Perfidia

I may have to reread the James Ellroy’s other books, as I recall being totally absorbed by the connected history of LA Confidential, The Black Dahlia, American Tabloid…, and [Perfidia] ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfidia_(Ellroy_novel))features the same characters and jazzy prose.

But while I didn’t quite have to slog through the chapters of this prequel to his “LA Quartet”, I also didn’t find the characters that compelling or sympathetic, particularly with the constant stream of racial slurs.

That’s nothing new in Ellroy novels and can be taken as natural patter in historical context, and even taken ironically, but I can’t help feeling the author enjoys writing these words a bit too much, in a Tarantino-esque way. But kudos for placing the Japanese-American internment at the center of the story, even if you don’t buy the conspiracy theory.