Nearly 700 works by over 500 authors are presented in Jazz Fiction: A History and Comprehensive Reader's Guide, a comprehensive annotated bibliography of stories and novels that contain a jazz component. Presenting a valuable overview of the history of the genre from its beginnings to the near present, the book compartmentalizes the titles into literature genres, such as children, teen, and young adult stories; mystery and detective fiction; fantasy and science fiction; women and jazz; works based on the lives of actual jazz artists; international jazz fiction (representing over 20 countries); and even "Jazz" Fiction Sans Music: books that imply musical content but actually have none. A series of sub-genres such as "Big Band and Swing," "Blues," "Pulp and Smut," and "Novelizations" are identified, providing examples of works that characterize these categories and offering readers with specialized interests an easy reference. Also included are two short-lists, one for short stories, the other for novels, giving readers who desire to learn more about jazz fiction suggestions on where to begin.

David Rife's annotations qualify as short critical essays, generally providing a jargon-free, often witty presentation, making them a pleasure to read. Broad in scope, meticulously researched, and comprehensive with titles that have long been inaccessible, this definitive resource is essential for libraries and valuable to scholars and fans of jazz and literature.