I am a big fan of SF mysteries, which can have a wonderful twist on the noir novel.
If you're a bit of a detective fiction fan you'll love the sprinkling of classic PI names used throughout the book. That little tip of the hat made me extremely happy.
I was a little bit apprehensive when I started the book since it used an antagonist that I simply do not like - the crazy serial killer. There is something about insane characters that I just find so boring. Give me an antagonist with some real intelligence, passion and a willingness to take calculated actions and you've got a winner with me.
The opening scene establishes our main character and protagonist Detective Jon Phillips as a brash, young and dedicated police officer. Much like a good Bond movie the book starts with a chase scene and the wrapping up of a case, which sets the tone of the book.
The novel is set in a not-too-distant future, in the years following a nuclear war. Interestingly, the exchange of missiles did not occur between the US and Russia. All of this is exposition but I did appreciate the author's touch at allowing other parts of the world to play a part in the story. Far too much fiction today makes the West, and the US in particular, the center of the universe. It's just refreshing to expand the world, just a little bit.
Jon Phillips' work in the opening pages gets him noticed and sent to New York city to help in solving the case of the Dayfall Killer. Dayfall is an environmental event that has had people worried for some years. After the nuclear war the Earth was subjected to a long period of darkness as the ash made its way into the atmosphere to block out the sun for years. Now that the cloud cover is predicted to dissipate and the return of direct sunlight is anticipated, there is growing worry that the light may drive the population into a kind of frenzy. The Dayfall Killer is singled out as an example of what may happen.
Capture the Dayfall Killer in time and you may help to calm the citizens of New York.
Having just seen the movie Blade Runner 2049, I was eager to enjoy more of that kind of story. I was not disappointed. It was so much fun to see New York as it coped with a changed environment and how the society changed with it.
The story was very satisfying and believable. I kept returning to the book every chance I got. In another nod to the old detective fiction of the paperback era, the page count comes in at 286, making it a fast paced book with no contractual filler. I am glad that Tor Books took the chance on a short novel like this. It shows that they are not afraid to publish good stories without the hang up of believing that page count plays such a big part in a book purchase decision.
Oh, and the bad guy? Not insane. I loved it.
Highly recommended.
Michael David Ares' website - http://www.michaeldavidares.com/
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