Review: Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead

If you are tired of crime novels featuring down-on-their-luck male investigators/detectives who are lonely and drink too much, maybe it is time for a change of pace. Perhaps Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran can help you out of that rut. Except that Claire DeWitt is a lonely female PI who drinks too much and enjoys a bit of drugs as well.

Claire may not sound so different, but I assure you, this book is unique. First, there is Détection, a book by the late French detective Jacques Silette. Claire follows the writings of Détection as if it is a detective’s philosophical handbook. This book was mentioned so much that I began to wonder if perhaps this French detective was a real person. (He’s not.)

The next interesting item is that the book takes place in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans. Claire does not look kindly upon New Orleans and the descriptions make the setting seem dismal. While the city of New Orleans in disrepair, the teens of New Orleans are also in disrepair. I was reminded me of The Wire – if a hurricane devastated Hamsterdam. There are guns and drugs and kids. Some of the kids are straight up thugs and some of the kids are thugs that are trying to do the right thing.

I assure you that Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead is a different kind of crime novel. I am not sure that I can describe it in a way that gives it justice. It is a mystery with a bit of surrealism thrown in. Claire has dreams that blur with reality. I definitely look forward to the second book in the series. I want to see Claire’s character develop a little more, and I want to revisit some of the other characters from City of the Dead.

Many thanks to the publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, for providing me with an e-Galley, via NetGalley.

Side note: I was trying to finish this book and review it by the publish date earlier this week (although I think it was actually available in late May), but I am a bit ashamed to admit that I was seriously distracted by Plants vs Zombies, which sucked up some a lot of reading time

Book: Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead | Author: Sara Gran | Published: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; June 2, 2011 | Format: e-Galley
Source: NetGalley | Rating: 4 out of 5

It’s Monday! What are you Reading?

This is my first week participating in It’s Monday! What are you Reading?, hosted by Book Journey.

I am currently reading the following books:

1. Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran. This is an e-galley from the publisher, received via NetGalley. Claire DeWitt is a bit different than your average private investigator found in mystery novels. The concept is fresh, and I look forward to finding out how everything ties together.
2. Spackled and Spooked by Jennie Bentley. I picked this up at the library a week or so ago. My nook needed to charge, so I took a break from Claire DeWitt and started this no-brainer, second book in the DIY mystery series. It is a nice, quick read and was handy for reading at the lake. Yes, I got brave and went swimming in a power plant cooling lake!
3. Thereby Hangs a Tail by Spencer Quinn. This is the second book in the Chet and Bernie series, which is a favorite of mine. Dog as narrator! Chet reminds me of my goofy dog, Sherman, right down to the mismatched ears. I am listening to the audiobook, as I did with the first in the series.

Speaking of dogs, I would like to introduce you to the pack! I made a quickie page for them today. I hope to add the details surrounding their adoptions at a later date. Of course, the pack includes myself and the mister. We are going to start a new dog training class later this week. We might have some stories.

Last week I finished reading and reviewed:

1. The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths – My Review
2. Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters – My Review

I also joined the Goodreads Book Club Challenge and plan to read A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan. I am excited about this since I don’t belong to any in-person book clubs, and this book has received a lot of hype!