Librarian’s Book Review

Deus X by Stephen Mack Jones. There is nothing like a good murder mystery to curl up with late at night when the wind rattles the windows, and the snow flies. Deus X is the fourth novel in Stephen Mack Jones’ mystery series, whose protagonist is a former cop named August Snow. The books stand alone, and there is no need to read the first three in order to enjoy this one. But they are all great little reads.

Unlike other mystery/cop novels I have read, this series does not take place in bucolic settings such as small English villages or metropolises such as New York City or San Francisco. Here, mystery abounds in the decaying city of Detroit, and a former Detroit cop and now private investigator, August Snow, is on the case. He is a man on a mission to rebuild a part of broken Detroit (with the help of numerous friends and a $12 million settlement for wrongful termination). He is proceeding one brick at a time. As Snow has plenty of money, he can kill off or buy off villains that get in the way. This can lead to funny scenes. August Snow does not do his sleuthing alone. He is helped by friends and family, including but not limited to Tomas, his tough-as-nails godfather with an arsenal to match, and Lucy, the computer hacker. The book is a lovely balance of plot, characterization, and dialogue.