Many authors use the city their books are set in as another character. Los Angeles is one of those cities. A city that plays such a tremendous part in the lives of the people who live there that it takes on a life of its own. The list of authors who have had Los Angeles bring life to their books includes Michael Connelly, James Ellroy, Walter Mosley, Raymond Chandler, Joe Ide, Faye and Jonathan Kellerman, Joseph Wambaugh, Timothy Hallinan to name just a few.

 

Reading right now:

Los Angeles author Rachel Howzell Hall is well known for her series about Los Angeles Homicide Detective Elouise Norton. Hall’s most recent book is a standalone called “And Now She’s Gone” which finds investigator Grayson Sykes attempting to find Isabel Lincoln who has disappeared. As they try to locate her, Sykes finds that Isabel has been keeping secrets from those closest to her. Sykes doesn’t know if she is missing or hiding, but has reason to believe that the man who hired her to find Sykes may actually be her killer.

On hold right now:

Michael Connelly finally has another Lincoln Lawyer novel coming out in November. “The Law of Innocence” is the sixth book in the Lincoln Lawyer series. This time around Mickey Haller is accused of murder after a former client is found dead in the truck of his car. I have been waiting a long time for another book in this series and cannot wait. I just wish they would produce more movies.

“The Snow Raven” by Connie Dial is the sixth book in the Josie Corsino mystery series. Narcotics Detective Josie Corsino and her partner’s lives and reputations are almost destroyed in their attempt to uncover a dirty cop who is selling cocaine on the mean streets of 1980’s Hollywood.

Other Mysterious Things:

If you haven’t read Raymond Chandler’s novels, read them now. They are amazing novels which have been made into some great movies. At the very least, read “The Big Sleep.” Other Los Angeles authors not to miss include Ross Macdonald, James M. Cain, Elmore Leonard, Jan Burke, and Dorothy B. Hughes. If you have watched HBO’s new series based on the Perry Mason books, you might want to read the books by Erle Stanley Gardner which took place in Los Angeles. Last but not least, I have over the years enjoyed Gar Anthony Haywood’s series with Los Angeles PI Aaron Gunner.

“In L.A. people don’t have time to stop; anywhere they have to go they go there in a car. The poorest man has a car in Los Angeles; he might not have a roof over his head but he has a car.”

—Walter Mosley, “Devil in a Blue Dress” (1990)

Times have changed since 1990. Now people have no home and no car.