L.A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America’s Most Seductive City

Buntin documents the history of 1950s Los Angeles through the epic rivalry between the city’s police chief, William Parker, and its organized crime leader, Mickey Cohen. Buntin traces the rivals’ humbler beginnings, their confrontations, and how the city was shaped by them both. Narrator Kirby Heyborne’s narration is clear and well paced, but not compelling. And while he infuses his reading with a hint of raspiness—something that could invoke the crime and corruption of 1950s L.A.—his voice is not deep or commanding enough. His narration is too congenial for a book this menacing, and he fails to convey the drama of his subject matter. Heyborne’s timing is excellent, however, and he brings appropriate emphasis and nuance to important passages. A Broadway paperback. (June)