This sci fi crime noir caught my eye – it’s a genre I’ve become increasingly fond of – and I loved the cover and the premise. I’ve linked this post to #Sci Fi Month 2020.
BLURB: Angela Hardwicke isn’t just any private eye. She’s a PI from Eternity, the cosmic realm responsible for the design, creation, and maintenance of the Universe. When accountant Gil Haberseau hires her to find an intern with stolen corporate files, Hardwicke soon finds herself embroiled in a deadly case of lies, intrigue, and murder, clashing with vengeful gangsters, MinderNot rallies, and a madman who’s come a long way to get what he wants.
REVIEW: Angela is a P.I. with quite a backstory – she has a small child she yearns for, which I liked, as there are a dearth of mothers in sci fi adventures. And the reason why she doesn’t have her son alongside, is that she is an addict, struggling to recover from a terrible drug. In the process of putting her life back together, she has also garnered a reputation in the highest circles of Eternity for being able to solve knotty problems. So when a frantic accountant contacts her to report that one of his interns has gone missing while handling sensitive material… And in Eternity, the place where new galaxies are created – sensitive material has consequences.
I like Angela, who is suitably hardboiled and streetwise, but also has her vulnerabilities. She has a nose for when folks are telling her the truth and is experienced enough, so there wasn’t too much flailing around, getting nowhere. I also liked her occasional meltdowns and found her struggle with dRod – the drug she is addicted to – poignant and believable. I also liked that she is attracted to both men and women and thought that was well handled. The investigation produced plenty of twists and unexpected turns, which I thoroughly appreciated.
However, I wasn’t convinced by the world. While I liked the concept of Minders running the universe as a large corporation, I didn’t find the actual depiction of it persuaded me to suspend my disbelief. Which, while it wasn’t an absolute dealbreaker, did interfere with my overall enjoyment of the story. That said, there wasn’t any stage when I was tempted to DNF this one – Colchamiro writes fluently, there was plenty of pace and Angela is a nuanced, well rounded character, with a strong supporting cast. There were moments of real drama and poignancy and the investigation was satisfactorily wrapped up, providing plenty of surprises along the way.
Recommended for fans of sci fi crime adventures. While I obtained an arc of Crackle and Fire via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own. 7/10
This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.
I was just looking forward to re-emerging having tucked myself away for a fortnight, after suffering a heavy cold. And then our Prime Minister last night announced the country is going into a month-long lockdown, starting on Thursday… My thoughts are with teachers and other key workers (including Himself) who once more will be facing the world, while the infection rate goes on rising. And for all of you, who are staying at home and coping with hard financial difficulties… Meanwhile, I’m going to retreat back to Wyvern Peak and the adventures of Castellan the Black – I’m now on the final lap of writing Picky Eaters, Part 2.
My photos are from the last night we spent at Bexhill – and the sunset that roared across the sky…
Last week I read:
AUDIOBOOK The Labyrinth Index – Book 9 of The Laundry Files by Charles Stross The arrival of vast, alien, inhuman intelligences reshaped the landscape for human affairs across the world, and the United Kingdom is no exception. Things have changed in Britain since the dread elder god Nyarlathotep ascended to the rank of Prime Minister. Mhari Murphy, recently elevated to the House of Lords and head of the Lords Select Committee on Sanguinary Affairs (think vampires), finds herself in direct consultation with the creeping chaos, who directs her to lead a team of disgraced Laundry personnel into the dark heart of America. It seems the Creeping Chaos is concerned about foreign relations.
A thousand-mile-wild storm system has blanketed the midwest, and the President is nowhere to be found. In fact, for reasons unknown the people of America are forgetting that the executive branch ever existed. The government has been infiltrated by the shadowy Black Chamber, and the Pentagon and NASA have been refocused on the problem of summoning Cthulhu. Somewhere, the Secret Service battle to stay awake, to remind the President who he is, and to stay one step ahead of the vampiric dragnet that’s searching for him. This one is told in multiple pov, with the main protagonist being Mhairi Murphy, a British Government secret service vampire, who is sent on a crazy mission. Lots of mayhem and rather dark fun, though perhaps with not the tension of The Delirium Brief. Review to follow.
Crackle and Fire – An Angela Hardwicke sci fi mystery by Russ Colchamiro Angela Hardwicke isn’t just any private eye. She’s a PI from Eternity, the cosmic realm responsible for the design, creation, and maintenance of the Universe.
When accountant Gil Haberseau hires her to find an intern with stolen corporate files, Hardwicke soon finds herself embroiled in a deadly case of lies, intrigue, and murder, clashing with vengeful gangsters, MinderNot rallies, and a madman who’s come a long way to get what he wants.
Bonus story included! The AI-themed Angela Hardwicke murder mystery, “The Case of Jarlo’s Buried Treasure” An entertaining sci fi mystery thriller. There were plenty of plot twists in this whodunit, and Angela is a sympathetic protagonist that kept me turning the pages – but I wasn’t wholly convinced about the wider worldbuilding. Review to follow.
Interesting/outstanding blogs and articles that have caught my attention during the last week, in no particular order:
SPFBO: Finalist announcement https://lynns-books.com/2020/10/28/spfbo-finalist-announcement-2/Lynn, excellent book blogger and all-round good egg is one of the judges of this ambitious and long-running contest, which give indie fantasy writers a chance to get their books more recognition. And having waded through 30 books and kept us abreast of all her decisions in a series of blogs, this is it – her final choice…
