Ellroy: Perfidia

About this episode

James Ellroy discusses his historical novel 'Perfidia' set in Los Angeles during 1941.

In "Perfidia," author James Ellroy writes a historical novel and the first volume of his second L.A. Quartet series, set in Los Angeles in 1941 that follows the story of several very different people who come together to investigate the murder of a Japanese family as America is at the brink of World War II. This discussion with the author took place on a 2014 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" originating in San Francisco, California. Photo: jamesellroy.net

People in this episode

Guest: James Ellroy

Topics covered

• historical novel
• murder investigation
• World War II
• Los Angeles

Keywords

• L.A. Quartet
• Japanese family
• San Francisco

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Perfidia

Books & works: Perfidia, Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster

Places: Los Angeles, America, San Francisco, California

More episodes of Jim Foster: Conversations On The Coast

• What Caesar Did for My Salad by Albert Jack · April 19, 2026 · 2 min
• The Man Within My Head by Pico Iyer · April 12, 2026 · 3 min
• Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving · April 6, 2026 · 3 min
• The Crime Writer by Gregg Hurwitz · March 29, 2026 · 2 min
• The Lost Night by Rachel Howard · March 22, 2026 · 4 min
• The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood · March 16, 2026 · 4 min