Widespread Panic Summary
James Ellroy

Widespread Panic Overview

James Ellroy's novel Widespread Panic is the first-person account of Freddy Otash, a notorious Hollywood “fixer” who is willing to do anything during a time and place when police brutality is rampant and everyone is afraid of Communists. Freddy moves among the movie stars and movie sets, manipulating people and situations to meet the demands of anyone willing to pay for his service. The novel explores codes of honor, the evolution of language, secrets, and violence. The excessive lifestyles of the elite serve as a motif throughout the novel.