Drowntown: Book One

Leo Noiret is a detective who's down on his luck, trying to make ends meet in a grim future London feeling the full effects of climate change. The city has become a swamp, its streets overwhelmed by an overflowing and toxic Thames, with the rich safe above while the poor struggle to keep their heads literally and figuratively above water. Noiret is hired by the shadowy Alexandra Bastet, who has played a key role in turning Africa into a rising world power. Bastet's secret is she has no idea who she is: 17 years before the events of this story, she woke up without a memory. Noiret's inquiries into her past lead to a host of troubles. The story's familiar mystery format is made exceptional by Murray's gorgeous pictures, full of incredible colors and elegant renderings of a submerged London. Funny, dark, and original, this is an entertaining story filled with eye-catching art. (Oct.)