side of Los Angeles.
Joe Or EDA.
(08:54):
Who was raised in south LosAngeles draws upon.
His own set of experiencesgrowing up in the area.
Tapping into is JapaneseAmerican background.
And using all the tools at hisdisposal to craft a truly
memorable.
Work.
Of fiction.
(09:14):
It's IQ by Joe EDA.
And number seven, damage controlby Denise Hamilton.
Again.
On the newer side of things.
The book.
Concerns.
A dead girl, a corruptpolitician.
A series.
(09:34):
Of wrongdoing folks up to.
No good.
In west Los Angeles.
The way in which Hamilton.
Draws upon the city's uniquecharacter to flesh out the
narrative is truly impressive.
Our main.
Protagonist here.
Comes to her unique set ofcircumstances.
(09:56):
Slightly jaded.
But still clear-eyed enough.
To be able to see a situationfor what it is.
The writing here is terrific.
Ms.
Hamilton.
Also a Southern Californianative.
Has.
Curated.
Some excellent.
Mystery oriented and thought Inthe last 20 years or so.
(10:20):
So it's no surprise that her ownwork would be this suburb.
And number seven, we highlyrecommend.
That you dive into.
The proverbial swamp.
With damage control.
Uh, number six, California girlby T Jefferson Parker.
(10:42):
Now, right off the bat.
The first thing that I wasstruck by was the fact that this
author.
Has a first initial that doesn'tactually stand for anything.
The T.
Is merely a T.
And his mother thought.
That by listing T Jefferson.
It would make him appear moreRegal and estimable in the eyes
(11:05):
of others kind of reminds me ofthe world, according to Garp
where Ts Garp.
Really stands for nothing.
In any event.
Mr.
Parker.
Has said.
His relatively modern story.
Within the confines of orangecounty.
Here we get.
Some of the seedier characters.
(11:27):
Breathing in.
The ocean side air in placeslike Laguna beach and Newport
beach.
The narrative is tight.
The details.
Leap off the page.
And one cannot help, butcontinue turning pages once
they've really gotten started.
(11:47):
Mr.
Parker has long been renowned.
As a Maestro in the mysteryfield.
Panning.
A host of successful mysterynovels that all pretty much
derive.
Their essence.
By looking in.
To the toddler, your side.
Of the OSI.
At number six.
(12:08):
It's California girl.
By T which doesn't stand foranything.
Jefferson Parker.
And number five, the blackDahlia by James Ellroy.
I alluded to the work of Mr.
Ellroy at the outset of thepodcast.
And indeed you may be reasonablywondering, well then why isn't
(12:29):
it higher on the list?
Well, I didn't want to put LAconfidential on there.
See, I never liked repeatingstuff on the podcast.
And for long time listeners, youmay recall.
An episode early on where wediscussed some of our favorite
authors.
That draw from.
The sprawl as a character.
(12:50):
James Ellroy was discussed atthat point.
And though the black Dahlia isnot on the same level as LA
confidential.
It is pretty close.
This is actually one in a seriesof four.
The others being eliteconfidential, the big nowhere
and white jazz.
In Mr.
(13:11):
Ellroy's.
Much ballyhooed Los Angeles.
Quartet series.
Corrupt police.
Fast women.
A little bit of all time boxing.
And some.
Historical revision.
Make this an unforgettablenovel.
Now of course the black Dahlia.
(13:31):
Which for those that don't knowis the unsolved 1947 murder.
Um, Elizabeth Short.
And then the subsequent.
Arrangement of the body in agrotesque gruesome manner.
In Leimert park.
Has.
As I mentioned never actuallybeen solved.
But Mr.
Ellroy provides.
(13:52):
His analysis on the case.
And indeed.
Comes up with a potential.
Culprit behind.
The disturbing murder.
This one was also turned into afilm.
Brian de Palma.
One of my favorite directors.
Josh Hartnett, Aaron Eckhart.
Scarlett Johannson.
Unfortunately, the film is notthat great, but the book really
(14:15):
is.
And for those of you.
Like the team here at sprawlenterprises that are interested
in all things, true crime.
This is a wonderful.
Must read.
Novel.
That does its darndest.
To create.
