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Occult Crimes Unit Investigation #3
Known Devil
“My name’s Markowski. I carry a badge. Also, a crucifix, some wooden stakes, a big vial of holy water, and a 9mm Beretta loaded with silver bullets.“A new supernatural gang is intent on invading Scranton and it looks like I’m going to have to work with the current mob to prevent a demonic gang war.“If there’s one thing I hate more than living with supernatural scumbags, it’s working with them! But you know that they say, better the devil you know…”File Under : Urban Fantasy [ Fang Warfare | Invading Forces | Uneasy Alliances | The Devil You Know ]From the Paperback edition.
375 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2013
16 people are currently reading
868 people want to read
About the author
Justin Gustainis
24 books254 followersJustin Gustainis was born in Northeast Pennsylvania in 1951. He attended college at the University of Scranton, a Jesuit university that figures prominently in several of his writings.
After earning both Bachelor's and Master's degrees, he was commissioned a Lieutenant in the U. S. Army.
Mr. Gustainis currently lives in Plattsburgh, New York. He is a Professor of Communication at Plattsburgh State University.
Series:
* Quincey Morris
After earning both Bachelor's and Master's degrees, he was commissioned a Lieutenant in the U. S. Army.
Mr. Gustainis currently lives in Plattsburgh, New York. He is a Professor of Communication at Plattsburgh State University.
Series:
* Quincey Morris
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
July 8, 2014
Known Devil is the third book in the Occult Crimes series. It follows Stan Markowski, a jaded detective as he and his partner, Karl, solve crimes involving the supernatural community. I like this little series for a couple of reasons:
First, unlike many Urban Fantasy books (see: Dresden, Harry and O'Sullivan, Atticus), the fate of the world/universe/reality are never at risk. Nope. Stan and his partner are simply trying to keep the streets safe for ordinary humans and supes (vampires, werewolves, elves, goblins, ogres, witches, wizards, etc.) In this volume, Stan is trying to unravel a budding mob war between two rival families of vampire-gangsters.
Next, the book is set in Scranton. Yes, Scranton. There is nothing you can do to make Scranton and the whole valley it lies in sexy or exciting. Scranton is a very humdrum place. The locale, combined with the smaller focus of the books, contributes to a very gritty, blue-collar type of feel to the books when compared to other Urban Fantasy books.
Why then only three stars? I'm not entirely certain. The book has some small flaws. This particular story seemed to spiral out of control with a bit of an odd ending. Some of the characters felt a bit stiff to me. I don't know. All I know is that the book seemed to drag a bit as I moved through the story.
Three and a half stars out of five, rounded down to three.
First, unlike many Urban Fantasy books (see: Dresden, Harry and O'Sullivan, Atticus), the fate of the world/universe/reality are never at risk. Nope. Stan and his partner are simply trying to keep the streets safe for ordinary humans and supes (vampires, werewolves, elves, goblins, ogres, witches, wizards, etc.) In this volume, Stan is trying to unravel a budding mob war between two rival families of vampire-gangsters.
Next, the book is set in Scranton. Yes, Scranton. There is nothing you can do to make Scranton and the whole valley it lies in sexy or exciting. Scranton is a very humdrum place. The locale, combined with the smaller focus of the books, contributes to a very gritty, blue-collar type of feel to the books when compared to other Urban Fantasy books.
Why then only three stars? I'm not entirely certain. The book has some small flaws. This particular story seemed to spiral out of control with a bit of an odd ending. Some of the characters felt a bit stiff to me. I don't know. All I know is that the book seemed to drag a bit as I moved through the story.
Three and a half stars out of five, rounded down to three.
July 28, 2014
With Hard Dark, I had the impression Gustainis was having fun. Enjoying the hell out of himself, in fact, and the enthusiasm translated to an entertaining read. This time, the writing feels forced, rote instead of fun. World-building, characterization and writing all left me left me wishing I had picked up my academic reading instead.
The third installment in the Occult Crimes Unit series begins in a local diner where Detective Sergeant Stan Markowski and his partner, Karl Renfer, are having a coffee break–or blood break in Karl’s case. Karl’s musings on the latest James Bond flick are interrupted by a pair of elves holding up the patrons. The elves are behaving like strung-out drug addicts, but everyone knows supernaturals can’t get addicted to drugs, with the exception of those pesky goblins and their meth problem. Unfortunately, Renfer and Mark are about to discover a new drug that works on supes has made its way to Stanton. Before they can follow-up, they’re diverted to a mass shooting where members of a local vampire crime family are permanently dead, murdered by an out of town gang moving in on their territory. A supernatural drug, a local gang war, and the growth of the local Patriot Party all add up to trouble. Could they possibly be connected?
Review finished at: https://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/...
where I criticize the writing and speculate on the success of my study-diversion technique.
The third installment in the Occult Crimes Unit series begins in a local diner where Detective Sergeant Stan Markowski and his partner, Karl Renfer, are having a coffee break–or blood break in Karl’s case. Karl’s musings on the latest James Bond flick are interrupted by a pair of elves holding up the patrons. The elves are behaving like strung-out drug addicts, but everyone knows supernaturals can’t get addicted to drugs, with the exception of those pesky goblins and their meth problem. Unfortunately, Renfer and Mark are about to discover a new drug that works on supes has made its way to Stanton. Before they can follow-up, they’re diverted to a mass shooting where members of a local vampire crime family are permanently dead, murdered by an out of town gang moving in on their territory. A supernatural drug, a local gang war, and the growth of the local Patriot Party all add up to trouble. Could they possibly be connected?
Review finished at: https://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/...
where I criticize the writing and speculate on the success of my study-diversion technique.
February 14, 2014
3.5 stars
I loved and enjoyed it almost throughout UNTIL the resolution/ending. Let me explained that one later. In the meantime, I though the whole addictive substance for supernatural beings, the vampire gang wars, terrorist bombing, and the whole Patriot Party with their bigot agenda, and someone keep saving Stan's life.
It was really interesting and I enjoyed every single twists that were thrown my way. A couple of them even made my eyes wide in shock ().
However, the ending felt anti-climax after everything that happened. Sure, we found out who was responsible including Stan's Guardian Angel, but I felt the way it ended was more like a whisper than a shout. I wanted more confrontation ().
After waiting for an extra several months (this book was supposed to be released in 2013) I felt kinda let down :(
I loved and enjoyed it almost throughout UNTIL the resolution/ending. Let me explained that one later. In the meantime, I though the whole addictive substance for supernatural beings, the vampire gang wars, terrorist bombing, and the whole Patriot Party with their bigot agenda, and someone keep saving Stan's life.
It was really interesting and I enjoyed every single twists that were thrown my way. A couple of them even made my eyes wide in shock ().
