Perfidia (2014) Signed First Edition Reference

Perfidia was published by Knopf in 2014, launching what Ellroy calls the Second L.A. Quartet — a prequel series set before the events of the original Quartet. The novel opens on December 6, 1941, the day before Pearl Harbor, and follows characters both new and familiar (Dudley Smith, Hideo Ashida, Kay Lake) through the chaos that followed Japan’s attack, including the Japanese internment and the wartime transformation of Los Angeles.

The Book

The novel revisits the territory of the original L.A. Quartet with the ambition of the Underworld USA Trilogy’s historical scope. Pearl Harbor and the Japanese internment provide the historical backdrop for a murder investigation that entangles the LAPD, the FBI, and the Japanese-American community. Dudley Smith — the charming, monstrous Irish-American detective who was a pivotal character in L.A. Confidential — takes center stage as one of the novel’s protagonists.

First Edition Identification

Publisher: Knopf, New York Publication date: 2014 Format: Hardcover in dust jacket

Signed Copy Market Values

• Signed first edition, fine/fine: $40–$120
• Inscribed copies: $60–$200
• Unsigned first edition: $8–$20

Perfidia launched a new cycle of Ellroy novels with strong initial sales. Signed copies are readily available.