Eight Must-Read Los Angeles Crime Fiction Novels
Los Angeles crime fiction is often synonymous with noir fiction. The city most famous for the glamour of Hollywood has a dark underbelly, making it the perfect setting for crime fiction across the decades. From historical fiction to novels based on true crime, we’ve rounded up eight great works of crime fiction set in Los Angeles that you must read.
Mickey Haller, the so-called Lincoln Lawyer, is feeling great after winning a big case when he's pulled over and a body is found in the trunk of his car. It's clearly a set-up, but Haller finds himself behind bars in L.A. County Jail, representing himself in a defense that may be doomed from the start when he comes up against a vindictive judge. He'll have to call in his half-brother, Harry Bosch, to help clear his name. If you like The Law of Innocence, you'll love Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series.
Based on LA's most famous unsolved murder case, The Black Dahlia is about the murder of Elizabeth Short, who was tortured, killed, and mutilated before being dumped in a park. Her case went national, and this novel follows two police officers who are friends and rivals who become obsessed with solving the case, which takes them to dark places.
Related: A Brief History of The Black Dahlia
Los Angeles in the 1950s is a dark, violent time, where fears of communism grip the people and a serial killer runs unchecked. The Big Nowhere follows three different men—a sheriff's deputy, a DA's brass, and a bagman—who navigate the grit and glamour of Hollywood as they work towards their goals, which range from noble to twisted.
Related: If You Like The Big Nowhere, You'll Love James Ellroy's L.A. Confidential
Blood Grove is the latest book in Walter Mosely's Easy Rawlins series and sees the titular character and private eye settling into his new office when a Vietnam vet comes to him with a troubling story. The man claims he and his girlfriend were attacked, and now his girlfriend and dog have disappeared. Rawlins would rather leave the mystery alone, but when he sees just how traumatized the vet is by the war, he decides to take on the case.
Isaiah Quintabe—an unlicensed detective for all seasons—and his best friend and masterful sidekick, Juanell Dodson, are at a crossroads in this latest installment of the "aggressively entertaining" IQ series (New York Times). This time, their lives may never be the same.
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