Train by Pete Dexter

A powerful, unflinching novel of race, ambition, and violence set against the shadow of 1950s Los Angeles.
 
They call him Train — a young, Black caddy at an elite Los Angeles golf course whose quiet talent and intelligence mask a world of injustice. When a brutal crime brings him into the orbit of Miller Packard, a troubled white police sergeant, their unlikely connection sets off a chain of events that exposes the uneasy truths about power, class, and race in postwar America.
 
In Train, Pete Dexter, the National Book Award–winning author of Paris Trout, delivers a bold, morally complex story that pulses with tension and emotional depth.
Blending crime noir with literary mastery, Dexter captures a city on the brink — its glamour, corruption, and racial divide — through characters bound by fate and their own flawed humanity.
The novel’s language is both muscular and lyrical, its world richly textured and brutally honest.
 
At once a compelling crime drama and a profound exploration of the American dream, Train cements Dexter’s reputation as one of the most fearless voices in contemporary fiction.
 
💖 Why You’ll Love It
Gritty, character-driven storytelling set in 1950s Los Angeles.
A nuanced exploration of race, power, and ambition.
Combines hard-boiled crime with literary depth.
From the National Book Award–winning author of Paris Trout.
Atmospheric, thought-provoking, and unforgettable.
 
🌟 Perfect For
Fans of James Ellroy, Walter Mosley, and Dennis Lehane.
Readers who enjoy noir-infused literary fiction.
Book clubs exploring race, morality, and redemption.
Anyone drawn to complex characters and historical realism.
 
❤️ Fans Also Liked
If you enjoyed Train, you might also like:
Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley — noir, race, and justice in postwar L.A.
Paris Trout by Pete Dexter — a devastating portrait of race and power in the Deep South.
L.A. Confidential by James Ellroy — crime and corruption in the city of angels.