The Black Dahlia Audiobook, by James Ellroy Play Audiobook Sample

The Black Dahlia Audiobook

The Black Dahlia Audiobook, by James Ellroy Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Stephen Hoye Publisher: Random House Audio Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 9.33 hours at 1.5x Speed 7.00 hours at 2.0x Speed Series: The LA Quartet Series Release Date: August 2006 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9780739323892

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

226

Longest Chapter Length:

05:19 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

01:27 minutes

Average Chapter Length:

03:41 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

22

Other Audiobooks Written by James Ellroy: > View All...

Publisher Description

Bonus feature includes an original afterword by James Ellroy, titled "Hillikers," read by Stephen Hoye. On January 15, 1947, the torture-ravished body of a beautiful young woman is found in a vacant lot. The victim makes headlines as the Black Dahlia–and so begins the greatest manhunt in California history. Caught up in the investigation are Bucky Bleichert and Lee Blanchard. Both are obsessed with the Dahlia–driven by dark needs to know everything about her past, to capture her killer, to possess the woman even in death. Their quest will take them on a hellish journey through the underbelly of postwar Hollywood, to the core of the dead girl's twisted life, past the extremes of their own psyches–into a region of total madness.

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"Though sporting a slightly more traditional, less brain-rattling prose style than later novels, such as American Tabloid or The Cold Six Thousand, The Black Dahlia is classic Ellroy noir: violent, brutal, dirty as an L.A. slum alley and peopled with hard, scar-knuckle men straddling the law and women equally as hard and rough as the men who lust after them."

— Justin (4 out of 5 stars)

The Black Dahlia Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.58064516129032 out of 53.58064516129032 out of 53.58064516129032 out of 53.58064516129032 out of 53.58064516129032 out of 5 (3.58)
5 Stars: 10
4 Stars: 5
3 Stars: 10
2 Stars: 5
1 Stars: 1
Narration: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Pure pulp. Three stars for exemplifying the genre without trying to transcend it. "

    — Stephen, 2/19/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " A cool book, dont see the movie it is trash. "

    — Julio, 2/17/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " a good read, authentic to its period. Hard to read sometimes, if only because the characters are so perfectly frustrating that you occasionally want to reach through the pages and slap them around. Edgy and fraught with tension. "

    — Capiz, 2/10/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Dark, entertaining, a twisted mix of woman-on-a-pedestal and misogyny. Graphic, politically incorrect, gruesome, yet somehow also funny. Lots of 1940s cop-speak, a sultry, oversexed Hollywood underground. Gritty. Leaves me wondering seriously if the movie could do/did it justice. More to follow at dunceacademy.com. "

    — Spencer, 1/28/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " It's an OK book. I've decided I don't like detective books very much. Unlike real life, the two main characters, Bucky Bleichert and Lee Blanchard, found the killer of the Black Dahlia. Can you believe this case has been open for, like, 60 years? "

    — Scareyon, 1/16/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " Just not a great book. Very herky jerky, feel like it could have ended after 200 pages "

    — Murphknows, 1/11/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Dark and pure. Beautifully, cruelly written. Essential. "

    — Lester, 1/8/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I thought of this book again and gave it another star as I should have done originally. It is really good. "

    — Joy, 1/4/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Review pending ... "

    — William, 1/1/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Fiction mixed with fact, the way only Ellroy can do it. "

    — Matttoker, 1/1/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Dark. Gritty. Full of blood. True story. What a joy to read. "

    — Reese, 12/28/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I read this quite a while ago (1995?). What I remember is the heaviness of the writing. Heavy in a good way. Well put together characters and a tough plot. Ellroy has a unique voice. Some may find him hard to get into. If you persevere, it's worth the effort. "

    — David, 12/23/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Good story. I love period pieces. I did, however, think that Ellroy's prose was a bit melodramatic. I liked the book enough to buy another one of his : L.A. Cofidential (which I haven't yet read.} "

    — M., 12/7/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " HORRIBLE ending. one of the worst endings i've ever read. "

    — Nika, 12/7/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " anything by Ellroy is just plain awesome and terrifying "

    — Amelia, 9/14/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " I read this a long time ago. It was overdone and too gross! "

    — Kristina, 9/7/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " This book was good at first but took a totally weird turn at the end. "

    — Corin.garbe.2, 8/26/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Plot was engrossing and fast-paced right till the last page.The excessive use of police jargon and acronyms does mar getting glued to the book in the first 50 pages.One has to make an effort to overlook them and yet not lose track of the plot. "

    — Madhumita, 8/5/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Incredible. Ellroy's the best writer in America. "

    — Letterswitch, 1/11/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Awesome crimenovel. Murder, love and conspiracy. Nuff said. "

    — Alexander, 12/27/2012
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Forever a favorite! The movie was just as good. "

    — Allison, 4/12/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Not my favorite James Ellroy book. A bit uneven and self indulgent. Would have given it three and a half stars were there such a thing. "

    — Judi, 3/23/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " One of his best. Real ghastly murder and a quartet of characters searching for redemption through the murderer's discovery. "

    — Dev, 2/26/2012
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " Once the novelty of the writing style wore off, just did not care about the Dahlia at all. Not even a little. "

    — Sharon, 5/22/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " The Los Angeles Boy and Girls Club Presents Books on Drunk, Book #2. ||| I don't know what to say yet! I have to wait until after the club meeting! I didn't like it that much! But I don't think that it's bad necessarily! "

    — Arlington, 5/13/2011
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " All the characters in the book do stupid things. I guess that's supposed to make it like real life but, I can't say it was a good book. "

    — Jake, 5/6/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Extremely disturbing and engaging. One of the darkest books I've ever read, yet I could not put it down. Every sentence was gripping. Every clue earth shattering and the twist didn't stop coming until the very end. "

    — Jelani, 4/26/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Dark. interesting, i guess this was the first crime novel i've ever read. hard to believe considering how much that genre has interested me for how long. i'd recommend it.. "

    — Entherder, 4/13/2011
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " He mixes the truth with the murder of his mother, not great. "

    — Sharon, 4/9/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Still on my list as one of the favorites. Quick shout out to the Federal Hill Wine and Book club for a great meeting. If you're into film noir, this is a book for you. If you're into true crime, also a book for you. "

    — Melinda, 4/1/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " My first time reading Ellroy's LA Quartet. Not as well developed stylistically as his later books, but still an enjoyable read. "

    — Cameron, 3/29/2011

About James Ellroy

James Ellroy was born in Los Angeles in 1948. His LA Quartet novels—The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, L.A. Confidential, and White Jazz—were international bestsellers. American Tabloid was Time’s Novel of the Year for 1995, and his memoir My Dark Places was a Time Best Book of the Year and a New York Times Notable Book for 1996. He lives on the California coast.

About Stephen Hoye

Stephen Hoye has worked as a professional actor in London and Los Angeles for more than thirty years. Trained at Boston University and the Guildhall in London, he has acted in television series and six feature films and has appeared in London’s West End. His audiobook narration has won him fifteen AudioFile Earphones Awards.