A reasonable solution.
To the unsolved murder ofElizabeth Short.
(14:37):
More commonly known as the blackdahlia At number four, the black
echo by Michael Connolly.
This is the first.
In the Hieronymus Bosch series.
Written long before Mr.
Connolly.
Would enjoy.
Fame the world over in a muchdeserved reputation as one of
(15:00):
the real Alions.
Of.
Crime fiction.
In this.
Novel.
We learned a great deal aboutthe tunnels.
Hiding.
Beneath the city.
And.
All of the skullduggery.
That could potentially go on.
Underneath the pavement.
The success of this bookprompted Connolly to continue
(15:22):
on.
His Hieronymus Bosch series.
And as of this recording, He'sbeen writing.
Bosch stories for going on 30years now.
The team here at sprawlenterprises actually got to
attend a recent.
Michael Connolly interview inperson.
We got a book signed.
(15:43):
He had a nice moment with theman.
And it was important that we didthat because.
If we're talking about activemystery writers.
There are basically none thatare as decorated as Michael
Connolly, the Bosch series.
It's coming close to rivalingthe output of other folks that
(16:04):
we haven't talked about yet onthis podcast.
And it all started.
Within the pages of the blackecho.
So for those of you.
That adore the Amazon show.
By all the Harry Bosch books.
It may have been easy to haveskipped this first.
Installment in the series.
(16:25):
But we assure you, it isdefinitely worth your time.
The black echo from michaelConnolly.
At number three.
The moving target by RossMacDonald.
This is the first.
In the Lu Archer series.
By the end of it.
And there would be 18 books inthe series.
(16:47):
Multiple film adaptations.
And.
The justification for a lengthy.
The spell at the top.
Of the metaphorical crimefiction mountain.
Ross MacDonald real name,Kenneth Miller.
Created the Archer character.
Known.
In the Paul Newman movies asHarper.
(17:10):
And here we've got a grizzled.
Private investigator.
The guy that likes to drink,likes to smoke.
Chase women.
What.
In the 1950s would have seemedlike a quote unquote man's man.
And we transport that man's man.
To the fictional locale.
(17:30):
St Teresa.
Sorry, Santa Teresa.
Which was McDonald's stand infor Santa Barbara.
And it would be decades laterthat Sue Grafton, who we also
talked about on thataforementioned.
Episode concerning sprawlauthors.
Who would also set her.
(17:50):
Alphabet series in.
Santa Teresa.
And the moving target.
Uh, Lou Archer finds himself.
Attempting to track down.
A missing.
Financial whale.
Some less.
Then scrupulous daughters enterthe equation.
And Archer finds himself.
Plumbing the depths of theSouthern California underworld.
(18:15):
A riveting tale.
That has captivated audiencesfor going on 50 plus years now.
The moving target kicked off.
A glorious.
Crime fiction run.
That continues to the presentday.
Ross MacDonald.
Perhaps isn't quite as famous assome of his literary
(18:37):
counterparts.
But he is.
More than deserving.
I have a place near the tippytop of the heap.
When we discuss.
Great.
Crime fiction, mystery writers.
And it all started here thefirst book and the Lou Archer
series the moving target Andthere were two devil in a blue
(19:01):
dress by Walter Mosley.
Mostly grew up in the southland.
And draws upon the experiencesfrom his upbringing to craft
this narrative.
With as much realism.
And grit as humanly possible.
This is the first in the easyRawlins series.
A.
(19:21):
Ridiculously successful.
Compilation of novels.
Focusing on.
Amateur private investigator,easy Rawlins.
The happenings on display here.
It take place.
In Watts.
And other portions of the city.
But it's Mosley's.
Seemingly effortless ability tocapture the plight.
(19:43):
And desires.
Of residents from Watts.
That really.
Take this novel to the nextlevel.
Some of, you may have seen thefilm adaptation with Denzel
Washington.
And Jennifer Beals.
But again, I think we'renoticing a trend.
We've got some missing.
Uh, figures.
Some fast women.
(20:04):
Character's not on the up andup.
A sorted collection.
Of thieves hula gains.
And.
The elite.
Mostly who we also mentioned onour episode from quite a while
ago, concerning.
