LOS ANGELES [Paperback]

"Los Angeles", Peter Moore Smith's follow-up to the superb "Raveling", starts interestingly enough with a romance between Angel Veronchek, son of a billionaire producer and mentally unstable albino, and his next door neighbor and part time stripper, Angela. Moreover, as Smith toys with the chronology and draws into question Angel's reliability as a narrator, "Los Angeles" sets up to be a subtle meditation on reality, and the reliability of our own memory.

And ultimately it does, unfortunately in between there is far too much rambling discourse and irrelevant information. At 338 pages, "Los Angeles" would have been far more successful at around 225, because when Smith finally hits his stride half way into the text, there are some genuinely fascinating twists and turns, but by then the reader is jaundiced by the slog that lead up to that point. Moreover, Smith never seems quite sure what he wants this book to be. With "Raveling", the reader knew from the start that something horrible had definitely happened, and it was left to the novel to reveal how and why. With "Los Angeles" it's not at all clear what, if anything has happened, and Smith even seems comfortable with not much of anything happening at all.

This wouldn't be a problem if Angel's personal growth represented the focal point of the story. However, Angel is a deeply disturbed individual and whatever progress he makes is as much the result of the pharmaceutical industry as his development as an adult, and as such is somewhat difficult to get excited about.

To be fair, when Smith finally gets to the heart of the issue, he deftly weaves together a reality that is utterly at odds with the reader's perception (as presented by Angel) and yet in no way contradictory to it. Even then though, Smith's seeming uncertainty about his message rears it's head as an entirely unnecessary layer of cause and effect is tacked on over the final chapters.

Smith is clearly a talented writer, and I'll read any future books based upon the strength of "Raveling" alone. Moreover, "Los Angeles" contains some genuinely original and interesting writing. The problem is, there's too much miscellany getting in the way, and the result is what should have been a brisk short novel or even novella is stretched out into what feels like a bloated three hundred plus pages. Not bad per se, but something of a disappointment, "Los Angeles" may be worth a read in paperback, but doesn't warrant a hardcover purchase. As an alternative, if you are looking for something that deals with fractured realities, try Steve Erickson's tremendous "Our Ecstatic Days".

Jake Mohlman

Reviewed by Tyrone Vincent Banks of Betsie's Literary Page

Angel Veronchek lives a rather sheltered life. He is an albino with sensitivity to light and therefore he spends most of his time holed up in his dark apartment watching a Blade Runner DVD. He spends his days working on a screenplay titled Los Angeles while taking medication washed down by cups of bourbon. He's a self proclaimed loser by most accounts and he lives a rather uneventful life - or does he?

Angela comes into his life and she becomes the light that he has avoided for many years. They spend time together engaged in conversation and he opens up his lonely existence and makes space for Angela. He receives a call from her one day; she simply says his name and hangs up the phone. From that moment forward he dedicates his life to rescuing Angela from and unknown foe that may have kidnapped or killed her.

Angel ventures out into the sunlight and starts his noble quest. He can feel that Angela is in a dark place and waiting to be rescued. As moments go by he is desperate and he fears that time is running out. Through Angel's eyes and actions you can feel the loss of control and the uncertainty that he lives with. He can be labeled as a schizophrenic, depressed alcoholic existing in a made up world. Or, he can be labeled a heroic savior who overcomes his fears and anxieties to save the woman that he loves. At times, while reading this book, both labels may apply. But, even when the truth is revealed, you are still uncertain.

Peter Moore Smith has reincarnated Don Quixote as a delusional Angel Veronchek in search of his damsel in distress. We must think that once the windmill is defeated it is still honorable that this Knight in Pale Skin challenged the Dragon just as Smith has challenged our imagination with a surreal tale about the line between sanity and insanity as it is breached.

LOS ANGELES: A NOVEL is enjoyable and well-written. I guarantee that you will form a conclusion about the mystery that Angel is trying to solve only to find that all that may appear to be living and breathing - may not be.

Peter Moore Smith left his mark on suspense fiction when he published the intricate and amazing Raveling which is, to this day, one of my favorite mystery novel. Smith is finally back with Los Angeles, another suspense novel about the workings of the human mind and of the human condition. Smith isn't a writer who can be solely satisfied with great plots; he needs great, complicated characters to boot. And that's why the author is quickly becoming one of the freshest new voices in mystery fiction.

Angel's life isn't what you could call ordinary. His father is a big Hollywood producer, his mother is a strange, transparent woman and Angel himself... well, there's nothing normal about Angel. First off, Angel's an albino with a social disorder. Oh, and he's addicted to the film Blade Runner. He lives his life in solitude with his nose burried in books, going out only at night and only when completely necessary.

But Angel is still human, and when he meets his new neighbour Angela, a stripper with striking eyes that change color, he's immediately attracted to her. Unfortunately, their romance isn't given much time to grow because one night, Angel receives a phone call where Angela whispers his name. The connection is cut, and Angel knows that something has happened to her.

Forgetting all about his medication, Angel goes on a hunt to find the love of his life. But what he uncovers will forever shatter his existence. Life, as he knows it, is nothing but a mere illusion that will soon shatter in a million little pieces.

Los Angeles is full of twists and turns, many of them completely unpredictable. Written in the first person, the author finds a brilliant voice to tell his story in. Not only is Angel a flawed and vivid character, he's also full of mysteries that are being kept from the readers.

Once you start this one, you will not want to put it down. Los Angeles is a great mystery thriller that succeeds at being different from the lot of generic mysteries out there. The author's purpose never falters. The many twists are not simple ploys to shock the reader; they help sustain that sense of paranoia that courses through the narrative. Los Angeles is a great thriller that deserves all the recognition it will receive.

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