However, the ending felt anti-climax after everything that happened. Sure, we found out who was responsible including Stan's Guardian Angel, but I felt the way it ended was more like a whisper than a shout. I wanted more confrontation ().
After waiting for an extra several months (this book was supposed to be released in 2013) I felt kinda let down :(
December 10, 2013
I have never read this series, but I requested it on netgalley and then like a goof realized I hadn't read the first parts of the series. HOWEVER, this book rocked, I loved every page, I loved that the fantasy in the world was so interwoven that it seemed almost commonplace, making the book more of a standard crime novel than anything else.
It kicked all kinds of ass in my opinion and I promptly bought the other books of the series. Go read it, you will dig it.
It kicked all kinds of ass in my opinion and I promptly bought the other books of the series. Go read it, you will dig it.
September 23, 2016
Loving these books, dark, ridiculous, crazy, stretching ethics to get the job done, wild women...
Super fun stuff if you don't mind folks getting blown up and stuff.
Super fun stuff if you don't mind folks getting blown up and stuff.
January 20, 2014
Known Devil is by far one of the best occult fantasy stories that I have read to date. I enjoy Dresden with his deadpan snarky attitude, and his approach to fighting and dealing with being a wizard and a detective. Markowski trumps that with Known Devil.
Reading this is like a new millennium version of the old Noir films. Told in the first person point of view of the Detective Sergeant from the Occult Division of the Scranton Police Department, this novel has all the hallmarks of the classic detective stories with all of the relevant pop culture references.
This alternative universe has Vampires, trolls, werewolves, and elves, in a modern day world, and everything works. With police doing what the cops would really do, and mobs of humans and Supes alike, (Supes being supernatural beings). Like any good detective novel, there is the main character, the partner, the chief, the family, every element that needs to make its way into the character. Even though there are things the reader must be told about the world, they are never spoon-fed like you are a child, nor are they info dumped for the sake of you needing to know.
This is book three of the series, and I have not read books one and two as of yet, but after reading this one, I will definitely go back and read the first two, as well as the other series that Mister Gustainis has written.
Action = 10. There are gun fights, but there is also ‘detecting’, which is a must in an Occult Detective novel.
Occult = the myths and legends of the creatures (Supes) involved are not re-written for the purpose of the story, but are worked into the pages with a suspended believability.
Humor = 10, meaning there is enough to be funny, but this is not a comedy.
Detective Story = 10. The pieces are not given to the reader, and once the main character figures something out, so does the reader, so the suspense holds throughout the 200+ pages.
I 100% enjoyed this book, and actually lost sleep trying to read ‘a few more pages’ before going to bed. Anything that makes me wake and read is a fun read, and this is a must for anyone that enjoys Dresden, Nightside, Felix Castor, Hellblazer, Grimm, or the early seasons of Supernatural.
Reading this is like a new millennium version of the old Noir films. Told in the first person point of view of the Detective Sergeant from the Occult Division of the Scranton Police Department, this novel has all the hallmarks of the classic detective stories with all of the relevant pop culture references.
This alternative universe has Vampires, trolls, werewolves, and elves, in a modern day world, and everything works. With police doing what the cops would really do, and mobs of humans and Supes alike, (Supes being supernatural beings). Like any good detective novel, there is the main character, the partner, the chief, the family, every element that needs to make its way into the character. Even though there are things the reader must be told about the world, they are never spoon-fed like you are a child, nor are they info dumped for the sake of you needing to know.
This is book three of the series, and I have not read books one and two as of yet, but after reading this one, I will definitely go back and read the first two, as well as the other series that Mister Gustainis has written.
Action = 10. There are gun fights, but there is also ‘detecting’, which is a must in an Occult Detective novel.
Occult = the myths and legends of the creatures (Supes) involved are not re-written for the purpose of the story, but are worked into the pages with a suspended believability.
Humor = 10, meaning there is enough to be funny, but this is not a comedy.
Detective Story = 10. The pieces are not given to the reader, and once the main character figures something out, so does the reader, so the suspense holds throughout the 200+ pages.
I 100% enjoyed this book, and actually lost sleep trying to read ‘a few more pages’ before going to bed. Anything that makes me wake and read is a fun read, and this is a must for anyone that enjoys Dresden, Nightside, Felix Castor, Hellblazer, Grimm, or the early seasons of Supernatural.
January 27, 2014
*3.5 Stars*
*Note – I was given a copy of this novel for the purpose of reviewing it.
Normally, I don't give a synopsis of a novel in a review. Publishers and authors do well enough telling what a story's about (or at least what they wish it was about). In this case, a description is warranted because what is provided, while unique in it's brevity and format, isn't enough to sustain a review.
So, a quick breakdown: Paranormal beings (vampires, werewolves, ghouls) have been a known commodity in the world for around 50 years.
In this novel, old school gangsters start a turf war for control of Scranton, PA ... and, really, who can blame them? Joe Biden is proof the place is worth at least a lifetime of speechcraft gold (which is a lot like Bitcoins if in the right hands [mouth]). Who knows what other riches one might find? There's also a new drug on the streets that only effects supernatural beings. This is the first time any drug has worked on supernaturals ... if you don't count goblins and their fondness for methamphetamine. Personally I don't. I've met my share of meth addicts. They all seem goblin-like to me.
Also, there's a political party building up steam for the local election. The Patriot Party thinks internment camps for the supernatural citizens of Scranton, PA isn't such a bad idea. Poor tiny elfs (think Santa, not LotR). Poor gnomes (think flower gardens, but without the conical hats). To top things off, certain important Scrantonites (Scrantonians?) start turning up dead.
Who can save Scranton from all these nefarious ne'er do wells? In steps our protagonist, Sergeant Detective Stan Markowski and his undead, vampiric partner, Karl of the Scranton P.D.'s Occult Crime Unit.
This book snuck up on me, in a sense. I picked it up expecting something heavy on the paranormal with a police procedural/follow-the-clues vibe to move the action and main character along. I was dead wrong and it took me a quarter of the book to reorient myself to what kind of story was actually being told. This was mostly my fault.
I suffered a bit from not having started with the first two books that preceded KNOWN DEVIL. I dove into this novel (#3 in the Occult Crime Unit Investigation series) and expected to swim along. I should have figured out the river's current first so I wasn't struggling upstream for so long. There are characters and back stories galore from the previous novels. Knowing them would have been helpful ... but it wasn't absolutely necessary. In fact, it might be the best way to ensure readers will pick up the other two books, HARD SPELL and EVIL DARK.
At it's core this is a police mystery. The paranormal aspect is a twist that adds to all facets of the story. There's more mystery, a larger pool of possible criminals and motives. And there's also the creepy factor that's constantly at work. Add to this the easily forgotten lesson of history; regular, ordinary people are every bit as capable of monstrous acts as any supernatural entity one can imagine.
