Jordan Harper is among the best working writers of our time.
Last year, Harper joined the podcast ahead of the release of the film adaptation of his novel She Rides Shotgun. This week he returned to discuss A Violent Masterpiece, his newest novel and, in my view, his best work yet.
Harper writes crime fiction in the tradition of Elmore Leonard and James Ellroy, but filtered through the absurdity of contemporary America. In a moment where reality often feels more ridiculous than satire, A Violent Masterpiece explores the intersections of Hollywood, internet culture, wealth, power, and corruption in LA.
The LA in the book is simultaneously dystopic and immediately familiar.
In this conversation, we discuss the novel, Harper’s influences, the ways his work is shaped by his experiences in Hollywood, social media’s corrosive effect on public life, and why contemporary America can be such fertile ground for noir fiction.
Going Further & Related Episodes
- A Crime Novel Kingpin — Jordan Harper, author of “She Rides Shotgun” — 245
- A Violent Masterpiece – Kings Books
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