All Souls Lost

by Dan Moren

Say hello to Mike Lucifer, Spiritual Consultant. He’s back in town to take care of business. Unfortunately, when business is good, things must be very, very bad.

After two years trying to run away from his past, Mike Lucifer’s back in his office less than ten minutes when a persistent young woman shows up asking for her boyfriend’s been possessed by a demon.

That’s exactly the kind of mess that drove him from his hometown of Boston to a sunny beach—and the bottom of a bottle—in the first place. But there are some problems that even booze can’t drown, and while Lucifer may be no hero, his dwindling bank account provides a thousand reasons to take the case.

No sooner is he back in the game then the complications and corpses start to add up. The boyfriend’s not possessed—he’s dead. The tech company where he worked is looking shadier by the second. And Lucifer’s client definitely knows more than she should…about everything. The deeper Lucifer digs, the more he wonders if whatever sinister entity lurks behind this case wants him to be the last to die…

Praise for ALL SOULS LOST

“Mike Lucifer is one hell of a private eye, and his story makes for a fun bump in the night ride that zigs and zags in delightfully unexpected ways.” —Simon R. Green, New York Times bestselling author

“ALL SOULS LOST is a delicious mashup of old-fashioned noir, skin-crawling necromancy, and modern espionage, with a fistful of Boston attitude for good measure. The result is a deeply entertaining mystery, and my favorite Moren novel to date. More Mike Lucifer, please!” —Helene Wecker, New York Times bestselling author of The Golem and the Jinni

“ALL SOULS LOST is a crackling modern mystery infused with vintage noir vibes. It's the very best and coolest of old and new, but don't loan it out. You'll never get it back.” —Cherie Priest, author of Grave Reservations and Flight Risk

“In ALL SOULS LOST, Moren summons up a potent blend of wit, noir, and the supernatural for a devilish hardboiled read.” —Eric Scott Fischl, author of Dr. Potter’s Medicine Show

Genres: Mystery, Fantasy, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Audiobook, Paranormal, Supernatural

286 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 17, 2023

About the author

Dan Moren is the author of the supernatural detective novel All Souls Lost, as well as the popular Galactic Cold War series of sci-fi spy novels. His work has also appeared in, among other places, The Boston Globe, PopSci.com, Fast Company, and Macworld, where he formerly served as a senior editor.

A two-time Jeopardy! champion and regular panelist on the Parsec-award-winning geek culture podcast The Incomparable, Dan also co-hosts tech podcasts Clockwise and The Rebound, as well as writing and hosting the nerdy game show Inconceivable! He lives with his family in Somerville, MA, where he is never far from a twenty-sided die.

Reviews

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

All Souls Lost is a sharp, wry, and darkly funny fantasy detective story set in Boston. The main protagonist is a washed-up grizzled detective who takes on just one more case… I loved the characters and found the whole ensemble to be well-written and fun to read, and the book surprised me with a delightful dose of tech. It’s cool to see the author, who previously has written science fiction, break into supernatural. Big thumbs up and hope there is more in the series!

[Jeremy Keens · Rating 5 out of 5]

winning spectral noir

You probably know Moren from his sci-fi Caledonian series (and if not, other next) and/or his tech writing and podcasts.
This is what I hope will be the first in a series of noir detective novels. It has the setting, humour and pacing of the classics with a couple of additions: supernatural magic exists in this Boston, and a twisted tech plot that involves a very Apple like company which is portrayed with a delightfully wicked warmth.
Moren has a great voice, which as with his other novels makes it a pleasure to stay with him. The plot moves at a great pace that is maintained, with characters that are neatly drawn.
Obviously if you don’t like all that supernatural stuff (sounds like a review used on inconceivable) this is probably not for you. But for the rest of us, simply a really good read.

(No spoilers, but I think Dan may not be allowed on the Apple campus again)

[Jeff Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun. Witty, but with solid plotting and characters. I really hope this continues as a series.

[Jeff Stockwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scratches that Harry Dresden-shaped itch

I’m a fan of Dan Moren’s books and this doesn’t disappoint. All Souls Lost is definitely influenced by the Harry Dresden series, but that’s not a bad thing. Moren quickly creates a world populated by all of the characters a soft-boiled PI needs. A fun read.

[DebbieB · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun fast-paced supernatural detective story -

I like the voice here, casual and quippy. Obviously the first of a series, setting up the further adventures of this ‘spiritual consultant’ whose specialty is the weird. I devoured this one, and I hope the author writes many more.

