Killer on the Road / Silent Terror (original title) [Mass Market Paperback]

James Ellroy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1990

In one of Ellroy's most fascinating and grueling novels, the twisted, mortally brilliant mind of serial murderer Martin Plunkett, is laid open for the reader, with chilling, pulse-pounding realism. A gripping novel from the author of The Black Dahlia and The Big Nowhere.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

James Ellroy was born in Los Angeles in 1948. His L.A. quartet -- The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, L.A. Confidential and White Jazz -- were international bestsellers. American Tabloid was Time's Novel of the Year in 1995; his memoir My Dark Places was Time's Best Book and a New York Times Notable book for 1996. His novel The Cold Six Thousand was a New York Times Notable Book and Los Angeles Times Best Book for 2001. He lives on the coast of California.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Avon Books (Mm) (January 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380899345
• ISBN-13: 978-0380899340
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,961,835 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

James Ellroy was born in Los Angeles in 1948. He is the author of the acclaimed L.A. Qurtet - The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, LA Confidential and White Jazz, as well as the Underworld USA trilogy: American Tabloid, The Cold Six Thousand and Blood's a Rover. He is the author of one work of non-fiction, The Hilliker Curse: My Pursuit of Women. Ellroy lives in Los Angeles.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Different From the LA Noir Books, But Still Interesting, November 19, 2000

By 

John Nordstrom - See all my reviews

This review is from: Killer on the Road (Paperback)

True, Killer on the Road is different, and arguably weaker, than the "LA Noir" books - Black Dahlia, White Jazz, Big Nowhere, LA Confidential - but it is still worth a read. I don't have a clue (thankfully) whether the mind of Plunkett is the mind of a real serial killer or not. It reads as if it could be. The detached but obsessive self-introspection of Plunkett, as he details his crimes feels real enough. The pace, much slower than in later Ellroy novels, fits the subject matter well. The chill builds and builds as you follow Plunkett's spiral into hell.

Without giving away too much of the book, the most chilling moment for me is a scene where two serial killers meet and compare notes. Their conversation could almost be that of two traveling salesmen comparing sales territories. The ordinariness of this scene is what made it so terrifying for me. Monsters with human faces, not numb, but indifferent, to what they do, will surface again in later Ellroy novels, but their closeness to rest of the world has not been drawn as sharp as it is here.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Should have a warning label, January 10, 2003

By 

"mr_arch_stanton" (Santa Fe, New Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Killer on the Road (Paperback)

This is one of the most unpleasant books I have ever read. Nowhere have I encountered a narrative depiction of the crimes and motivations of a serial killer more realisitc than KILLER ON THE ROAD. What worries me about this book is how realistic it is. I am sure that there are readers who are not revolted by the acts portrayed in this book, or worse, find them somehow amusing or exciting. If you know someone like that, someone who says, "Yeah I loved that book, it was really cool," STAY AWAY FROM THEM BEFORE THEY DECIDE TO CUT YOU INTO LITTLE PIECES!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not up to Ellroy's best, November 30, 1999

By 

Doug Vaughn - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Killer on the Road (Paperback)

This early serial killer book has some intriguing aspects but is lacking when it comes to plot and scenic structure. It sort of plods along and the somewhat interesting main character isn't enought to sustain a reader's enthusiasm. There isn't much tension in the plot. Everything seems somewhat predictable and the outcome inevitable.

Mostly, fans of Ellroy's L.A. series will miss the manic pace, the full cast of characters and the complexity of scene and mood. This book is too much of a piece. Limited and ultimately hollow.