Come Here on Vacation, Go Home on Probation

The bags are nearly packed; tomorrow we're flying out to L.A. I haven't been out since I shacked with up with Gischler and Doolittle for last year's L.A. Book Festival, and I'm very much looking forward to returning... this time with the Bride and Brood. Yeah, it'll be tough flying with two kids. There will be heavy bags. There will be crankiness. But the absolute toughest part of packing for this trip... nay, any trip: deciding which books to bring. No, I'm serious! Now, these books are mostly for the plane, because I invariably pick up new/vintage books wherever I go (just ask the Bride). But still, the choices have to be spot-on, because while I don't want to overpack, I also don't want to be stuck with a dud, either. Oh, and they have to be L.A.-related, too. Because I'm a huge nerd.

Anyway, I've already got two sure things in my bag already: Charles Bukowski's Hollywood (as you know, I've been on a Bukowski kick) and an arc of Charlie Huston's Every Last Drop (thanks to Ms. Weinman; I count this as L.A.-related because Huston now lives in L.A.). I also want to bring a Ross Macdonald I haven't read yet.

But which one?

My choices: the new Vintage Crime editons of The Instant Enemy, The Barbarous Coast or The Blue Hammer. The first and third are late period Macdonald; Barbarous is early to mid, I think. All seem cool. There is room, however, for only one. What do you think?

I'd also welcome another L.A. novel that I might possibly already own and haven't read yet. I've been through the classics, including my Chandlers, McCoys, Connellys and Ellroys. Devoured my Lankford; got my Hurwitz on. Any suggestions?

(The first one to say Mr. Monk in Outer Space receives a nice shiny cockpunch.)