evoking Ellroy. Reviews praised Pelecanos' dialogue and sense of place. They also remarked upon Pelecanos' use of film and music references and the cinematic nature of the book. Karras has been described as a flawed hero because of his infidelity and lack of commitment to his family. The novel's moral complexity has been praised. The use of violent set pieces has been praised as enlivening the novel. Awards and nominations In 1997, The Big Blowdown was the recipient of the International Crime Novel of the Year award in France, Germany and Japan. Footnotes Novels by George Pelecanos 1996 American novels Novels set in Washington, D.C. Fiction set in the 1940s American crime novels