“For readers who mourn the passing of the classic American private eye who drinks hard liquor, ogles the dames and cracks one-liners out of the side of his mouth, Walker’s your man. And the sweet part is that he’s the genuine article — a decent guy trying to do an honest job in a society that no longer shares his working-class ethic or values his skills. Except, of course, for us.”
Loren D. Estleman’s You Know Who Killed Me was reviewed in the opens in a new windowNew York Times Book Review!
Here’s the full review, from the December 21st issue:
Like his hometown, Detroit, Amos Walker is on the skids. In You Know Who Killed Me (Tom Doherty/Forge, $24.99), Loren D. Estleman’s case-hardened private eye is fresh out of rehab and none too steady on his feet. A friend on the police force throws him a pity job, doing some legwork on a murder case in Iroquois Heights — with the proviso that he keep his nose out of the investigation. But Walker never graduated from obedience school, and he’s soon conducting terse, tongue-in-cheek interviews with a rogues’ gallery of “nosy neighbors, gossip addicts, cranks, pranksters, ax-grinders, attention hounds and fruitcakes” who all want to get their hands on the $10,000 reward money offered by a local church. For readers who mourn the passing of the classic American private eye who drinks hard liquor, ogles the dames and cracks one-liners out of the side of his mouth, Walker’s your man. And the sweet part is that he’s the genuine article — a decent guy trying to do an honest job in a society that no longer shares his working-class ethic or values his skills. Except, of course, for us.
You Know Who Killed Me was published on December 9th.
Wheeler’s stunning debut is a sophisticated fantasy whose lush descriptions, lyrical dialogue, and engaging structure are reminiscent of the very best fairy tales. Lilly, a nobleman’s daughter, had one true friend while growing up: Octavius, a gentle kraken who is closer to her than her emotionally distant parents ever could be. When Octavius is captured and sold to a circus, Lilly embarks on an epic journey to win back his freedom. Each step of the quest transforms and changes her, and as she encounters witches, bandits, and trolls, she reinvents herself. Unfailingly polite yet possessing an iron will, Lilly overcomes numerous trials, but the cost is great. With an almost poetic sensibility, Wheeler explores gender, sexuality, friendship, and love, offering up complex characters and emotional depth all laced with subtle magic. This profoundly beautiful evolution of fairy tale elements will have readers eagerly awaiting Wheeler’s next book. (June)