THE ENCHANTERS (James Ellroy, 2023)

Haven't read the first Otash book, WIDESPREAD PANIC (heard I'm not missing much) but I far prefer THE ENCHANTERS to his current LA Quartet (or is it Quintet? the "also by" here says Quintet now): the characters (many fever dream versions of actual people) the early-60s milleux, the smaller, less epic scope. It's Ellroy as if he appeared in Black Mask magazine – or at least his interpretation of it. That being said, I can't tell you what his fictional postulation of Marilyn Monroe's death amounts to (now that I think of it, the narrative reminds me quite a bit of THE BLACK DAHLIA – still, along with AMERICAN TABLOID, my favorite Ellroy novel) but, like the plot itself, I'm not certain that it matters: these are fascinating characters in a depraved, fascinating world. Definitely recommended for those who, like me, were disappointed by both PERFIDIA and THIS STORM: while Ellroy may be missing a step there, here he proves there's still an angry, fuck-you-all spring to it. More please.

WHITE JAZZ (Ellroy, 1992)

(read: 20220809->17; my complete reading list, from 2013 to the present, lives here. )

Another one that's been in the to-read stacks for awhile, but now that my first complete reading of Ellroy's first LA Quartet (all in first editions, I'm proud to say) – I'd read BLACK DAHLIA and LA CONFIDENTIAL previously; this was my first time with both THE BIG NOWHERE (excellent) and WHITE JAZZ – is done, I'm awash with a sense of accomplishing something: what that something is, I haven't a clue – a chance to start over with a re-read, perhaps: age and mileage do, if nothing else, add perspective.

That being said, I remain both tepid (similar to my reaction to each of Ellroy's in-progress Second LA QUARTET offerings – though mercifully devoid of the utter scorn I hold for the second in the series, THIS STORM) and somewhat confused because – in spite of some brilliant moments weaving in and out of this rare (for Ellroy) first-person account by an unfamiliar though nonetheless excellent protagonist (whom I hope Ellroy revisits sometime: it's a shame Klein's been out to pasture for 30 years and never appeared in prior works – though please correct me if I’m wrong) at the center of the machinations of two forces of LAPD nature, I can't figure – other than acting as a coda to the tales of Exley (who's far more of a shit in the books than in Guy Pearce's excellent film portrayal) and Dudley (Cromwell was perfect), and a pivot between the first LA Quartet and the Underworld, USA trilogy (JAZZ features the debut of my favorite of Ellroy's characters, Pete Bondurant, one of the three protagonists of my favorite of Ellroy's works – and one of my favorite books of all time, AMERICAN TABLOID) – why WHITE JAZZ needed to exist in the first place.

Then again, I might have answered my own (long-winded) question. Wouldn't be the first time.