The Devil You Know

This was a totally fun page-turner, though I had to kind of buy into the “genre” aspects of it in order to enjoy the ride. It's not a book I will read again, but I read it in a few days, enjoying every page, staying up too late...and will probably continue to read the series.

It's an interesting concept (Dashiell Hammett style stories in a London filled with ghosts, zombies, and loup garou) but the book's tics and affectations make it too annoying to be excellent. The main character is frustratingly dense, failing to make the most obvious connections, but all the while talking down to the reader as if he's a grizzled expert. And Carey has the maddening habit of using an expression and then apologizing for it as hackneyed or corny.

There's enough here to have me interested in other books in the series, and the plotting of this one was compelling enough to keep me engaged, but I can't help but think how much better it could have been.

I adored this book! I've been slowly reading the Harry Dresden novels, and they're OK, but as I read this, I thought, “This is what Jim Butcher wishes he could do.”

The basic plots are remarkably similar - modern day setting, protagonist who trades in supernatural services in the style of a noir detective, plenty of suspects and double crosses. This book just struck me as more literary, more polished. (Though Butcher's later books may be as well - I'm only on number 3.)

One major difference that I liked was that while the setting is modern, it is not set in our world, precisely. The portrait of a London well known to be haunted by ghosts is eerie and effective.

All in all, it's a fun read, with a plot that pulls you along and provides mystery and surprise, with a side of chills and personal drama.