Walking in the Midst of Fire

Sniegoski continues to ramp up the stakes in the entertaining fifth hard-boiled adventure (after In the House of the Wicked) featuring private eye Remy Chandler, an angel living on Earth as a human. Thanks to previous events, most of the world is aware that there are supernatural occurrences afoot, but little has changed in everyday life. Remy is enjoying his new relationship with Linda, his first romance since the death of his wife, and repairing his friendship with police officer Steven Mulvehill. But when the angelic general Aszrus is murdered, Remy and his hilarious canine sidekick, Marlowe, are called into action once again. Clues lead to a man named Simeon; resurrected by a young Jesus Christ and doomed to never die, he bitterly envies the mortal humans who will someday die and meet God. Sniegoski throws in handy flashbacks to flesh out both the characters and the present-day mystery, and Remy’s encounter with a corrupt Pope is particularly gripping. There’s a mildly frustrating cliffhanger at the end of the book, but the story still feels complete and entertaining. Agent: Kate Schafer Testerman, kt literary. (Aug.)