A Trail of California in 10 books
#TrailinTen California set reads
Great Books to explore set in California – California is the sunshine state, right? Well, it turns out that it attracts all kinds of people heading its way. Characters from crime fiction thrillers, feel -good novels and there’s some fun desert set reads too.
Fancy a bit of roadtrip around California today? Get in that car with the top down, hold on to your hats and away we go!
Starting off in the heart of the city –
LOS ANGELES – For the first three literary stops, we’re staying in the city of Angels…..and those not so angelic….
City of Fallen Angels by Paul Buchanan
Location: MID WILSHIRE – Keegan has his apartment here
Bit of a time travel start, as we’re back in 1962 and the city of Angels is, well, not so angelic. A scorching heat wave is suffocating L.A. PI John Keegan is offered a small fortune to find a beautiful woman from a set of photographs. He refuses; the job seems suspicious. But then she turns up on his doorstep….
The city of Los Angeles is well evoked here and shows you the gritty side of life coming to the fore. Nice residential areas and even an upmarket hotel also get a mention, but what goes on along these street is anything but nice. The city is a battleground.
Mirror Mirror by Paula Byrne
Location: Hollywood
A little bit further back now until the 1920s. Much of this novel is set in Hollywood as this is based on Marlene Dietrich’s glittering life, a dramatic novel set in Hollywood’s golden age.The story might start in Berlin, but Hollywood played such a role in the famous actress’ life. In 1930 for example, following the success of The Blue Angel, Dietrich moved to the United States under contract to Paramount Pictures, the U.S. film distributor of the film. She was touted as Germany’s answer to Greta Garbo.
Dust off the glitter as we’re staying in Hollywood but there’s nothing shiny and nice about this view of the city….
Your House Will Pay by Stephanie Cha
Location: South Los Angeles
This novel takes a look at the city of Los Angeles at the time of the riots in 1991. You get a real and gritty view of the city here!. It’s set in 2019 but looks at the death of an African-American girl Ava Matthews (based on the real life case of Latasha Harlins) . This took place two weeks after the beating of Rodney King. The riots were centered in and around South Los Angeles.
Time for some San Francisco vibes? It’s the one and only Armstead Maupin!
Tales of the City – Armistead Maupin
Oh you could spend ALL DAY and ALL NIGHT in this city with the Maupin books but there’s just time for a few stops. This series pretty much covers most of the city and narrates the stories of many inhabitants and characters. The city is the main star of the show and there are SO many places associated with the novels.
Why not head to Washington Square Park. This is where Anna Madrigal met Edgar Halcyon:
“He sat down on a bench in Washington Square. Next to him was a woman who was roughly his age. She was wearing wool slacks and a paisley smock.”
Macondray Lane is also the street which inspired Barbary Lane.
Market Street by Anita Hughes
Location: Market Street
You can’t miss MARKET STREET either – book form or for real. This is quite simply a literary sandwich filled with delicious descriptions of high fashion, gourmet food and the City by the Bay.
Prisoner of Alcatraz by Theresa Breslin
Location: ALCATRAZ
And…you CAN NOT visit San Francisco without heading out to the bay and visiting the island that is ALCATRAZ. There’s a YA thriller set here which allows you to explore the island from a very unique standpoint.
Off the beaten track now to two places connected with real life events…..
The Road out of Hell by Anthony Flacco
Mira Loma / Wineville
Location : A real life crime location now linked to a film with Angelia Jolie in Changeling. Her son goes missing and it’s later suspected that he was one of the many boys abducted and murdered in the infamous Wineville Chicken Coop murders. This was an horrific real life case where from 1926 to 1928, Gordon Stewart Northcott committed at least 20 murders on his chicken ranch here.
More real life drama here over in Eastern California where a party of explorers got lost
The Hunger by Alma Katsu
Location: Donner Lake
The book is based on the real life story and tragic journey of a group of American pioneers. By the time they reached the Sierra Nevada, they became trapped by a heavy snowfall close to Donner (Truckee at the time was renamed). There’s a few places in and around the lake which commemorates the events which unfolded here.
Some sun and heat to finish the journey off with!
Deep Blue Trouble by Steph Broadribb
Location:San Diego
Also set in Florida, this is the second in the Lori Anderson series. A thriller series about a bounty hunter on the search for someone. It’s the heat, the humidity and the desert landscape that shines in the hot clear day. The chase is as hot as the temperature.
Lover in the Rough by Elizabeth Lowell
Location: Death Valley
Reba Farrall has a half-interest in a California gem mine. But there’s danger in diamonds and gems as she is about to find out. In the blistering heat of Death Valley, there could be more than she bargained for…
Phew! Can you feel that California heat? There might be another #TrailinTen coming along shortly. Keep your eyes peeled!
