Waggoner (Cross County
) introduces zombie PI Matthew Richter and his hometown of Nekropolis, the city of the dead, in this imaginative, morbidly witty, and frightening series launch. Devona Kanti, a beautiful human-vampire hybrid, wants Richter to track down a stolen item belonging to her father, a prominent political figure. Richter’s undead body is starting to fall apart, so he takes the case, hoping it will pay for magical repairs. Vivid description and characterization, as well as a complex, intricately crafted setting reminiscent of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter universe, keep the pages turning at a rapid rate as Richter embarks on an enthralling tour of the dead city, from the vampire-filled streets of Gothtown to the bustling clubs and seedy dives of the Manhattanlike Sprawl. Both horror and mystery readers will be delighted by this horror-noir adventure. (Jan.)
