American Tabloid

This is a work of fiction, and because of that I think it's able to give the most detailed and comprehensive account on what "could" have happened in the events leading up to the assassination of Kennedy. As we'll never know what happened during those fateful months prior to the President being shot dead (and as the Warren Report was such a sham document) this is probably the next best thing.

Taken from several points of view, and dealing with the various people involved in the "conspiracy" (such as the CIA; FBI and the Mob) American Tabloid highlights just how convoluted American politics really is. (The FBI, for example, didn't officially recognise that there was such a thing as "Organised Crime" and the Kennedy's knew differently!)

Ellroy's use of language is extremely economical and the sentences are usually taught and very controlled - in novels after this the sentences become very short and a little punchy for my tastes, but this is just right.
This is an extremely well written novel and the events seem too plausible that it's sometimes difficult to remember that you are in fact reading a work of fiction.