The Captive by Fiona King Foster
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, Ecco, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Captive is a compelling, intriguing thriller. The plot moves along quickly. Rustic noir isn’t a subgenre I’ve come across before, and that mixed with the slightly dystopian setting kept me interested. The writing was solid. Unfortunately, it left me dissatisfied.
ARC provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.
Dead Man in a Ditch by Luke Arnold
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: The Fetch Phillips Archives (Book #2)
Genre: Fantasy, urban fantasy, mystery, noir
Published: 24th September 2020 by Orbit (UK) & 22nd September 2020 by Orbit (US)
Dead Man in a Ditch continued the compelling tale of Fetch Phillips and Sunder City, and I welcomed its melancholic embrace. …
ARC received from the publisher, Orbit, in exchange for an honest review.
The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Fetch Phillips Archives (Book 1)
Genre: Urban fantasy, mystery, noir
Published: 6th February 2020 (Orbit UK) & 25th February 2020 (Orbit US)
The Last Smile in Sunder City was an impressive debut by Luke Arnold; a dark urban fantasy that enraptured me with its stellar worldbuilding and writing style.
Firstly, I’ve never been exposed to much noir elements in my reading so far, so I won’t be able to make any comparisons. However, I can still safely say that this book accurately captured that feel in its worldbuilding and the characterisation of its main character, Fetch Phillips. In a world where magic was destroyed, creatures or beings dependent on magic for their existence suffered delibitating effects. The setting has a truly bleak, post-apocalyptic feel. Sunder City couldn’t be more appropriate a name for a progressive city where all hopes and dreams have been torn asunder when magic was lost. …