The Informers (1994)

The Informers is a collection of short stories, linked by the same continuity, written by American author Bret Easton Ellis. The collection was first published as a whole in 1994. Chapters 6 and 7, "Water from the Sun" and "Discovering Japan", were published separately in the UK by Picador in 2007. The stories display attributes similar to Ellis's novels Less than Zero, The Rules of Attraction, and, to a lesser extent, American Psycho. Like many of Ellis's novels, the stories are set predominantly in California.

Stories

"Bruce Calls from Mulholland"

A nameless protagonist receives a phone call from Bruce, who discusses his romantic life (including sexual encounters with Lauren, his roommate's girlfriend). Bruce moves out of his apartment and in with Reynolds. The protagonist remembers the preceding summer, when he met Bruce at a workshop. After the call, he meets Reynolds for dinner. Although Reynolds makes conversation, all the protagonist can think about is Bruce and Lauren.

"At the Still Point"

Tim (the narrator) and his friends Raymond, Dirk, and Graham meet at a restaurant. Raymond remembers that it has been a year since the death of Jamie, a mutual acquaintance. Dirk breaks down, remembering Jamie's death in graphic detail. Raymond retreats to the bathroom to cry, and Tim goes to comfort him. Although Tim tells the reader that Jamie never liked Raymond, he tells Raymond that Jamie considered him a good friend. Tim notices inconsistencies in Dirk's story; although the coroner's report stated that Jamie died instantly when his car crashed, Dirk claims to have watched as Jamie slowly bled to death. Dirk dismisses Tim pointing out the inconsistency.

"The Up Escalator"

William's ex-wife (the narrator) is the mother of Graham and Susan. She is pushed out a window in a dream by Martin, her much-younger lover. She awakens wandering around in a Valium-induced daze; when she tries to converse with Graham and Susan, they ignore her or change the subject. She lunches with Martin, goes to his apartment and has sex with him, and gives him a pith helmet.

The narrator sits by the pool and watches the pool cleaner, who finds two dead rats and starts talking to her. During lunch with friends, she daydreams about the pool boy. After talking with Susan she dreams of drowning rats and pool boys, wakes up and takes more Valium, and calls Martin.

She has lunch with her son and daughter, gets a call from her mother, and remembers a childhood Christmas. The narrator sees her psychiatrist to renew her prescriptions and follows Graham, seeing him buy drugs. She then talks with Martin and lends him money. The narrator quarrels with William before they go to a party, and she contemplates filling William's insulin syringe with air.

"In the Islands"

Narrator Les Price, the father of Tim (Price, from "At the Still Point"), is on his office phone with a man named Lynch and sees Tim and Graham in line for a movie. He begins to notice that the two friends may have a physical relationship. Les gets a call from Elena, his ex-wife, who tells him that Tim does not want to go to Mauna Kea with him. Les picks Tim in his limousine the following day and, after unsuccessfully trying to talk to him, they go to the airport.

They arrive in Hawaii and eat at the Mauna Kea restaurant; Les again tries unsuccessfully to talk with Tim. After dinner, they meet two women from Chicago at the bar. Les tries unsuccessfully to pick up the women and Tim, upset, leaves. They later go to the beach and Tim meets Rachel, a girl his age. The three have dinner; Les tries to pick up Rachel, and Tim again leaves. Les finds him in their room smoking marijuana and tearfully apologizes in vain. He again meets Rachel, talking with her about manta rays and Tim. Tim and Les then sit on the beach, gazing at the ocean.

"Sitting Still"

Narrator Susan, Graham's sister and William's daughter, is going to Los Angeles by train for her father's wedding. She remembers William asking if she approved of his marriage to Cheryl and admitting that he never told her mother about the marriage and their divorce was never finalized. Although Susan learns most of what she knows from Graham, she spent time with Cheryl one summer.

William assumes that she likes Cheryl, but she tells Graham that she disapproves of the marriage. Susan calls her mother, and learns that she now knows about the wedding. She leaves Los Angeles by train, apparently returning to Camden College.

"Water from the Sun"

Cheryl Laine is a news anchor with a complicated love life. She married William, but he left her for a woman named Linda. Like William's other ex-wife (Graham's mother), Cheryl sleeps with much-younger men who use her for food and shelter.

She reminds Danny (her boyfriend) to record her newscasts because he seldom sees her, and Danny tells her that Ricky — Danny's pal, Biff's boyfriend — has been murdered. Although Danny says that he cares, both seem indifferent. William tries to reconcile with Cheryl, who tells him that she is happier with Danny (despite her concern that he may be more attracted to Biff than to her). Danny abruptly dumps her, leaving a note in her apartment suggesting that she hook up with Biff.

"Discovering Japan"