Overall I enjoyed the main character, who was fleshed out very well through the author's use of showing him to the reader rather than telling us about him. Unfortunately, so much time is spent on Stan that very few characters get their fair share of the spotlight. Maybe I missed their moments in the sun in the first two novels. In the very best of books, it's the secondary characters that often provide the greatest entertainment. Authors tend to let them ramble in and out of scenes and they take on their own unique characteristics. I didn't get the feeling that the secondary characters were rambling or wandering anywhere. They were orbiting Stan.
Stan and Satellites ... a name for a middling garage band maybe?
Perhaps the most confusing aspect of the story for me was the new drug that shows up on the streets ... of Scranton!
I've been to Scranton and stayed their for a few weeks. I currently live in Memphis, where the crime rate makes Scranton seem like a nice park that gets a little seedy with devil-weed smoking hippies at night.
When Stan learns of this new drug in Scranton, he, his partner and his boss don't question its point of origin or history. Their reaction would have been a tad more realistic if they'd said, “Whoa, we better call Philadelphia or NYC or Trenton and ask someone about this.” Instead, they call it a game changer and go about trying to track down where it's coming from inside the community. This would be great detective work if Scranton existed in a vacuum ... but it doesn't. I'm pretty sure Scranton P.D. would be looking for outside help ASAP if an actual new drug seemed to pop up in the city from nowhere.
At times Gustainis writes with a mystery noir feel to the storytelling. When he does, it is absolutely great. Sometimes though, this style seems like it's being used with a wink and a nod. This was confusing. Markowski is the tough, silent type who takes a beating, makes morally questionable decisions and still manages to avoid the fatal shot. He's constantly using cheesy one-liners ... but then he apologizes for it. When you want him to be kicking tail without a thought to taking names, he's hashing out side moves. Don't apologize Stan! Don't dole out the butt-kicking! Stick to the one-liners and go thump some heads!!!
This aside, I like Stan. I really like Gustainis's world. I plan on reading both of the preceding books, but I'm going to do it backward. I'll read the second, EVIL DARK, and then the first, HARD SPELL. Why? Because, when you meet someone you like, you learn about them at that moment. As you get to know them you learn about their past. The longer you talk, the further back in time you go.
So, over the next few months I'll be setting aside a couple of weeks to go visit Stan. I look forward to getting to know the guy. And his satellites.
*Note – I was given a copy of this novel for the purpose of reviewing it.
Normally, I don't give a synopsis of a novel in a review. Publishers and authors do well enough telling what a story's about (or at least what they wish it was about). In this case, a description is warranted because what is provided, while unique in it's brevity and format, isn't enough to sustain a review.
So, a quick breakdown: Paranormal beings (vampires, werewolves, ghouls) have been a known commodity in the world for around 50 years.
In this novel, old school gangsters start a turf war for control of Scranton, PA ... and, really, who can blame them? Joe Biden is proof the place is worth at least a lifetime of speechcraft gold (which is a lot like Bitcoins if in the right hands [mouth]). Who knows what other riches one might find? There's also a new drug on the streets that only effects supernatural beings. This is the first time any drug has worked on supernaturals ... if you don't count goblins and their fondness for methamphetamine. Personally I don't. I've met my share of meth addicts. They all seem goblin-like to me.
Also, there's a political party building up steam for the local election. The Patriot Party thinks internment camps for the supernatural citizens of Scranton, PA isn't such a bad idea. Poor tiny elfs (think Santa, not LotR). Poor gnomes (think flower gardens, but without the conical hats). To top things off, certain important Scrantonites (Scrantonians?) start turning up dead.
Who can save Scranton from all these nefarious ne'er do wells? In steps our protagonist, Sergeant Detective Stan Markowski and his undead, vampiric partner, Karl of the Scranton P.D.'s Occult Crime Unit.
This book snuck up on me, in a sense. I picked it up expecting something heavy on the paranormal with a police procedural/follow-the-clues vibe to move the action and main character along. I was dead wrong and it took me a quarter of the book to reorient myself to what kind of story was actually being told. This was mostly my fault.
I suffered a bit from not having started with the first two books that preceded KNOWN DEVIL. I dove into this novel (#3 in the Occult Crime Unit Investigation series) and expected to swim along. I should have figured out the river's current first so I wasn't struggling upstream for so long. There are characters and back stories galore from the previous novels. Knowing them would have been helpful ... but it wasn't absolutely necessary. In fact, it might be the best way to ensure readers will pick up the other two books, HARD SPELL and EVIL DARK.
At it's core this is a police mystery. The paranormal aspect is a twist that adds to all facets of the story. There's more mystery, a larger pool of possible criminals and motives. And there's also the creepy factor that's constantly at work. Add to this the easily forgotten lesson of history; regular, ordinary people are every bit as capable of monstrous acts as any supernatural entity one can imagine.
Overall I enjoyed the main character, who was fleshed out very well through the author's use of showing him to the reader rather than telling us about him. Unfortunately, so much time is spent on Stan that very few characters get their fair share of the spotlight. Maybe I missed their moments in the sun in the first two novels. In the very best of books, it's the secondary characters that often provide the greatest entertainment. Authors tend to let them ramble in and out of scenes and they take on their own unique characteristics. I didn't get the feeling that the secondary characters were rambling or wandering anywhere. They were orbiting Stan.
Stan and Satellites ... a name for a middling garage band maybe?
Perhaps the most confusing aspect of the story for me was the new drug that shows up on the streets ... of Scranton!
I've been to Scranton and stayed their for a few weeks. I currently live in Memphis, where the crime rate makes Scranton seem like a nice park that gets a little seedy with devil-weed smoking hippies at night.
When Stan learns of this new drug in Scranton, he, his partner and his boss don't question its point of origin or history. Their reaction would have been a tad more realistic if they'd said, “Whoa, we better call Philadelphia or NYC or Trenton and ask someone about this.” Instead, they call it a game changer and go about trying to track down where it's coming from inside the community. This would be great detective work if Scranton existed in a vacuum ... but it doesn't. I'm pretty sure Scranton P.D. would be looking for outside help ASAP if an actual new drug seemed to pop up in the city from nowhere.
At times Gustainis writes with a mystery noir feel to the storytelling. When he does, it is absolutely great. Sometimes though, this style seems like it's being used with a wink and a nod. This was confusing. Markowski is the tough, silent type who takes a beating, makes morally questionable decisions and still manages to avoid the fatal shot. He's constantly using cheesy one-liners ... but then he apologizes for it. When you want him to be kicking tail without a thought to taking names, he's hashing out side moves. Don't apologize Stan! Don't dole out the butt-kicking! Stick to the one-liners and go thump some heads!!!
