If James Ellroy sat next to you on a bus, you'd probably consider moving your seat. In nearly every publicity photo, he looks severely disappointed in the photographer and on the verge of a well-worded put-down. Ellroy probably is upset in those photos simply because the act of being photographed meant he wasn't at home furiously writing another installment of his grisly take on our fair city. Previous works such as L.A. Confidential and The Black Dahlia dig deep into the seedy side of Los Angeles. Sex, violence and money are three of Ellroy's biggest themes, and none of them is lacking in his newest novel, Perfidia. At 720 pages, the hefty tome digs deep into the murder of a Japanese family in the tension-filled month of December 1941. Tonight, instead of sitting on the bus or taking publicity photos, he'll be discussing and signing the new book — no doubt with a grimace. Skylight Books, 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz; Thu., Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m.; free, book is $28.95. (323) 660-1175, skylightbooks.com.

Thu., Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m., 2014
(Expired: 10/16/14)

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.