Rating: 
Summary: Best book I have ever read without a doubt!!
Review: I bought this book on a whim because I had no idea who James Ellroy was beforehand. Now I am kicking myself for having gone so long without reading one of his books. I have since bought and read five more of his books, but none quite compare to the "Black Dahlia". Ellroy's method of prose is so tantalizing and intriguing. I found it hard to put down because the depiction of the time and place were so realistic, and the characters were crisp and believable. Just when you think its over (even though there are plenty of pages left) HOLD ON because the ending is as exciting as anything in print. STOP READING THIS AND GO BUY IT NOW!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Ellroy's best, which says a lot
Review: James Ellroy's The Black Dahlia is the greatest piece of crime fiction ever written. Period. The characters are complex and fully developed, the LA setting is flavorful, which is to say, repugnant, dark, and ugly, and the police procedures described lend credibility to Ellroy's crackling, jazz-riff prose. A masterpiece from one of our very best writers.
Rating:
Summary: QUITE STUNNING
Review: I AM NOT REALLY MUSCH OF A FICTION READER, BUT THIS JUST KEPT ME HOOKED. EVERYTHING FROM THE SETTING TO THE CHARACTERS TO THE INTRICATE PLOT TWITS WERE JUST SUBLIME. THE ONLY REASON I BOUGHT THIS WAS BECAUSE I SAW LA CONFIDENTIAL AT THE FLICKS AND WAS BLOWN AWAY BY THAT. THIS BOOK MAY BE EVEN BETTER THAN THAT FILM!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Made me feel like I was actually part of the story!
Review: I have heard stories what the Los Angeles Police Department was like in the pre 1950's and this book brings to reality the lengths of police enforcment, along with the determination a few detectives and officer Balnchard had in solving this famous crime. This book not only take you inside the investigators mind and thoughts, but reconstructs the final days of Elizabeth Short. Once I started reading I found it difficult to put this book down and I hardially reccommed it for any mature reader.
Rating:
Summary: Completely and unquestionably the best book available!
Review: This book is so powerful and well-written, it's scary! Ellroy is a master at his field(an observation proved in this book.) He handles the plot changes expertly and never misses a beat. Buy this book!
Rating:
Summary: A masterfully written L.A. noir drama.
Review: If you're like me, and you love American 50's relics, this book is a must read. The first in Ellroy's L.A. Quartet, you'll have no choice but to be sucked into the unbelievable world of the Dalhia. Ellroy's writing style is gritty and sharp. He refuses to bore you. He tapes back your eyelids forcing you to fully take in every word. It's worth the risk.
Rating:
Summary: Must-read for lovers of great fiction writers
Review: I'm not a detective mystery reader, but I had to read this after seeing the documentary on James Ellroy. He seemed so glib, funny, sarcastic and brilliant that I had to read one of his books. Great character studies, wonderful suspense and a beautifully woven story. I didn't really like the film "LA Confidential", but I bet it's a great book.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Quotes!
Review: "Brutal and at the same time believable." -The New York Times "Turgid with passion, violence, and frustration...imaginative and bizarre." -Los Angeles Times "A masterpiece." -People "Fine attention to detail and a dead-on sense of the period...Ellroy has established himself as one of the finest practioners of noir fiction." -Cleveland Plain Dealer
Rating:
Summary: A chilling ride into darkness
Review: James Ellroys shows in his breakthrough novel, the first one of his spectacular "LA Quartet", a depth in his darkness that contemporary hard-boiled and noir writers lack. Most of his trademarks are here: The cruelty and violence, the very complicated plot, the heroes' own dark secrets and their obsession with solving the case. Though Ellroy hardly ever bothers to describe the surroundings he manages to place the story firmly in late 40's LA. He has not yet refined his unique telegraph-style prose, but the scarcity of words (in a 500-page novel!), contributes to the ever-increasing intencity that makes this book so hard to put down. Truly, the intrigue is in retrospect not the most believeable. In my opinion, the thrill and suspence and cold fear very well makes up for that flaw.
Rating: 
Summary: I thought it was trashy and contrived.
Review: In my opinion, the author tried too hard to set his novel in an authentic 1940's setting. He was obviously enamored of words like 'cooze' and other slang of the time. He got too cute with too many plot twists. I really had trouble finishing it and would never recommend it. A waste of money.
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