This aside, I like Stan. I really like Gustainis's world. I plan on reading both of the preceding books, but I'm going to do it backward. I'll read the second, EVIL DARK, and then the first, HARD SPELL. Why? Because, when you meet someone you like, you learn about them at that moment. As you get to know them you learn about their past. The longer you talk, the further back in time you go.
So, over the next few months I'll be setting aside a couple of weeks to go visit Stan. I look forward to getting to know the guy. And his satellites.
December 30, 2022
#3 Occult Crimes Unit Investigation - Trilogy
Read Dec 28, 2022
Goblins, trolls, elves, vampires and witches openly live among humans. Stan Markowski of the Scranton, PA police department, and his vampire partner Karl are in charge of keeping the peace between the supes and humans.
An enjoyable trilogy I've long been wanting to finish.
Read Dec 28, 2022
Goblins, trolls, elves, vampires and witches openly live among humans. Stan Markowski of the Scranton, PA police department, and his vampire partner Karl are in charge of keeping the peace between the supes and humans.
An enjoyable trilogy I've long been wanting to finish.
September 12, 2018
2.5 stars. Ok paranormal thriller about a cop and his vampire partner trying to figure out what's happening with a vampire mobster gang war.
May 9, 2022
A nice wrap to a fun storyline. Hope to see more in the universe if not with the characters.
July 20, 2014
"Known Devil" is the third book in Gustainis' Occult Crimes Unit Investigation series.
Amid a war between crime families and the questionable motives of an upstart political party, a new, highly addictive drug is hitting the streets and the ramifications of its addictive nature are frightening. Detective Stan Markowski and his partner Karl Renfer have to resort to means they never before considered in order to prevent things from spiraling beyond law enforcement control.
While I did enjoy this book, part of me was disappointed when I guessed where it was heading. The first and second books in the series worked well on their own. The third book seemed more of a continuation of issues left open in the previous installments. At times, I had a feeling of "haven't I read this before?".
"Known Devil" is not without merit though. Gustainis continues to show a lot of creativity and hopefully he has left the door open for further adventures of Markowski and Renfer.
3 1/2 STARS
Amid a war between crime families and the questionable motives of an upstart political party, a new, highly addictive drug is hitting the streets and the ramifications of its addictive nature are frightening. Detective Stan Markowski and his partner Karl Renfer have to resort to means they never before considered in order to prevent things from spiraling beyond law enforcement control.
While I did enjoy this book, part of me was disappointed when I guessed where it was heading. The first and second books in the series worked well on their own. The third book seemed more of a continuation of issues left open in the previous installments. At times, I had a feeling of "haven't I read this before?".
"Known Devil" is not without merit though. Gustainis continues to show a lot of creativity and hopefully he has left the door open for further adventures of Markowski and Renfer.
3 1/2 STARS
August 15, 2014
The third book in Occult Crimes Unit was well developed and written, I admit I was hooked from the beginning till the end, but some holes stayed unanswered. For example the new drug problem in their city. Did the white witches succeed or not, we didn't get an answer to that at the end. But in overall it was an enjoyable, well written storyline full of humor and sarcasm. Good work by this author!
September 20, 2023
An always amusing romp.
February 3, 2015
Another great story to a fantastic cop thriller set in the Urban Fantasy genre. I hope Justin writes a fourth book in this series, I'll definitely be watching out for it!
October 14, 2020
Detective Sergeant Stan Markowski works the night beat on the Scranton PD, along with his partner, Karl Renfer, who is a vampire. The supernatural community "came out" after WWII and are trying to be accepted. But, as with everything else, racism still exists. A new drug has appeared on the streets that can addict supes, that's a first, more entities' metabolisms do not permit drugs to bother them. But as Stan and Karl investigate, bodies start dropping like flies; it's gang warfare as another group from Philly is trying to move into Scranton. But what the real problem is...there is a darker force behind the new gang, trying to start a race war between the supernaturals and the humans. If you like urban fantasy, this is an amusing series. The characters are entertaining and the world building is well done.
October 26, 2018
With Known Devil, the author brings back the dark humor I loved in the first book but was toned down a bit in the second one. The books doesn't really differ much. It's like watching an old detective series on TV, kind of Mike Hammer meets True Blood.
June 9, 2023
The third and final book in the Occult Crimes Investigation Unit trilogy was a fitting ending to this fun to read series. Plenty of humor and horror as no punches are pulled. Start at the beginning, folks, and enjoy the ride/read. Highly recommended.
July 28, 2017
average
January 22, 2018
I wanted to catch up with this one before I did a review. I really enjoyed the series. I love the smart mouth, major attitude cop. Very fun to read.
June 6, 2018
A solid third installment in the series. Stayed fresh and well paced. Keep 'em coming!
March 5, 2019
I really like this series. It's like "Criminal Minds" and "Supernatural" had a bad-ass baby.
August 20, 2021
Great series
This series rocks! There is always a twist I did not see coming. The characters are guilty fledged and relatable. I will read anything more this author writes.
This series rocks! There is always a twist I did not see coming. The characters are guilty fledged and relatable. I will read anything more this author writes.
August 27, 2022
A fun book, until it was absolutely ruined by its ending.
October 19, 2023
I’ve quite enjoyed this urban fantasy-police thriller. The author creates a credible world and situations for the characters to work through. Here’s to hoping for a fourth book.
February 3, 2014
In 2012 I developed a taste for supernatural police procedurals, when I read Scott Sigler's
Nocturnal
and Ben Aaronovitch's
Rivers of London
and Justin Gustainis'
Evil Dark
was the one that confirmed that these sorts of books were really my thing. After finishing Evil Dark I was really looking forward to reading the next instalment in the Haunted Scranton series and, after two years, this weekend I finally got to return to Scranton and Detective Sergeant Markowski and friends. Known Devil was a blast, with the same sense of humour that had me chuckling out loud when reading Evil Dark and another action packed adventure.
We once again follow the tale of Stan Markowski, his partner Karl Renfer and Stan's daughter Christine. Stan is almost your typical plain clothes detective seen in so many crime novels and TV shows, except for the fact that he works in a unit concerned with supernatural crime. Still, Stan is a cop in a familiar mould, dedicated, determined and stubborn, but with a heart of gold. Yet Known Devil sees Stan taking some hard decisions to keep his loved ones safe, decisions that will affect his far beyond the scope of this novel. One of these loved ones is his partner and best friend Karl. I love the progress Karl makes during the novel. Still adjusting to his status of being undead and having fangs, he's learning what this means for his life and how it limits what he can do. Especially the therapy to desensitize him to crucifixes is genius. The other loved one closest to Stan is his daughter Christine. Her role is a little smaller this time around, but I like how Gustainis works in their close relationship and their evening breakfast talks about the cases Stan works.
