Detective Noir isn't my favorite genre, but- I like to dip into it from time to time. It's a fairly specific type of genre, so it is interesting to see what authors do within the parameters.
When I saw this very 1970's looking cover on Net Galley and a new to me author, I thought well, why not?
Readers are given a tale of Maria, a Cop who's just made Detective. After a disastrous first night, she wakes to a phone call summoning her to settle the estate of a father she barely knows. She is one tough cookie, as all noir detectives are, but she's also broken and busted- of course.
When she arrive in a backwater town, her detective senses tell her immediately that something is fishy about her Dad's passing. She buckles down to figure it out. We are taken on a fast paced wild ride that highlights the foibles and follies of small town living. As Maria sorts through this unpredictable series of events with skill, she comes to realize more and more about her estranged father, and perhaps more about herself as well.
I enjoyed this novella. At about 5 hours on audio, I thought it was a perfect "airport book" one you can easily consume in a typical day through some airports. It has been praised for having a sparse style, and I have to say I didn't find the style to be particularly sparse. I did feel that Ames uses every word with deliberation and each word had a purpose.
Dina Perlman narrated and I was SO appreciative of her very smooth narration. She took me through this story without any frills and I hope I get the chance to listen to more of her narration. Excellent.
STATS
First Published: September 2026
Pages: 192
Available as an Audio Book : Yes ~ 5.5 hrs
Trigger Warnings: violence, drug use, guns, racism, sexual content, Death of child, death of parent, alcohol use.
(this is not a full list, read responsibly)
