Significance of Southern California

With one brief exception -- when Bosch is flown, an as undercover "pill shill" to Central California -- the entire novel takes place within different Southern California locations. However, instead of being located in glamorous, sun-splashed Southern California locations, like Hollywood, Orange County, or San Diego, almost all of the settings are gritty, traffic-choked, and full of poverty, like San Fernando, Van Nuys, or Pacoima. The apparent welcoming artifice of Southern California is mirrored in the dishonesty of most of the characters -- aside from the San Fernando police, almost all of the major characters in the novel are eventually revealed to be manipulative actors.