Sprawl based authors.
Has.
Made a career.
(20:26):
of documenting.
The lives.
Of marginalized.
Communities in south LosAngeles.
Easy Rawlins.
Mosley's most lauded creation.
Is a war veteran.
With a knack for putting complexconcepts together.
Rollins.
Battles discrimination.
(20:47):
Doubt.
And other elements.
To make a go at solvingmysteries.
indeed Mosley.
Has proven.
To be.
One of the better mysterysolvers working in contemporary
crime fiction.
His books, breeze by you neverfeel as though.
(21:08):
You're stuck in the mud at theaction always flows and there's
no better example of that.
Then the narrative.
Contained within the pages ofthis first easy Rawlins mystery
devil in a blue dress.
Unequivocally a must read forany.
Mystery reader.
Out there today.
(21:30):
And that means we've arrived atour number one.
So lot.
So.
It simply has to be the bigsleep by Raymond Chandler
because of course it does.
Raymond Chandler only wroteseven novels.
But his legacy looms, large andvast.
A true underdog story.
(21:52):
Chandler didn't even begin.
His work as a novelist until hereached his forties.
But what he gave to the world inthe form.
Of iconic, private investigator,Philip Marlowe.
Will last.
For generations across.
The globe.
Philip Marlowe.
Who we meet?
In this novel.
(22:13):
Has a tendency to find himselfin.
Some rather complicatedscenarios.
I remember reading a quote whereRaymond Chandler said, Hey, if.
I ever get to a point.
In the writing process where Ican't really figure out where
the next plot point should comefrom.
I just go ahead and throw insome henchman.
(22:34):
And I find that interesting.
Because Chandler, unlike many ofhis peers.
As someone that made his boneson the back.
Of writing that.
Really gathered as much aspossible.
From stuff like atmosphere,vibe, mood.
The plot wasn't as central.
As Chandler saw it.
(22:55):
So in this way.
He invites comparison to theCohen brothers who have
famously.
You mentioned.
That in all of their movies,they are going for atmosphere as
opposed to plot.
Philip Marlowe is anunforgettable private
investigator.
Maybe the best.
(23:16):
The team here at sprawlenterprises actually argues that
it is the best.
Example of.
A.
Character that can sustain.
An entire series of novels.
See, there's this trend inliterature.
That has.
The 25th book in the filled theblank series or the 50th book in
the exploits of such and suchperson.
(23:38):
Here.
Just because of the lateness inlife.
When Chandler began his career,we've only got seven novels draw
upon.
So he never got to the point inhis career where the action
became flabby and bloated.
It's a tight seven and it allstarts.
With the.
(23:59):
Web of deceit on display withinthe pages of the big sleep.
Now, of course, this is one ofthe more famous mystery movies
of all time.
And Humphrey Bogart is involvedand you should absolutely watch
that film, but don't sleep onthe book.
I hate making ponds and I didthat without thinking about it.
(24:22):
The big sleep.
Number one on our list of thequintessential mystery novels
set within the bounds ofSouthern California.
And that's going to do it foranother episode of the show.
We'd like to thank everyone fromthe bottom of our hearts for
listening to the work that weput out a couple of easy ways to
(24:43):
support the podcast, hop onapple iTunes, or wherever you
listen to the show, leave us afive star rating and a nice
review.
That stuff really helps us outon the business.
End.
Follow us on Instagram.
The handle is living in thesprawl podcast.
Write us an email.
We always love to correspondwith listeners living in the
(25:05):
sprawl podcast@gmail.com is theaddress where you can send
those.
Additionally, we'd like toremind you about our dynamic,
incredible website.
And it's on this website whereyou can snap up living in the
sprawl merchandise.
If you can think of it.
And we can make it happen, whichwe can.
(25:25):
Living in the sprawl, ourwebsite, that's the place to
order it up.
So on behalf of myself.
I am one half of the team, yourhumble correspondent and host.
My name is John Steinberg joinedby my lovely and talented
producer slash my wife.
Her name is Lisa Steinberg.
Thanking you again for listeningto another episode of living in
(25:49):
the sprawl.
Southern California's mostadventurous podcast.
We'll chat again real soon.
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