The Black Dahlia (novel)
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| Author | James Ellroy |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Crime novel |
| Publisher | Mysterious Press |
| Released | September 1987 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 336 pp (hardback edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-89296-206-2 (hardback edition) |
| Followed by | The Big Nowhere |
The Black Dahlia is a neo-noir novel by James Ellroy taking inspiration from the true story of the murder of Elizabeth Short. It is widely considered the book that elevated Ellroy out of typical genre writer status and with which he started to garner critical attention as a serious writer of literature. The Black Dahlia is the first book in Ellroy's L.A. Quartet, a cycle of novels set in 1940's and 1950's Hollywood, which is portrayed as a hotbed of corruption and depravity. The Quartet continues with The Big Nowhere, L.A. Confidential, and White Jazz.
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[edit] Plot summary
The novel's protagonist, ex-boxer Dwight "Bucky" Bleichert, is promoted to a Warrants Officer after heading up against fellow cop Lee Blanchard. Bucky meets Kay Lake, who lives with Lee, and the two form a relationship. Although Bucky loves Kay, he doesn't tell her because of his friendship with Lee, who isn't interested in the woman romantically. Shortly after joining Warrants, Bucky and Lee discover a dead body, revealed to be aspiring actress Elizabeth Short. Dubbed "The Black Dahlia", Lee wants to solve her murder, because the death reminds him of his own sister. Meanwhile, Bucky feels that the large number of policemen on the case are adequate, and he wants to be relocated back to Warrants. Lee, increasingly close to the case, eventually disappears, and Bucky tries to find him. All the while, Bucky is drawn closer to an obsession with the murder victim, and eventually discovers Lee was murdered, and he marries Kay shortly after. A short time after the marriage, Bucky begins dwelling on the murder of Elizabeth Short, and his marriage ends up in jeopardy. He finally discovers who is responsible for the murder, and the novel ends with possible hope for Bucky's future with Kay.
[edit] Film adaptation
The Black Dahlia was filmed as a movie by director Brian DePalma in 2005 and released in 2006.
[edit] Differences between the novel and film
See Main Article The Black Dahlia (film).
[edit] See also
- Black Dahlia - Details of the murder.
[edit] External links
- Summary of The Black Dahlia - wiki of chapter and character summaries.
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