Simon Kurt Unsworth

I was not really sure what to expect from this book. I won it through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway, and the brief blurb in the giveaway listings sounded interesting. This book turned out really good. If you like books by Terry Pratchett, or the murder mysteries by Kevin J. Anderson that feature a zombie detective, you'll probably love The Devil's Detective, too. I was a bit wary because of the religious theme, but this is solidly a fantasy novel, one that the Pope and Christian denominational preachers and pastors might really enjoy, but maybe not too publicly. Non-Christian readers who have never been familiar with Christian theology and the Bible might be slightly disadvantaged, not always catching the religious references in the story, but even just read as a self-contained fantasy this story should still be quite entertaining.

Drawing loosely on Dante's Inferno and a bit of Pilgrim's Progress, with a health dose of Good Omens, this story is about a detective, or Information Man, whose job it is to investigate murders in Hell for the Bureaucracy. A strange murder just at the start of a delegates' visit from Heaven starts Thomas Fool investigating, and that murder soon becomes a whole string of them, caused by a mysterious serial killer who doesn't seem to fit any profile Fool knows. I love the way Hell is depicted, and the fire-and-brimstones fan Balthazar, a visiting angel who is constantly annoyed and impatient at the seemingly nice, pleasant state Hell has become.I hope this is the first in a series, because it certainly seems to lend itself to at least a sequel.… (mere)

Unsworth has created an intricate and gorgeously detailed portrait of hell and its inhabitants in this book, but that's truly nothing compared to his character work and storytelling. Thomas Fool, one of Hell's so-called Information Men, is a character that one can't help but be entranced by. He's sympathetic and engaging while being helplessly stuck in a job that's as important as it is chaotic and difficult. More than that, he's utterly believable. And the story itself, intricate and fast-paced, is all the more powerful because of Unsworth's talent for otherworldly detail and twists.

All told, I fell into this book and loved it, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series. I could not tell you what genre it is, but in all sincerity, it doesn't matter. This is a fun, gorgeous ride of a book that doesn't shy away from real meaning and big questions, and it's absolutely worth reading.

Recommended.… (mere)