Known Devil's case is a good one, with plenty of action, danger and some surprising twists. We get the return of some known antagonists and I loved the scenes with the Fangsters, vampire mobsters, and those with the bomb squad. There were some elements that made me a bit twitchy, mainly to do with the fact that when Stan ignores a direct order from his boss no one calls him on it, in fact their departmental white witch, Rachel goes out of her way to help him afterwards. While it fits the narrative and Stan's character and his relationship with his boss, I just couldn't imagine Lieutenant McGuire just letting it slide like that.
As last time what made the book for me were all the real-world references which where tweaked to fit this alternate reality Scranton, which is filled with supernatural creatures and thus caters to their needs as well. There is the elf Thorontur, nicknamed Thor, though he doesn't resemble Chris Hemsworth. The head of the vampire mobster family is called capo di tutti vampiri and drives a car with the vanity plates BATDAD1. The department shrink is called Doc Watson, and the department witch Rachel consults an academic journal called Journal of the American Magical Association or JAMA for short. And that's just to name a few. Picking up on these Easter-egg-like elements was huge fun and Gustainis does them very well.
I had a great time with Known Devil and tore through it in a single sitting – with a break for food and putting the kids to bed – chuckling all the while and reading out good bits to my husband. Like Evil Dark, Known Devil stands alone quite well and you don't have to read the previous books to enjoy this one. However, if you haven't read any of these books before then you are in for a treat as they are hugely enjoyable. Meanwhile, Known Devil is a very enjoyable read that ends on a satisfying note, but leaves the door open for more adventures. I sincerely hope this isn't the last time we will see Stan, Karl, Christine and the rest. I'd love to return to Scranton in the future, but I'll have to settle for catching up on the first book in the series, Hard Spell, which I haven't read yet.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
We once again follow the tale of Stan Markowski, his partner Karl Renfer and Stan's daughter Christine. Stan is almost your typical plain clothes detective seen in so many crime novels and TV shows, except for the fact that he works in a unit concerned with supernatural crime. Still, Stan is a cop in a familiar mould, dedicated, determined and stubborn, but with a heart of gold. Yet Known Devil sees Stan taking some hard decisions to keep his loved ones safe, decisions that will affect his far beyond the scope of this novel. One of these loved ones is his partner and best friend Karl. I love the progress Karl makes during the novel. Still adjusting to his status of being undead and having fangs, he's learning what this means for his life and how it limits what he can do. Especially the therapy to desensitize him to crucifixes is genius. The other loved one closest to Stan is his daughter Christine. Her role is a little smaller this time around, but I like how Gustainis works in their close relationship and their evening breakfast talks about the cases Stan works.
Known Devil's case is a good one, with plenty of action, danger and some surprising twists. We get the return of some known antagonists and I loved the scenes with the Fangsters, vampire mobsters, and those with the bomb squad. There were some elements that made me a bit twitchy, mainly to do with the fact that when Stan ignores a direct order from his boss no one calls him on it, in fact their departmental white witch, Rachel goes out of her way to help him afterwards. While it fits the narrative and Stan's character and his relationship with his boss, I just couldn't imagine Lieutenant McGuire just letting it slide like that.
As last time what made the book for me were all the real-world references which where tweaked to fit this alternate reality Scranton, which is filled with supernatural creatures and thus caters to their needs as well. There is the elf Thorontur, nicknamed Thor, though he doesn't resemble Chris Hemsworth. The head of the vampire mobster family is called capo di tutti vampiri and drives a car with the vanity plates BATDAD1. The department shrink is called Doc Watson, and the department witch Rachel consults an academic journal called Journal of the American Magical Association or JAMA for short. And that's just to name a few. Picking up on these Easter-egg-like elements was huge fun and Gustainis does them very well.
I had a great time with Known Devil and tore through it in a single sitting – with a break for food and putting the kids to bed – chuckling all the while and reading out good bits to my husband. Like Evil Dark, Known Devil stands alone quite well and you don't have to read the previous books to enjoy this one. However, if you haven't read any of these books before then you are in for a treat as they are hugely enjoyable. Meanwhile, Known Devil is a very enjoyable read that ends on a satisfying note, but leaves the door open for more adventures. I sincerely hope this isn't the last time we will see Stan, Karl, Christine and the rest. I'd love to return to Scranton in the future, but I'll have to settle for catching up on the first book in the series, Hard Spell, which I haven't read yet.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
September 6, 2016
ORIGINAL POST: http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
If you enjoy this review please come by the blog to see this reveiw and many others!
KNOWN DEVIL: Truth, Humor and Politics
E-Galley provided by publisher via Net Galley for review. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions presented herein are my own except as needed.
You know when you wonder about what’s happening with someone and then suddenly you hear from them a couple of days later? That’s how I learned about Justin’s new book in his Paranormal Police Procedural with a grittier than Dragnet feeling.
I had reviewed both of the other books in the series and really enjoyed both. Somehow I was looking at a graphic that reminded me of the series and thought to myself, “Hmm, wonder if Justin has a new book coming out?”
The answer presented itself shortly in the form of an e-mail shortly thereafter. Who am I to question fate? And the “Devil I know” in this case has been good.
The title here comes in in an interesting way involving what I imagine is a sad truth for law enforcement: Criminals are bad, and the world would be better without them, but when you have a known criminal element that isn’t the worst of the bunch, leaving that in place rather than allowing a totally new, worse element, or elements, in is probably preferable.
I usually read books by women, featuring women most often with romance as the major feature. This series is written by a man, and from a man’s, Stan Markowski’s, Point of View. It’s also pretty much strictly Urban Fantasy with a few romantic references but no kissing or hugging. The only romance is that nostalgic feeling brought on by its Dragnet-feel.
Stan is a great guy, and above average but regular kind of guy. He lives with his daughter, Christine, a vampire. His partner, Kyle, is also a vampire. The police in Scranton have a witch on staff. Yup, in this world the Supernaturals are “out.”
No sex?!?! That’s cool; to be honest, as much as I like reading romance and erotica, it’s relaxing to read something where when a channel is referred to it’s as a channel of communication or a number on a TV dial. No one has sex in the book, although the language is far from mild, and there is some non-gratuitous violence.
Some of my favorite female authors write men too macho, too hard and too crude; too much like little boys playing war, but with dirtier minds. So it’s great to read a hero written by a male; it is usually a little more realistic. But, while Justin doesn’t write from a woman’s point of view his female characters feel right as well.
