California Girl is almost a history lesson in the 1960's for Orange County. It deals with the old John Birch Society, the hippies, dope, LSD and features cameos from Richard Nixon, Charlie Manson, and Timothy Leary (used fictiously, I'm certain-- but with an effort to be authentic). The story features a lot of information and factioids about how the area was changing and some of the fads that were popular. On top of that, Parker writes a decent mystery and populates it with a number of the usual suspects. Parker then uses the mechanism of the lives of three brothers to push the story forward. In places, the use of this mechanism is almost genius. We care about Andy, Nick and, David. We care about the murder victim, that they all knew. We care about how she managed to weave in and out of their lives. However, before the book is through, I found the mechanism to be a cheap method of providing information from one character to another. It was a good idea, and in my opinion, Parker managed to utilize it effectively for awhile, but then in the end, it just seemed a bit tired. On top of that-- I thought I had figured out the killer's identity pretty early on, but was uncertain enough that Parker mananged to keep me second guessing my initial guess, though I wasn't swayed. Parker provides some interesting action scenes into this novel. One, is an altercation with a suspect that involves a permanent marker that was really very satisfying. Then, there is a conflict involving Charles Manson. In addition to this, there is a decent brawl scene to open the story, and a great gunfight scene late in the novel. Parker does a great job of making us feel as if we are there in the middle of the action.As the novel progressed, I realized that Parker had created a snapshot of American life. Many of the characters in this novel had their own personal character flaws. As the story progressed, each of the brothers was choosing to make choices that bent their own version of morality. Parker shows us how the children of the 1960's entered into adulthood full of optimism, hopes and plans. eventually realizing that the choices they were making would not necessarily bring happiness. Injected into the story is the murder victim, abused and used, worldly, yet unsophisticated. A girl who really never stood a chance. And three brothers, whose lives were impacted more by her death, than her life. The author puts the pieces of this novel together well. However, for me, the balance between the 1960's clash of cultures that was taking place and the murder mystery was slightly askew. Still a good book and I'm learning to really like Parker's dark writing.. but often, it seems as if all the characters are so sad and melancholy. Minor gripe-- cover art seems to have nothing to do at all with the actual book. There is some mention of nude swimming at night with the Leary drug parties, but otherwise, I could make no connection with the cover at all. The "California Girl" is not a beach bunny or surfer chick.
I was thinking this was a five star when it began, and now I give it one AND place it on the "really bad" book shelf. That because of my growing disappointment the more I thought about it - I thought I really had found someone in author T. Jefferson Parker ... but he let me down. His protagonists, in all his novels, are basically the same guy, and in this novel he merges four brothers into one. The brothers are: a preacher, newspaper reporter, soldier, and detective. Their voice is the same. Their personalities are the same. They are almost worthy but all fall short. Add to that mix: Richard Nixon, Timothy Leary, and Charles Mansion. Add to that: a drug dealer, a star folk singer, a star politician, a high school coach, a frumpy partner/detective, and an egoist business magnate, and a family of white trash cretins. Now add beautiful teenage girl, sister of the cretins, and victim of the crime/mystery to be solved. This story mostly unfolds around 1968 in Southern California. The crime doesn't make sense - even though a crack FBI profiler nails it. Who did it? One of the above. And this bothers me the most - all of those people were trying to "help" the girl, with the exception of her brothers, who were her first victimizers. This girl has all these upstanding men trying to rescue her because she's so talented, smart, and beautiful and nobody can. Nobody thinks that maybe she could use some therapy (OK, it's the 60's); but what about school? How about one of these guys stepping up and getting her into college where she belonged. They didn't even try. They all used her. Creeps, all of them. There are some good scenes, however, and some good lines - but none of it rings true in the overarching narrative. Parker tried to do too much and wasn't up to it. I don't like being disappointed - one star.
What do You think about California Girl (2005)?
When I was a kid growing up in northern San Diego County in the Sixties and Seventies, we used to make a yearly trek to Disneyland. We'd also make other treks to points north, especially Long Beach. Up until around 1974 or so, northern San Diego County was a pretty podunk place, but Orange County was even podunkier. Going up I-5 (or I-405), you saw hardly any civilization until you hit Anaheim or Long Beach. Even Anaheim would have been nothing if it weren't for the cheap motels and coffee shops
—Sandi
A saga that unfolds over half a century in Orange County, CA. The Becker brothers who are typical California boys in the 1950’s. Three of the brothers end up forever tied to a young woman (Janelle) found murdered in a packing house where the Beckers once rumbled with the hoodlum brothers of Janelle when they were kids. The writing aptly describes the eras, especially the 1960’s. Richard Nixon, Timothy Leary, and Charles Manson guest-star in the drama (now that is a cast!). Nick Becker’s first case as rookie police detective in 1968 is to investigate the murder of Janelle. Nick’s brother Andy is a reporter covering the case. As years pass, the brothers still talk about the case, which, even though someone is eventually arrested, continues to niggle at them; they all remember Janelle as a little girl. I enjoy family sagas and love mysteries, so this book is the best of both worlds for me. I am probably about the age of the characters – who are retired at the end, so I recognized the benchmarks of the times they went through. Somewhat melancholy, but enjoyable.
—Marca
As always I enjoyed T Jefferson Parker's writing. This is a police procedural, but almost epic in terms of scope and the fact that the action takes place primarily amongst 4 brothers growing up in Orange County California in the 50's and their interaction with a poorer family that lives nearby and the right wing politics that defined that era in Orange County. I am also certain that T Jefferson Parker has been stalking me all my life because just like "LA Outlaws" I know every street, every landmark he incorporates into the story. I lived on St. Anne in Laguna, hung out in Mystic Arts World and knew about the dark side of "The Brotherhood of Eternal Love." I also waiting on Nixon's G-Men when they came by the South Laguna Auto Club for maps. So I'm hoping I run into T Jefferson soon, so we can clear these little matters up.
—Stacy
