The Big Nowhere

The Big Nowhere is James Ellroy's second installment in his L.A. Quartet series, set in 1950s Los Angeles during a period of intense political upheaval and social tension. The story tracks three law enforcement figures whose paths intersect through a complex investigation involving murder, organized crime, and Hollywood labor unions. Deputy Danny Upshaw pursues a series of brutal killings while grappling with personal demons, ex-cop Buzz Meeks navigates between police work and organized crime, and Lieutenant Mal Considine faces moral challenges in a corrupt system. Their investigations connect to a larger probe into alleged Communist activities in the entertainment industry, set against the backdrop of post-war Los Angeles. The novel operates within the historical context of the Sleepy Lagoon murder case and its aftermath, incorporating real events and figures from Los Angeles history into its narrative framework. The plot moves between police procedural and noir thriller as it explores the dark underbelly of Hollywood's golden age. The Big Nowhere examines themes of identity, moral compromise, and institutional corruption while painting a stark portrait of a city in transition. The novel's exploration of sexuality, power dynamics, and political paranoia reflects deeper truths about mid-century American society.

Readers find The Big Nowhere darker and more complex than its predecessor, The Black Dahlia. The interconnected plot lines and shifting perspectives between three main characters create a dense narrative that demands concentration. What readers liked: - Raw, visceral prose style - Deep exploration of 1950s Los Angeles corruption - Complex character development - Historical accuracy and period details What readers disliked: - Excessive violence and gore - Too many subplots to follow - Challenging to keep track of numerous characters - Some found the ending unsatisfying Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (24,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (800+ ratings) Common reader comments: "You need a flowchart to track all the characters" - Goodreads "Not for the squeamish" - Amazon review "The most noir of noir fiction" - LibraryThing "Dense but rewarding if you stick with it" - Reddit r/books

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• The Sleepy Lagoon murder case, featured in the novel's backdrop, was a real 1942 incident that sparked racial tensions in LA and led to one of the first successful civil rights cases in US history • Ellroy's distinctive writing style was heavily influenced by his mother's unsolved murder in 1958, when he was just 10 years old - a tragedy that shaped his obsession with crime fiction • The "Zoot Suit Riots" of 1943 referenced in the book were actual clashes between servicemen and Mexican-American youths in LA, leading to weeks of violence and national media attention • The L.A. Quartet, of which The Big Nowhere is part, was partially inspired by the real-life LAPD Gangster Squad of the 1940s and 50s, who operated outside normal police procedures • During the writing of The Big Nowhere, Ellroy lived in a small apartment near the actual crime scenes he was describing and would often walk the streets at night to capture the atmosphere