Death Note: Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases

Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases (DEATH NOTE アナザーノート ロサンゼルスBB連続殺人事件) serves as a prequel to the main series, detailing the story of L's first encounter with Naomi Misora during the Los Angeles BB Serial Murder Cases mentioned in volume two of the manga.

Plot
The story is about the killer Beyond Birthday loose in Los Angeles, and super-sleuth L trying to solve the case. Along with Naomi, an FBI agent, he helps the LAPD solve this grisly crime.

Besides Naomi's character, the novel focuses on how L works. Insight was given into Watari's orphanage (Wammy's House), and how the whole system of geniuses such as L, Mello, and Near were put to work.

The novel is narrated by Mello. He starts out by trying to write about the case like he was writing a true crime report; very straight forward and speculative. A short time through, his tone changes to that of a novelist as he writes down what the characters are thinking or feeling. Only occasionally does he catch himself and revert to the other style. Mello even interrupts the story at various points whenever he has input.

Reception
A.E. Sparrow of IGN reviewed the novel and gave it a 9.5 out of 10. Sparrow said that the author understood what "made these characters click so well" and "captures everything that made the manga the compelling read that it is." Sparrow said that fans of Death Note who read Another Note will "find a welcome home" in the Nisio Isin's work that "adds a few more fun layers" to the Death Note franchise.

Trivia

 * Viz released the novel in English on February 19, 2008; however, many retailers began selling the books as early as February 7, 2008.
 * While never actually appearing in this book, L mentions that he has a conman and thief guarding the building Naomi and Rue Ryuzaki were in. This is presumably Wedy and Aiber, though their names are never actually stated and the conman and thief never appear in the book, or are at least verified to appear.
 * In 2010 a petition was made to get Madhouse (the makers of the Death Note anime) to make an anime film based on the novel.