[Chris Parrish · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been a while since I had the pleasure of enjoying a good noir detective story and All Souls Lost doesn't disappoint. I'm a sucker for first-person narratives and Moren's central character, Mike Lucifer, hits all the right notes for a down-and-out private detective thrust back into solving just one more case that has a more personal connection than he could have ever guessed. A well-rounded supporting cast of characters and a rich setting elevate this clever blend of magic, technology, and intrigue.

All together it is a super read that I couldn't put down. Just perfect when you want something easy and fun to tuck into. I hope this isn't the last we hear from Lucifer and his associates.

[Joseph Rosensteel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like all of Dan’s books, but this one is a fun diversion from his far future work. It blends the contemporary with old detective work, and a little Warehouse 13. I think the title makes it sound like there’s some really serious horror going on, but a lot of this is light-hearted Halloween stuff. It’s a fun read and a satisfying ending.

[Keegan Cherry]

I don't think I've read a book with a more enjoyable narrator. His thoughts and comments on his environment and the people around him had me cracking up and smiling from ear to ear. I throughly enjoyed reading this book and I hope I get to go back to these character's world in another one.

[Dave · Rating 1 out of 5]

While I appreciate this might be a tongue in cheek homage to books like Dresden Files and Rivers of London ..a detective with a special coat and hat, a ghost haunting the office, a love hate with a female police officer who is the only one that will give him time of day, magical wards, coins, connections through the city where you threaten or bribe magical store owners who also have love/hate relationships. People who can sense magic, different types of magic and werewolves. A battered old car, no use of technology as it interferes with the magic. I mean the serial numbers don't even seem to be filed off...

Fell very flat for me.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this novel and the end said this was a standalone novel. I really, really sincerely hope not. Mike Lucifer is a downtrodden character who is wracked with guilt at the death of his business partner, and he’s drawn into one last case before he goes back to being miserable. What follows is a well-written, wonderful book where we see the life of a supernatural detective put to rights after a huge case and lots of action. This was a exceptional book, and I hope the author decides to write more in this as a series because there is so much potential for more, and I would love every page. Great urban fantasy, wonderful, real characters, and a storyline I was completely invested in from page one. Highly, highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

[CJ Kerr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun take on neo-noir that deftly maintains the vibe while leaving behind the most dated tropes. The fantasy elements are underdeveloped for my tastes - if this universe has rules, we don't learn them here - but this works as a gumshoe mystery in a heightened, high-contrast version of a real city.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Spotify Audiobooks & NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for my review.

I really enjoyed this book. Mystery and magic—perfect for me! Others are marking it down because they’re comparing it to other books—not fair, really. And not an issue for me as I haven’t read any of the mentioned books. I love books set in my home state, so this was perfect.

It was just the right amount of funny, too.

I’m only taking off one star because the narrator took me out of the story with some mispronounced words (li-Barry), and the weird accent for Whisper. Not everyone can pull off accents. Just don’t do them if they’re not going to sound like anything real.

Otherwise, I’m hoping from the ending that more is to come!

[Pete Finlay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I think it’s in the same neighborhood as Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, but not on the same street (if that makes any sense). I’m hoping there will be more in the series because the characters are definitely worth reading in more adventures.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mike Lucifer is a Spiritual Consultant who has had trauma in the past that keeps him from moving on, but an insistent stranger drags him into a case, which forces him to confront his mistakes in order to solve the mystery.

So this book is definitely a riff on Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files and Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The idea of a secret world existing alongside our own is a great way to explore the world’s oddities and strangeness in a humorous, and sometimes horrifying, way. Lucifer is an interesting character and the story’s ending leaves the possibility of a series, which I would probably read. The story started slow, but picked up nicely and had a relatively satisfying ending. I’m interested to see where Mike goes after this!

I received a free audiobook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

[Alyssa Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Souls Lost was fun. It reminded me of detective noirs of yesteryear, but with a supernatural twist. Frankly, it was like reading an episode of Supernatural, and I’m all here for that. I liked getting to know the main character, Mike Lucifer: Spiritual Consultant, and all of his shadows. The ending of this leaves the door open for more books featuring this supernatural detective of sorts , and I am really eager for that, because the writing and the humor were right up my alley.

[Nejc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smells like Rivers of London.

I bet the author is a fan of Peter Grant stories (I'm sure I've heard him geeking out about the Aaronovitch series on one of the Inomparable podcasts). In my head cannon the book is set in the Rivers of London universe and I'd like to think that Lucifer and Peter crossed paths at some point in their lives.