Being Dragnet style, with a film-noir edge, a lot of the story is dialogue driven; conveying emotion and information through interaction. While some of the reasoning occurs as an internal monologue, much of the mystery of the case is discussed rather than presented. Stan interacts with a lot of people, his partner, Karl, his daughter, Christine, his boss, perps, suspects, informants, people intent on killing him. It is certainly well-written, with a lot of subtle humor.
Justin does a lot of foreshadowing — a set-up that brings the reader to nearly the same conclusion as the detectives, with a few surprises on the way. This is a harder Stan, a less by the book guy than I remember from the previous stories. Things are getting tougher in Scranton, and protecting the city, nation and supes, and the people he loves means the white gloves come off. Sometimes, to get the job done he has to do things I don’t remember Stan from previous books in the series doing. But, there’s too much of a threat here.
I saw a strong political moral in the story. Puppetmaster, right-wing elements are evident and there is a strong correlation with the current real life political climate. I liked that a lot; sometimes you need fiction to clarify reality.
It was an enjoyable and well-written read in the series. I like that Stan is changing and adapting to the changes in the world around him, even if it’s making him color outside the lines a little. I thought the ending was a little abrupt and perhaps a little too pat. I highly recommend this to people who want something a little gritty, a little dark, a bit nostalgic and different from the average Urban Fantasy novel.
If you enjoy this review please come by the blog to see this reveiw and many others!
KNOWN DEVIL: Truth, Humor and Politics
E-Galley provided by publisher via Net Galley for review. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions presented herein are my own except as needed.
You know when you wonder about what’s happening with someone and then suddenly you hear from them a couple of days later? That’s how I learned about Justin’s new book in his Paranormal Police Procedural with a grittier than Dragnet feeling.
I had reviewed both of the other books in the series and really enjoyed both. Somehow I was looking at a graphic that reminded me of the series and thought to myself, “Hmm, wonder if Justin has a new book coming out?”
The answer presented itself shortly in the form of an e-mail shortly thereafter. Who am I to question fate? And the “Devil I know” in this case has been good.
The title here comes in in an interesting way involving what I imagine is a sad truth for law enforcement: Criminals are bad, and the world would be better without them, but when you have a known criminal element that isn’t the worst of the bunch, leaving that in place rather than allowing a totally new, worse element, or elements, in is probably preferable.
I usually read books by women, featuring women most often with romance as the major feature. This series is written by a man, and from a man’s, Stan Markowski’s, Point of View. It’s also pretty much strictly Urban Fantasy with a few romantic references but no kissing or hugging. The only romance is that nostalgic feeling brought on by its Dragnet-feel.
Stan is a great guy, and above average but regular kind of guy. He lives with his daughter, Christine, a vampire. His partner, Kyle, is also a vampire. The police in Scranton have a witch on staff. Yup, in this world the Supernaturals are “out.”
No sex?!?! That’s cool; to be honest, as much as I like reading romance and erotica, it’s relaxing to read something where when a channel is referred to it’s as a channel of communication or a number on a TV dial. No one has sex in the book, although the language is far from mild, and there is some non-gratuitous violence.
Some of my favorite female authors write men too macho, too hard and too crude; too much like little boys playing war, but with dirtier minds. So it’s great to read a hero written by a male; it is usually a little more realistic. But, while Justin doesn’t write from a woman’s point of view his female characters feel right as well.
Being Dragnet style, with a film-noir edge, a lot of the story is dialogue driven; conveying emotion and information through interaction. While some of the reasoning occurs as an internal monologue, much of the mystery of the case is discussed rather than presented. Stan interacts with a lot of people, his partner, Karl, his daughter, Christine, his boss, perps, suspects, informants, people intent on killing him. It is certainly well-written, with a lot of subtle humor.
Justin does a lot of foreshadowing — a set-up that brings the reader to nearly the same conclusion as the detectives, with a few surprises on the way. This is a harder Stan, a less by the book guy than I remember from the previous stories. Things are getting tougher in Scranton, and protecting the city, nation and supes, and the people he loves means the white gloves come off. Sometimes, to get the job done he has to do things I don’t remember Stan from previous books in the series doing. But, there’s too much of a threat here.
I saw a strong political moral in the story. Puppetmaster, right-wing elements are evident and there is a strong correlation with the current real life political climate. I liked that a lot; sometimes you need fiction to clarify reality.
It was an enjoyable and well-written read in the series. I like that Stan is changing and adapting to the changes in the world around him, even if it’s making him color outside the lines a little. I thought the ending was a little abrupt and perhaps a little too pat. I highly recommend this to people who want something a little gritty, a little dark, a bit nostalgic and different from the average Urban Fantasy novel.
March 27, 2014
Full disclosure: I read this from an advanced copy.
Once I got past the elves in the first paragraph (elves as bad guys, really?) I enjoyed Known Devil immensely. And don’t worry, the elves segue into far more fearsome creatures.
The hero is a hard boiled, human cop-detective (say that three times fast.) Stan Markowski works for the Scranton, Pennsylvania police department. His partner is Karl Renfer, a vampire. The book opens with the detectives having a coffee break inside Jerry’s Diner when two elves try to hold up the place. The elves are desperate for loot so they can buy the latest designer drug, slide.
The cops bust them without much trouble. The trouble is, supernaturals (supes for short) can’t become addicted to drugs. It’s impossible. Everybody knows it. (Except for goblins, of course—they take to meth like cold sores to prom queen’s lips.) This could bring an ugly new dimension to the drug wars.
Thus begins an investigation into the supernatural criminal world of Scranton. The hold-up is quickly followed by a shootout between mafia kingpins. A bomb destroys the unofficial leader of the supes, a vampire. All hell begins to break loose.
Detective Stan lives with his daughter Christine, a vampire like Karl, and from the beginning we get the sense that she is in danger, either from slide or from the gangsters Stan is trying to bring down. Christine has a neat personality and the father/daughter scenes are some of my favorite.
The plot can be summed up with occult crimes detective Carmela Aquilina’s words, “A new drug on the streets, addicted supes going crazy, and a gang war, to boot. God, I love this job!”
All of this ends up being peripheral to a race war between certain members of the community and the supes reminiscent of the conflicts between humans and mutants in the X-men. In Known Devil, the “Patriot Party” wants to cut property taxes in half and bring about corresponding cuts in government services, cuts the Patriot Party aims squarely at “poor people, unwed mothers, or people with substance abuse problems…”
Besides hating on poor people, unwed mothers, and addicts (Gustainis throws in gays as well), the Patriot’s primary objection is to supernaturals.
“Since supes weren’t human, their argument went, they couldn’t be considered citizens and therefore had no basis to claim civil rights.” Fortunately this ill-disguised slam on the tea-party is followed by detective Stan’s observation, “I wondered if that meant the supes didn’t have to pay taxes, either.” Stan’s matter-of-fact sense of humor is his most redeeming quality and one of the principal attractions of Gustainis’ work.
