A detective struggling to make ends meet. A girl they call the Golden Goose.
In a city run by a powerful mobster, nobody wants to play the hero. Private investigator Charlie Madison just wants to pay the rent.
When a little girl goes missing and no ransom demand is made, Madison takes the case. Time isn’t on his side. After 48 hours, it’s unlikely an abducted child will be found in one piece. But Madison’s a champion of lost causes, and he’ll be damned before he gives up on her–even if it means putting his own life on the line.
As the mystery unfolds, Madison learns a bizarre secret that seems too impossible to believe. But it could explain why the girl was kidnapped–and why she might still be alive.
Novelette – Crime Noir / Science Fiction Prequel to Immaterial Evidence and Yakuza Territory
"Mystery readers and action readers will enjoy this, as well as fans of the noir genre. "
Reviewer: Reader for Bookangel.
A kidnapped child, two desperate parents, and a private eye. Standard perhaps, but in the ongoing fallout of World War Three nothing is as it seems, and the PI is going to find himself in a mess.
I did initially wonder if this was our world, but the discussion of the ongoing war with Asia and the two new power blocks (EC and UW) put paid to that quickly. This world is more Blade Runner than Sam Spade. It is a world where no one can be trusted and simply being seen with the wrong person will get you killed.
It is an enjoyable roller-coaster of a book, with a twist on every page, and it keeps you guessing right up to the end. To say it is fast-paced is an understatement, but this doesn't always work for it. There is a twist towards the end that is only set up in one line earlier - if a reader misses that line the ending comes out of nowhere. It is part of a series, so many of the elements set up here will carry onto the next story, but like all detective novels it is about the case, and that is solved.
Formatting? What can I say but that I found no issues with formatting, layout, or spelling.
Strong characters, a gritty and dark world, and some very creative worldbuilding. Mystery readers and action readers will enjoy this, as well as fans of the noir genre.
Well I do have a little bit of a mixed experience when it comes the noir genre, but that said it continues to intrigue me and capture my interest, so it is certainly doing that here. I also love a good mystery story, and I guess a little action in there too is never a bad thing. This looks like one of the better ones that I have seen, so thank for sharing.
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