White Jazz

About “White Jazz”

White Jazz is a 1992 novel by James Ellroy, author of the L.A. Quartet and The Underworld USA Trilogy. Set in Los Angeles in 1958, the story follows Lieutenant Dave Klein of the LAPD. Klein is a corrupt officer who operates as a slumlord, bagman, and enforcer. When the Feds launch an investigation into police corruption, Klein is used as a pawn to draw attention away from others. He faces pressure from local politicians, LAPD leadership, and criminal figures who all want to protect their secrets. Told from Klein’s perspective, the novel presents a brutal and intense account of a world shaped by ambition, greed, and moral decay. Klein struggles to survive as the forces against him grow stronger. The book is a powerful example of crime fiction, marked by its intensity and sharp storytelling.