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NoirNovels.com - A unique repository for all things noir
Suicide Hill
Reviewed By Rogue In Suicide Hill, James Ellroy brings us the final part of the Lloyd Hopkins trilogy. Following the events depicted in Because the Night, Lloyd Hopkins is a man at breaking point. Under review by the LAPD shrink, Hopkins is career is reaching finality. His personality disorder and obsessive nature are proving to be his ultimate downfall, and he is recommended for early retirement. Meanwhile, ex-con Duane Rice has just been released from prison and, in attempt to fund his life on the outside, 'jacks a bank having taken the bank manager's girlfriend hostage. Hopkins, seconded to the FBI's Bank Robbery Unit on a 'phaseout', gets drawn into the case, all the while under the watchful eye of his long-time nemesis, Internal Affairs Dept Adjutant Capt Fred Gaffaney. In comparison to Because the Night, and to a lesser extent Blood on the Moon, Suicide Hill is a less complicated plot. That said, characteristic plot twists remain and the finale is not one that can be guessed ahead of time. Hopkins spiral into decline continues and you get the impression that here is a man who needs saving from himself. Duane Rice is a well defined and hateful enemy, and the other characters have similarly solid personas. The key story throughout Suicide Hill is, however, the continuing fall from grace of Hopkins, and his ultimate personal salvation. Ellroy has finished the trilogy off superbly, tying up a lot of loose ends, but also leaving plenty for the reader to speculate over. Hopkins may not be the most palateable of characters, but Ellroy has written him with such vigour, with so many personal demons, that he is a compelling subject. If you have read the previous two novels, then Suicide Hill is a must, and fortunately, all three are available in a single tome entitled 'LA Noir'. Ellroy's later novels show how much he has grown, and continues to grow, as an auther. If you love noir though, you must not ignore his earlier works; to do so would be to miss out on chracters such as Hopkins. Very few authors can create such powerful prose, and in Hopkins, Ellroy has created a righteous avatar and mouthpiece for his talent. Hopkins may be a 'shitbird' but you'll love the world he lives in. |
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