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NoirNovels.com - A unique repository for all things noir
Dick Contino`s Blues
Reviewed By Rogue Dick Contino...not a name most will be familiar with, unless you read James Ellroy Novels. Contino was a real, live accordion master who made his name on a TV talent contest. He was a good looking Italian American who wowed the ladies with his handsome features and accordion pumping skills. He nearly had it all, until a draft dodging scam ruined his career. What followed was detention in a military prison, distiguished service in the Korean War and a career in showbusiness in the toilet. Ellroy takes us on a journey through the reality of Contino's life up until his return from Korea, and then segues beautifully into a fictionalised account of Contino's life after the war. Contino's career is on the skids so he concocts a fake kidnapping scam to propel him back into the spotlight...trouble is, someone close to Contino is taking the kidnapping seriously. Although the main story in this book is only about 60 pages long, Ellroy bltizes us with a snappy page-turner, exhibiting all the hallmarks of classic Ellroy. While it is not in any way meaty, it provides a fine addition to the LA Quartet, which mentions Contino quite frequently. It's like a plug-in, rounding out the LA Quartet in fine style. The remaining shorts, High Darktown, Dial Axminster 6-400, Since I Don't Have You, Gravy Train and Torch Number, do the same job for a number of other Ellroy characters from previous novels - Lee Blanchard, Ellis Loew, Buzz Meeks, and Stan Klein. In a similar way to the Contino story, these shorts add weight to the already weighty 1950's LA narrative. All are good in their own right, but it would be fair to say that they are better read after the LA Quartet. Overall, Dick Contino's Blues provides a nice bunch of easily digestible short stories that while not an essential purchase, just make Ellroy's other work that little bit better. What the hell, ignore the negative rebop and go buy it. It's Ellroy after all. |
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