Kevin Treanor asked this question about L.A. Confidential (L.A. Quartet, #3):
Would you recommend reading the L.A. Quartet series in order? I'm more interested in reading L.A. Confidential, but I also hate trying to jump into a series that is filled with references to previous novels.
Stephen Sanders I just finished L.A. Confidential and I read the prior two before it in order. I would recommend reading them in order for the simple reason that The …moreI just finished L.A. Confidential and I read the prior two before it in order. I would recommend reading them in order for the simple reason that The Black Dahlia and The Big Nowhere are really good books. Ellroy's writing is a bit less stylized in those two novels than in L.A. Confidential and they have (somewhat) less byzantine plot lines, which could make them better entry points into Ellroy's crime fiction. Additionally, two major and a host of minor characters continue on from novel to novel. Perhaps more importantly, reading them in order gives you a sense of the epic sweep of crime, corruption and Southern California history that Ellroy is trying to portray. I can't wait to read the final book, White Jazz!(less)
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