The Buried Life

With Regency-era sensibilities and Agatha Christie’s flair for the subtle conundrum, Patel’s debut novel introduces readers to a subterranean city of the future, centuries after what is dubbed “The Catastrophe,” and beautifully manages the delicate balance between entertainment and social commentary. Inspector Liesl Malone is one of Recoletta’s most stoic and determined law enforcement officers. When someone starts killing off the underground city’s elite, bureaucratic roadblocks keep Malone and her new partner from pursing the culprit. They attempt to recruit the assistance of Jane Lin, whose position as laundress to the wealthy gives her unprecedented access to the upper crust, and her neighbor, society reporter Frederick. But Jane has nothing to gain by aiding the investigation; in fact, she has everything to lose. The subtly fantastical story is resplendent with surprisingly deep villains, political corruption, and a gripping whodunit feel. [em]Agent: Jennifer Goloboy, Red Sofa Literary Agency. (Aug.) [/em]