The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy

The Black Dahlia

L.A. Quartet #1

James Ellroy

348 pages • first pub 1987 (editions)

fiction crime mystery dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Description

On January 15, 1947, the torture-ravished body of a beautiful young woman is found in a vacant lot. The victim makes headlines as the Black Dahlia—and so begins the greatest manhunt in California history. Caught up in the investigation are Bucky B...

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Community Reviews Summary of 2,090 reviews

Moods

dark 97%
mysterious 82%
tense 53%
challenging 24%
sad 24%
emotional 19%
adventurous 12%
informative 4%
funny 2%
hopeful 2%
reflective 2%

Pace

slow 53%
medium 36%
fast 9%

Plot- or character-driven?

A mix: 61% | Plot: 26% | Character: 11%

Strong character development?

Yes: 47% | No: 28% | It's complicated: 23%

Loveable characters?

No: 68% | It's complicated: 26% | Yes: 5%

Diverse cast of characters?

No: 75% | It's complicated: 18% | N/A: 2% | Yes: 2%

Flaws of characters a main focus?

Yes: 83% | It's complicated: 8% | No: 5% | N/A: 2%

Average rating

3.51

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Content Warnings

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