“My Dirty California” by Jason Mosberg

April 28, 2024

I nearly wrote off this book too soon when I realized its trajectory towards light science fiction theories of simulations and multiple universes. However, I was ultimately intrigued by this fast-paced noir thriller with Jody Morrel seeking to solve the sudden murder of his father and brother, Marty. 

Marty had recently visited his family after several years of absence and minimal communication when he was targeted in his own home, his last words being “Renata”. Unable to understand what could’ve led to this tragedy, Jody goes to California, where Marty previously resided and discovers his website, My Dirty California, helping him walk backwards and solve the crime. Marty’s death instigates the entire story and eventually intertwines with the perspectives of other characters that come along. We learn about Renata, a recent illegal immigrant to the United States who is soon kidnapped by traffickers; Tiph, a working-class single mother following her incarcerated husband’s plan to steal a secret art stash, and Pen, a filmmaker anticipating making a documentary on Marty’s death and seeking to discover the portal to a simulation, believed to be in Pandora’s House. 

The story is entertaining and mysterious, which keeps us on our toes and wondering how these characters might interact. Through each development, we discover clues that fill the missing puzzle pieces and paint a linear idea leading up to the crime. The book is thrilling and relies heavily on Pen’s simulation theory and her quest to uncover Marty’s potential implication in trying to find it. Albeit, the book still leans more toward a thriller mystery since one of the most considerable aspects of the book was the seemingly unsuccessful attempt to find the portal. 

While it appears like Pen is getting closer to discovering Pandora’s House and the simulation that may hold her father, she doesn’t make much progress until near the very end of the book, where the reader still doesn’t know if she found it. Mosberg leaves us on a cliffhanger where we have yet to consider whether Pen’s hypothesis was ever true and if her institutionalization was met with a premature release. 

I didn’t quite understand the rationale behind intentionally limiting the plot from finding a resolution to the simulation theory but I thought about it deeply as I assumed its implication had to signify more meaning. Mosberg must have had a compelling rationale for emphasizing the potential of uncovering a simulation in the story, only to leave the reader subsequently pondering.

My closest guess came up to the possibility that the simulation was, in fact, real and somehow related to all the characters involved. One of the reasons I liked this book was its ability to showcase several different chapter perspectives effectively and compellingly, which ultimately allowed each character’s story to intersect with one another. Due to this intentionality, I also believe that the simulation connects all the characters. Pen might’ve actually found the simulation portal and represented the switch between universes. While exploring for a simulation, she might’ve been in one herself without realizing it, disassociating herself from other characters in other simulations. Pen, then, wouldn’t realize she was in another simulation. 

However, this still leaves several other questions unanswered. For instance, if Pen was in another dimension, how could she still be connected to the other characters throughout parts of the plot? And how can the reader even distinguish the differences between the simulations? The uncertainty leaves more questions than answers, which stirs some confusion about the entire purpose of including a simulation theory instead of solely focusing on Marty’s death and the underlying human trafficking ring that caused it all. 

Perhaps the author aimed to leave readers pondering without clear answers, fostering a space for individual interpretation and imaginative exploration. This ambiguity could be an invitation for readers to become the creative fiction writer of the book.

Nonetheless, the author's background as a television screenwriter shines through not only in his writing style but also in the structure of his storyline. He captivates the reader with entertainment, skillfully develops the setting with vivid imagery, and adds cultural references that resonate with the modern era. Collectively, these elements create an experience similar to reading the script of a compelling television show.