I liked the lightness of the book, the eeriness was more of a backdrop for the detective noir story than horror. Even the most gruesome moments were lightened by the author's lighthearted writing style. One thing I was looking forward to but was disappointed by was the way Boston was (un)used in the story. I had hoped that the city itself would be more involved in the story, but it only works as a backdrop... I've never been to Boston, but I still didn't feel like the city itself played a role in the story. Very little urban in the urban fantasy for me. The story would work just as well if you set it in a different city.

[Andrew McIntosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this quite a bit and burned through it.

I've been a big fan of Dan Moren's other works and while this is a very different setting, it's still his voice and I loved it.

It's fast and funny. It's clever. I didn't really see where the story was going to go and was surprised a couple of times.

The main characters are great. Mike Lucifer is such a noir detective that he seems almost out of time in the setting, but in a humorous way. Then other characters are also quite memorable.

Thoroughly enjoyed.

[Clyde · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book Dan Moren takes a break from his far future spec-ops series (The Galactic Cold War), and gives us a very good urban fantasy. There is some pretty grim stuff in this story, but there is also quite a bit of understated humor mixed in. In addition to a twisty plot, we get a noir mystery, we get oddball characters, we get things that go bump in the night. What's not to like?
All in all, I quite enjoyed this story. Solid 4 stars.

[Max Kreienbaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good and enjoyable read


I really liked this book. I thought it was very funny without being silly. The magic "system" was not too mechanical, which I liked. I loved the wacky magical gadgets. It felt like there were stakes and while it dealt with some heavy stuff it never felt particularly heavy, if that makes sense. If I had a criticism it would be that there was a moment or two towards the beginning where it was almost too many quips by the protagonist but that either changed or I quickly got used to it. Overall great read and I would love to read a sequel.

[bogo_lode · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good. Has the vibe of a story happening a few books into a series.

[Sarvagnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very fun read. Dan's books are pretty much a sure fire recommendation for me, and this is no exception.

[J.A. Ironside · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC received via NetGalley

This was fine but in terms of a noir urban fantasy with notes of Dresden Files, just didn't land as well as I would have liked. It does play to the tropes of its subgenre very well, but I personally didn't feel it really pushed anything beyond them to give the audience a glint of something new. (I think this is partly why it appears to have annoyed Dresden Files fans so much - that, and that for all that the Dresden Files are deeply flawed, they are better at eliciting an emotional response which makes you invest in the MC and the story). So overall, entertaining but missing something. Probably just the thing you're looking for if you're after Rivers of London lite.

[Anna]

Dan Moren’s good-natured banter is a fixture on his various podcast appearances, and his voice shines through in Mike Lucifer. In terms of plot and worldbuilding, this has a similar feel to Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series.

[Federico Bergstein · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tries to be The Dresden Files, fails.

[Erich Becker · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Souls Lost takes equal parts Constantine and mixes in enough snark to overfill a swimming pool (maybe one of those haunted ones that are all the rage). The story establishes a world where people have the Knack (magic and supernatural sensitivity) and everything from warlocks, demons, psychics and beyond are all real. The whodunit type mystery initially centered around the death (and maybe demonic possession) of a high tech company employee doesn't stop there and the down-on-his-luck-supernatural-detective who spent the last two years on a beach. The world-building, or lack thereof, leaving the reader to fill in the gaps, but will surely be a nice setup for future adventures, is great.

The only knock is the paint-by-numbers villains and the dialog which tries too hard to be snarky and funny at times but it doesn't translate always to your internal voice as it may with perfect deliver in live-action. Still, this doesn't detract from the obvious fun you have while reading this brisk story and, as mentioned, here's to a few more adventures of Mike Lucifer.

[Silver James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of this book. I've been in something of a "reading" slump lately and when this book hit my radar, I decided to give it a try. I should probably create a new shelf for "paranormal dectective noir." The books reminds me of the old Mickey Spillane's--irrascible gumshoe, the dame walks into his grungy office, stuff happens. In this case, our intrepid detective, Mike Lucifer, has been on a two-year hiatus due to the death of his partner. He headed to Margaritaville and just didn't come home. Until the dough ran out. So he's back in Boston. I should mention that Mike sees ghosts. And there are demons, mages, and other magical types, so maybe this is more urban fantasy than paranormal. Anyway, there's a suicide that isn't, a girlfriend who isn't, and a glamorous dame with a henchman. It's a fun listen, though I admit, I was a little put off by the narrator at the beginning. I increased the narration speed a smidge and all was good. Mirron Willis, the narrator grew on me after that and he does a good job with the various characters. If you're looking for something different, this might be it. A good solid 4.5 stars.

