This Storm : A Novel

A massive novel of World War II Los Angeles. The crowning work of an American master. It is January, 1942. Torrential rainstorms hit L.A. A body is unearthed in Griffith Park. The cops rate it a routine dead-man job. They’re grievously wrong. It’s a summons to misalliance and all the spoils of a brand-new war. Elmer Jackson is a corrupt Vice cop. He’s a flesh peddler and a bagman for the L.A. Chief of Police. Hideo Ashida is a crime-lab whiz, caught up in the maelstrom of the Japanese internment. Dudley Smith is an LAPD hardnose working Army Intelligence. He’s gone rogue and gone all-the-way Fascist. Joan Conville was born rogue. She’s a defrocked Navy lieutenant and a war profiteer to her core. They’ve signed on for the dead-man job. They’ve got a hot date with History. They will fight their inner wars within The War with unstoppable fury. ** About the Author JAMES ELLROY was born in Los Angeles in 1948. He is the author of the Underworld U.S.A. Trilogy--� American Tabloid, The Cold Six Thousand, and Blood’s A Rover �--and the L.A. Quartet novels,� The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, L. A. Confidential, �and� White Jazz. �He lives in Colorado. "From "one of the great American writers of our time" (Los Angeles Times Book Review)--a brilliant historical crime novel, a pulse-pounding, as-it-happens narrative that unfolds in Los Angeles and Mexico in the wake in Pearl Harbor. New Year's Eve 1941, war has been declared and the Japanese internment is in full swing. Los Angeles is gripped by war fever and racial hatred. Sergeant Dudley Smith of the Los Angeles Police Department is now Army Captain Smith and a budding war profiteer. He's shacked up with Claire De Haven in Baja, Mexico, and spends his time sniffing out fifth column elements and hunting down a missing Japanese Naval Attache. Hideo Ashida is cashing LAPD paychecks and working in the crime lab, but he knows he can't avoid internment forever. Newly arrived Navy Lieutenant Joan Conville winds up in jail accused of vehicular homicide, but Captain William H. Parker squashes the charges and puts her on Ashida's team. Elmer Jackson, who is assigned to the alien squad and to bodyguard Ashida, begins to develop an obsession with Kay Lake, the unconsummated object of Captain Parker's desire. Now, Conville and Ashida become obsessed with finding the identity of a body discovered in a mudslide. It's a murder victim linked to an unsolved gold heist from '31, and they want the gold. And things really heat up when two detectives are found murdered in a notorious dope fiend hang-out." -- Provided by publisher From One Of The Great American Writers Of Our Time (los Angeles Times Book Review)--a Brilliant Historical Crime Novel, A Pulse-pounding, As-it-happens Narrative That Unfolds In Los Angeles And Mexico In The Wake In Pearl Harbor. New Year's Eve 1941, War Has Been Declared And The Japanese Internment Is In Full Swing. Los Angeles Is Gripped By War Fever And Racial Hatred. Sergeant Dudley Smith Of The Los Angeles Police Department Is Now Army Captain Smith And A Budding War Profiteer. He's Shacked Up With Claire De Haven In Baja, Mexico, And Spends His Time Sniffing Out Fifth Column Elements And Hunting Down A Missing Japanese Naval Attache. Hideo Ashida Is Cashing Lapd Paychecks And Working In The Crime Lab, But He Knows He Can't Avoid Internment Forever. Newly Arrived Navy Lieutenant Joan Conville Winds Up In Jail Accused Of Vehicular Homicide, But Captain William H. Parker Squashes The Charges And Puts Her On Ashida's Team. Elmer Jackson, Who Is Assigned To The Alien Squad And To Bodyguard Ashida, Begins To Develop An Obsession With Kay Lake, The Unconsummated Object Of Captain Parker's Desire. Now, Conville And Ashida Become Obsessed With Finding The Identity Of A Body Discovered In A Mudslide. It's A Murder Victim Linked To An Unsolved Gold Heist From '31, And They Want The Gold. And Things Really Heat Up When Two Detectives Are Found Murdered In A Notorious Dope Fiend Hang-out-- James Ellroy. From "one of the great American writers of our time" ( Los Angeles Times Book Review) --a brilliant historical crime novel, a pulse-pounding, as-it-happens narrative that unfolds in Los Angeles and Mexico in the wake in Pearl Harbor. New Year's Eve 1941, war has been declared and the Japanese internment is in full swing. Los Angeles is gripped by war fever and racial hatred. Sergeant Dudley Smith of the Los Angeles Police Department is now Army Captain Smith and a budding war profiteer. He's shacked up with Claire De Haven in Baja, Mexico, and spends his time sniffing out fifth column elements and hunting down a missing Japanese Naval Attach. Hideo Ashida is cashing LAPD paychecks and working in the crime lab, but he knows he can't avoid internment forever. Newly arrived Navy Lieutenant Joan Conville winds up in jail accused of vehicular homicide, but Captain William H. Parker squashes the charges and puts her on Ashida's team. Elmer Jackson, who is assigned to the alien squad and to bodyguard Ashida, begins to develop an obsession with Kay Lake, the unconsummated object of Captain Parker's desire. Now, Conville and Ashida become obsessed with finding the identity of a body discovered in a mudslide. It's a murder victim linked to an unsolved gold heist from '31, and they want the gold. And things really heat up when two detectives are found murdered in a notorious dope fiend hang-out. January'42. L.A. reels behind the shock of Pearl Harbor. Local Japanese residents are rounded up and slammed behind bars. Massive thunderstorms hit the city.A body is unearthed in Griffith Park. The cops tag it a routine dead-man job. They're wrong. It's an early-warning signal of Chaos.There's a murderous fire and a gold heist. There's Fifth Column treason on American soil. There are homegrown Nazis, Commies, and race racketeers. It's populism ascendant. There's two dead cops in a dive off the jazz-club strip. And three men and one woman have a hot date with history.Elmer Jackson is a corrupt Vice cop. He's a flesh peddler and a bagman for the L.A. Chief of Police. Hideo Ashida is a crime-lab whiz, lashed by anti-Japanese rage. Dudley Smith is PD hardnose working Army Intelligence. He's gone rogue and gone all-the-way fascist. Joan Conville was born rogue. She's a defrocked Navy lieutenant and a war profiteer to her core.L.A.'42. Homefront madness. Wartime inferno--This Storm is James Ellroy's most audacious novel yet. It is by turns savage, tender, elegiac. It lays bare and celebrates crazed Americans of all stripes. It is a masterpiece. New Year's Eve 1941. War has been declared, the Japanese internment is in full swing. A body in unearth in Griffith Park. There's a murderous fire and a gold heist. There's Fifth Column treason on American soil. There are homegrown Nazis, Commies, and race racketeers. There's two dead cops in a dive off the jazz-club strip. And three men and one woman have a hot date with history. -- Adapted from jacket