The intrusion of a contemporary political attack eliminates the possibility of Known Devil delivering a universal message on tolerance. You’re either going to cheer the book on or cringe at the stereotyping of tea party politics, but you aren’t going to absorb any meaningful lessons.
Like Gustainis’ other books, Known Devil isn’t really a who-done-it. Most of the clues comes out within the first third of the novel and the rest can be guessed at. The fun comes in watching the police bring the perps down—and in reading the fabulous dialog. Stan has to be one of the funniest cops since Eddie Murphy played in Beverly Hills Cops I.
On the negative side, I would have rather seen the supernaturals act a bit more uncanny. These supes walk around like people, eat, drive cars, and get heartburn just like the rest of us. They are plagued by the same personality disorders and bad hair days. Even the vampires prefer to get in a gunfight than to use their super strength. Apparently they can fly...so why don't they? I would be flying all over the place if I could do it. Apart from a few notable exceptions, most of the action could have taken place in a Mario Puzo novel set in present day.
All in all, Known Devil will satisfy supernatural detective fans and is a good place to start for anyone wishing to dip a toe in this subgenre. The theme can be summarized by a quote Gustainis chose for his opening:
All sin tends to be addictive, and the terminal point of addiction is what is called damnation. – poet W.H. Auden
Once I got past the elves in the first paragraph (elves as bad guys, really?) I enjoyed Known Devil immensely. And don’t worry, the elves segue into far more fearsome creatures.
The hero is a hard boiled, human cop-detective (say that three times fast.) Stan Markowski works for the Scranton, Pennsylvania police department. His partner is Karl Renfer, a vampire. The book opens with the detectives having a coffee break inside Jerry’s Diner when two elves try to hold up the place. The elves are desperate for loot so they can buy the latest designer drug, slide.
The cops bust them without much trouble. The trouble is, supernaturals (supes for short) can’t become addicted to drugs. It’s impossible. Everybody knows it. (Except for goblins, of course—they take to meth like cold sores to prom queen’s lips.) This could bring an ugly new dimension to the drug wars.
Thus begins an investigation into the supernatural criminal world of Scranton. The hold-up is quickly followed by a shootout between mafia kingpins. A bomb destroys the unofficial leader of the supes, a vampire. All hell begins to break loose.
Detective Stan lives with his daughter Christine, a vampire like Karl, and from the beginning we get the sense that she is in danger, either from slide or from the gangsters Stan is trying to bring down. Christine has a neat personality and the father/daughter scenes are some of my favorite.
The plot can be summed up with occult crimes detective Carmela Aquilina’s words, “A new drug on the streets, addicted supes going crazy, and a gang war, to boot. God, I love this job!”
All of this ends up being peripheral to a race war between certain members of the community and the supes reminiscent of the conflicts between humans and mutants in the X-men. In Known Devil, the “Patriot Party” wants to cut property taxes in half and bring about corresponding cuts in government services, cuts the Patriot Party aims squarely at “poor people, unwed mothers, or people with substance abuse problems…”
Besides hating on poor people, unwed mothers, and addicts (Gustainis throws in gays as well), the Patriot’s primary objection is to supernaturals.
“Since supes weren’t human, their argument went, they couldn’t be considered citizens and therefore had no basis to claim civil rights.” Fortunately this ill-disguised slam on the tea-party is followed by detective Stan’s observation, “I wondered if that meant the supes didn’t have to pay taxes, either.” Stan’s matter-of-fact sense of humor is his most redeeming quality and one of the principal attractions of Gustainis’ work.
The intrusion of a contemporary political attack eliminates the possibility of Known Devil delivering a universal message on tolerance. You’re either going to cheer the book on or cringe at the stereotyping of tea party politics, but you aren’t going to absorb any meaningful lessons.
Like Gustainis’ other books, Known Devil isn’t really a who-done-it. Most of the clues comes out within the first third of the novel and the rest can be guessed at. The fun comes in watching the police bring the perps down—and in reading the fabulous dialog. Stan has to be one of the funniest cops since Eddie Murphy played in Beverly Hills Cops I.
On the negative side, I would have rather seen the supernaturals act a bit more uncanny. These supes walk around like people, eat, drive cars, and get heartburn just like the rest of us. They are plagued by the same personality disorders and bad hair days. Even the vampires prefer to get in a gunfight than to use their super strength. Apparently they can fly...so why don't they? I would be flying all over the place if I could do it. Apart from a few notable exceptions, most of the action could have taken place in a Mario Puzo novel set in present day.
All in all, Known Devil will satisfy supernatural detective fans and is a good place to start for anyone wishing to dip a toe in this subgenre. The theme can be summarized by a quote Gustainis chose for his opening:
All sin tends to be addictive, and the terminal point of addiction is what is called damnation. – poet W.H. Auden
February 1, 2014
Known Devil is the third instalment in Gustainis’ Occult Crime Unit urban fantasy series. Though I had not read the first two books, this one was completely stand-alone and didn’t make me feel I was missing anything. I have, however, read other books from Gustainis in the past (Evil Ways, Black Magic Woman and Sympathy for the Devil), and thoroughly enjoyed them. He is a fabulous writer.
In this exciting new series, Detective Sergeant Stanley Markowski of the Scranton PD’s Occult Crimes Unit, and his partner, vampire detective Karl Renfer, try to keep law and order in a world where supernaturals — or supes — have come out of the closet and walk the streets with humans. Markowski’s daughter, a vampire witch, is eager to help and offer her expertise, especially because she’s attracted to Karl.
A new drug has hit the streets, Haemoglobin Plus — better known as Slide — the first drug that addicts supes, and as a result, a new wave of crimes has risen in Scranton. Stan and Karl are right on the case, interrogating both humans and supes alike, trying to find out who is behind the new drug: Pietro Calabrese, the Godfather of the local vampire family? Wizard Victor Castle, the unofficial head of the city’s whole supernatural community? The Delatasso family? Or the new Patriot Party, who has declared supes “abominations before the Lord?”
If you love urban fantasy a la crime noir, you’ll love this book. Gustainis is smart, gritty, snarky. I just love his sharp, witty descriptions. Take a look at a few:
“He had salt-and-pepper hair, wide-set brown eyes, and a thin moustache in the middle of a face that was no harder than your average concrete wall.”
“He stared at me with eyes that had probably looked dead even before he became a vampire.”
“The terrace outside the front door is open in warmer weather, for those who like sharing their food with the local bugs. I prefer to eat inside, where the only insects I’m likely to encounter have two legs.”
