Huston, Charlie

Huston’s (Skinner) newest is an excellent listen for those seeking a reality-bending fantasy with a quirky protagonist. Libraries hoping to offer tales that are off the beaten path will want to check this out.

In this noir-tinged urban fantasy, Huston (Skinner) has created a world that is completely engrossing and full of wonder, imagination, and a good dose of music history. Give to fans of Neil Gaiman and Leigh Bardugo.

To say much more about the plot would ruin it for readers. In order to enjoy the suspense, Huston's careful layering of the story should be read without much foreknowledge. Suffice it to say, the recent revelations about data mining are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what is going on in the world of spying. Add in missing nukes, hacking, drones, terrorists, and a host of other threats, and readers may come away from this novel a bit more paranoid: it's all just too plausible. This is a must for fans of John le Carré and Olen Steinhauer.