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Content snapshot
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Violence
Very heavy
Extremely graphic and disturbing violence including ritualistic murder; Ellroy's violence is among the most intense in crime fiction
Language
A lot
Very strong language throughout
Sexual Content
A lot
Explicit sexual content including homosexual panic violence; disturbing
Substance Use
Some
Alcohol and substance use consistent with 1950s noir setting
Emotional Intensity
Very heavy
Severe moral darkness throughout; nihilistic and deeply disturbing portrayal of human depravity
What this book is about
Three detectives—each damaged, each driven—navigate anti-communist witch hunts, grisly ritual murders, and Hollywood corruption in 1950 Los Angeles in Ellroy's brutal, morally devastating second installment of the LA Quartet.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Extremely graphic violence and ritualistic murder
Disturbing explicit content and violence
Severe moral darkness throughout
Strong language
Reader Verification
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