“I saw a puzzled look on his face — maybe because Karl’s grip, like every vampire’s, is colder than a banker’s heart.”
Gustainis is also a master at providing comic relief. I laughed out loud at times. Stan is a likable, sympathetic character, tough yet kind when needed. The world building, the setting, and all the supernatural details come through in a genuine, realistic way. I also enjoyed all the police procedural, showing once more, as in his other books, that Gustainis has done his research well.
The story moves at a fairly quick pace, propelled by entertaining dialogue and lots of action scenes. Particularly interesting is the dynamics between humans and supernaturals now that they have to co-exist side by side. But best of all, is the author’s gifted prose, a pleasure to read. Highly recommended for fans of detective urban fantasy!
In this exciting new series, Detective Sergeant Stanley Markowski of the Scranton PD’s Occult Crimes Unit, and his partner, vampire detective Karl Renfer, try to keep law and order in a world where supernaturals — or supes — have come out of the closet and walk the streets with humans. Markowski’s daughter, a vampire witch, is eager to help and offer her expertise, especially because she’s attracted to Karl.
A new drug has hit the streets, Haemoglobin Plus — better known as Slide — the first drug that addicts supes, and as a result, a new wave of crimes has risen in Scranton. Stan and Karl are right on the case, interrogating both humans and supes alike, trying to find out who is behind the new drug: Pietro Calabrese, the Godfather of the local vampire family? Wizard Victor Castle, the unofficial head of the city’s whole supernatural community? The Delatasso family? Or the new Patriot Party, who has declared supes “abominations before the Lord?”
If you love urban fantasy a la crime noir, you’ll love this book. Gustainis is smart, gritty, snarky. I just love his sharp, witty descriptions. Take a look at a few:
“He had salt-and-pepper hair, wide-set brown eyes, and a thin moustache in the middle of a face that was no harder than your average concrete wall.”
“He stared at me with eyes that had probably looked dead even before he became a vampire.”
“The terrace outside the front door is open in warmer weather, for those who like sharing their food with the local bugs. I prefer to eat inside, where the only insects I’m likely to encounter have two legs.”
“I saw a puzzled look on his face — maybe because Karl’s grip, like every vampire’s, is colder than a banker’s heart.”
Gustainis is also a master at providing comic relief. I laughed out loud at times. Stan is a likable, sympathetic character, tough yet kind when needed. The world building, the setting, and all the supernatural details come through in a genuine, realistic way. I also enjoyed all the police procedural, showing once more, as in his other books, that Gustainis has done his research well.
The story moves at a fairly quick pace, propelled by entertaining dialogue and lots of action scenes. Particularly interesting is the dynamics between humans and supernaturals now that they have to co-exist side by side. But best of all, is the author’s gifted prose, a pleasure to read. Highly recommended for fans of detective urban fantasy!
January 29, 2014
A Fresh Take on a Favourite Genre
I have to admit that I was a little hesitant to read this. I typically don’t jump in part way through a series. More importantly, I have read a lot of supernatural crime in the past year and didn’t want something that would feel stale. I was, however, jonesing for something fresh in the genre.
Achievement unlocked.
Known Devil brings something new to a genre that I have come to love. Justin Gustainis has taken well-worn supernatural tropes (vampires, werewolves, witches), bound them up with procedural crime and created a fresh series for us to enjoy.
May I Suggest A Little Tarantino To Start?
I absolutely loved the first chapter. Loved. Loved. Loved.
The story begins with our cop protagonist and his partner taking a late night coffee (and blood) break at Jerry’s diner, when a pair of misfit elves stage a robbery. It felt like that wonderful opening scene in Pulp Fiction. The parallel wasn’t ham-handed or distracting. It was subtle (perhaps even unintentional) and smart.
I was completely immersed and enjoyed every second of it.
I really liked most everything about this book. I cared about the characters, even though I felt like I should have known them a bit better (problem with jumping in part way through a series), the plot was solid, although I would have liked to have seen more consequences for the choices our protagonist made near the end. The final resolution felt a bit deus ex machina, even though there was groundwork laid for it early on. A little more foreshadowing would have made it less jarring for me.
The only other (very slight) issue I have is a suggestion that the author let go and be a little more trusting. Trust the reader to pick up the crumbs and fill in the blanks, rather than giving us every detail or reminding us things a few pages later. Trust the story to carry the reader through those spots where he may be tempted to insert that little clarification or reminder. It’s not a huge deal if I find myself thinking “didn’t we learn that a couple of pages ago”, but I still stopped to think.
Known Devil is a welcome, fresh and enjoyable addition to the supernatural crime shelf in my library. I have been happily hooked on Occult Crimes Investigations, so I ask Mr. Gustainis to get to work on the next books while I go back and read Hard Spell and Evil Dark.
* - originally posted on cheffojeffo.wordpress.com
I have to admit that I was a little hesitant to read this. I typically don’t jump in part way through a series. More importantly, I have read a lot of supernatural crime in the past year and didn’t want something that would feel stale. I was, however, jonesing for something fresh in the genre.
Achievement unlocked.
Known Devil brings something new to a genre that I have come to love. Justin Gustainis has taken well-worn supernatural tropes (vampires, werewolves, witches), bound them up with procedural crime and created a fresh series for us to enjoy.
May I Suggest A Little Tarantino To Start?
I absolutely loved the first chapter. Loved. Loved. Loved.
The story begins with our cop protagonist and his partner taking a late night coffee (and blood) break at Jerry’s diner, when a pair of misfit elves stage a robbery. It felt like that wonderful opening scene in Pulp Fiction. The parallel wasn’t ham-handed or distracting. It was subtle (perhaps even unintentional) and smart.
I was completely immersed and enjoyed every second of it.
I really liked most everything about this book. I cared about the characters, even though I felt like I should have known them a bit better (problem with jumping in part way through a series), the plot was solid, although I would have liked to have seen more consequences for the choices our protagonist made near the end. The final resolution felt a bit deus ex machina, even though there was groundwork laid for it early on. A little more foreshadowing would have made it less jarring for me.
The only other (very slight) issue I have is a suggestion that the author let go and be a little more trusting. Trust the reader to pick up the crumbs and fill in the blanks, rather than giving us every detail or reminding us things a few pages later. Trust the story to carry the reader through those spots where he may be tempted to insert that little clarification or reminder. It’s not a huge deal if I find myself thinking “didn’t we learn that a couple of pages ago”, but I still stopped to think.
Known Devil is a welcome, fresh and enjoyable addition to the supernatural crime shelf in my library. I have been happily hooked on Occult Crimes Investigations, so I ask Mr. Gustainis to get to work on the next books while I go back and read Hard Spell and Evil Dark.
* - originally posted on cheffojeffo.wordpress.com
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