Bret Easton Ellis

Bret Easton Ellis is a novelist and author known for writing dark cult classic books set in Southern California and beyond, including American Psycho, Less Than Zero, and The Shards. His literary work often explores themes of privileged youth, psychological tension, and dark subtext set against retro backdrops.

In 2023, Ellis published his bestseller novel The Shards, marking his return to publishing after a 13-year hiatus. The semi-autobiographical story is set in 1981 Los Angeles and follows a fictionalized 17-year-old high school senior version of Ellis attending the exclusive Buckley prep school during a wave of violence orchestrated by a serial killer known as The Trawler.

Ellis's novel was adapted into an FX television drama series led by producer Ryan Murphy. Ellis gave Murphy full artistic control over the adaptation while providing a massive personal playlist of tracks from his own youth to guide the show's 1980s soundtrack. Rather than taking an active editorial role or demanding early secret screenings, Ellis followed the broadcast run weekly from his own couch.