[Jason Nassi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn’t like it quite as much as Moren’s “Galactic Cold War” series, but that’s more a matter of me liking sci-fi more than paranormal. This one has all of Moren’s trademark wit and whimsy, but grounded into the present-day Commonwealth of Massachusetts instead of The Illyrian Empire and a very different Commonwealth. Plenty of world-building material left in here for future installments of a series!

[Violinknitter · Rating 5 out of 5]

✔️Noir detective
✔️With magic
✔️Facing down a tech company that definitely isn’t related to a company that rhymes with Snapple
✔️Lots of puns, corny asides, and over-the-top descriptions (“a smile crawling across his face like a colony of ants)
✔️A good amount of interesting side characters to help the detective along

➖ lots of viscera & getting beat up (yes, noir, but I don’t have to like it)

4.5 stars, lots of fun!

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is tough to review fairly because even though Dan doesn't have any clue who I am, I've been listening to him on the Incomparable podcast for like 13 years now so I feel like he's a close personal friend. Plus, he's from (and this book takes place in) Boston. So I'll go through the high and low points for me:

Positive:
- It's a great, if not wholly original, premise. "Spiritual investigator" is not a unique genre, but I'm a fan of the Dresden Files and Rivers of London series', and this clearly takes inspiration from both of those.
- The final reveal, that a tech company is trying to resurrect the ghost of their dead founder because they've been on a cold streak in terms of product launches since he died, *is* wholly original and a really fun one. Due to Dan's background, it's a clear reference to Apple post-Steve Jobs, and in terms of ideas that's a 5-star one.
- The final 25% of the book or so reaches that "don't want to put it down without finishing it" pace that you want in a good thriller or mystery.

Negative:
- The first half of the book is noticeably weaker than the second half. Based on Dan's Incomparable podcast about the writing of this book, it seems that's because he actually started writing this book years ago, and it does read like the second half of the book was written by a more competent and practiced author than the the first. Unfortunately this means that the part of the book that should be dedicated to worldbuilding and fleshing out Mike Lucifer's character doesn't do as good a job at these things as it should and instead seems full of relatively-tired noir tropes. As a result, I don't feel like I know or care enough about Lucifer or the supernatural world that he traffics in.
- There are some metaphors that really approach the edge of comic tolerability. "a pause so pregnant that it practically begged for a c-section" or something thereabouts comes to mind. They don't ruin the story, but when one shows up it's kind of tonally jarring.
- It's one thing to be influenced by the Dresden Files, but there are a few too-many similar elements, from the first-person protagonist to the ghost/supernatural entity living in the office to the friendship with a female police officer who handles all the "weird" cases.

I don't want to make it seem like I didn't like the book, because I did, and I'd love to see where a more-experienced Dan could take this in a future installment.

[Chris Monceaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Thank you to JABberwocky Literary Agency, Inc. for providing an advanced copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience with the final version of the audiobook borrowed through Amazon Music.***

All Souls Lost is one of the rare times that I don’t have a ton of thoughts to share. The story did a good job of doing what it needed to do. The plot and pace kept me engaged. The characters felt gritty, witty, and relatable despite the extraordinary circumstances.

All that being said, All Souls Lost wasn’t very fresh. It was clearly an homage to other novels in this genre, maybe too much so. If you are looking for familiar tropes and character archetypes, though, this book delivers pretty much all of them. The story did touch on some interesting themes, too, with its focus on grief and the paralyzing nature of self-blame. The inclusion of the potentially sinister tech company provided ample ground for timely commentary, as well. However, I wish the author had dug even deeper.

As for the audiobook narration of All Souls Lost, I have mixed feelings about it. The narrator did a good job of bringing the main character to life. I had no problem believing that he was voicing this weary PI who just wanted to go back to the beach. My main problem was the flashbacks. There were a ton of them in this book, and I had so much trouble determining when they started while listening. The whole experience was really jarring, and it quickly got on my nerves.

Overall, All Souls Lost was a fun, quick listen. The mystery was engaging, and everything about the book felt familiar because it did a good job with the genre conventions. I just wish there’d been a bit more depth and originality. Therefore, I rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.