The Black Dahlia
James Ellroy
literary fiction
crime thriller
past tense
first POV
~484 pp
A dark literary fiction. Expect minimal worldbuilding, dense, literary prose, epic scope. Plot-driven and deeply introspective. Ends on an unresolved note. Contains notable violence, romance, sexual content.
Matched by vibe, pacing, tone, and feel — not just genre.
| Word count | 120,944 |
| Page count | ~484 pp |
| Prologue | — |
| Epilogue | — |
| Tense | past |
| POV | first |