American Tabloid by James Ellroy was published in 1995. A novel, it reads like an expanded James Hadley Chase. It is about the dealings of agents from the subversive arm of US intelligence, US counterespionage agents and American organized crime figures. The author's writing style is famous for being clipped and staccato and so the language in the book was unlovely, flat, what could be called workmanlike. A bit like how Johnny Depp looks, which is perhaps apt since he was in the movie adaptation of "Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas", a book I haven't read but that I thought about while reading this one. However, the economical usage of language ensures that the book is read closely because there are no useless words. Every word has a function. None are there for embellishment of the text.
The book was mostly enjoyable because I couldn't guess the finale until towards the end. I was disappointed when I realized that it was basically another explanation for a seminal event in American history. Something that happened in 1963. I won't say what the event was because spoilers.
The book is recommended although I don't think I'll look for more books by the author. I suspect his other books would be slight variations on the the themes in this book - the nexus between crime and power.
Brevity Quest 2021