City of Spores

by Austin Shirey

There’s something wrong with this city.

Welcome to Madripol, city of artists and madmen, city of mushrooms.

There’s something wrong with this city.

When a strange plague infects Old Town, Johanna Kolibrik thinks the graffiti messages scrawled all over the city might be right. Kolibrik’s got her own problems, though—like paying the bills and keeping her PI business afloat—so when a well-dressed man from New Town offers to double her fee to find his missing wife, she ignores her gut and takes the case.

There’s something wrong with this city.

But when she stumbles across a manuscript that shouldn’t exist, Kolibrik finds herself caught up in a vast web of conspiracy that will challenge everything she believes—a conspiracy that could shake the city of Madripol to its very foundations.

There’s something wrong with this city.

Because in Madripol, everything is connected …

Genres: Fantasy, Mystery

160 pages, Paperback

Published February 15, 2024

About the author

Austin Shirey writes strange and fantastic fiction. He is the author of the novella CITY OF SPORES, and his stories have appeared in several publications and anthologies including The Saturday Evening Post, MetaStellar, and The Dread Machine. When he’s not writing (or pretending to moonlight as an IT systems analyst), he’s probably reading, watching movies, listening to music, or playing guitar. He lives in Northern Virginia with his wife, their daughters, and two cats. You can find more of his work and links to his socials online at www.austinshirey.com.

Reviews

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent fungal thriller. A city of mushrooms, a mysterious plague, a missing woman… it’s up to private eye Kolibrik to connect the dots.

The author’s world building is incredible, and the prose flows and interweaves like mycelium itself. The tale is gritty, earthy, and quite dark at times; full of the wondrous descriptions of Madripol and its people, and the dark secrets buried within.

Thank you to BookSirens & the author for a copy!

[Liz Fully Booked · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author himself calls this book a strange fungal novella. I couldn’t agree more. Who would think that a book about a mushroom infested city could be so fun and entertaining?

This novella is fast paced, the world building is detailed, and the ideas are so unique. Character development was spot on, and the action was so gripping, it kept me turning the pages until I was done with it!

This private detective mystery thriller was great, and I totally enjoyed reading it. Totally recommend it you want a different type of fantasy novella.

[Carina_inkdrinker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short urban fantasy book with 133 perfect pages with joyful reading. Filled with a city plagued with a mushroom infection and a detective woman in the middle of everything.

Without spoiling to much I found the plague part with the fungus and spores really interesting and fun to read about. And every thing that Austin showed us was fantastic and I could not get enough of it.

You follow only one character, but even with the short time you have you will only find fantastic characters in this book.

I'm sad but happy it's a short book, because even if I'm sad it's over I think the size of it with the story is the perfect length.

If you are fan of the Last of Us, you are gonna love this!

[Miguel Jr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strange whodunit.

Private Investigator Johanna Kolibrik reluctantly agreed to a case to keep her struggling business afloat. Unfortunately, she gets wrapped up in something bigger as Madripol has gigantic problems. Old Town is a dark place, and the enemies she encounters are vicious.

Pros:

1. Worldbuilding.
2. A mysterious, original story.
3. An appealing book cover.
4. It's novella-length.
5. Austin Shirey used his experience in Prague to create this book.

Cons:

1. Blaspheming and profanity.
2. Not having a glossary to reference.
3. Not including a map.
4. A lack of interior illustrations.
5. The interior formatting could have been better for the e-book. This was the version that I read.
6. Johanna walking through the sewer system without personal protective equipment was unrealistic. The bacteria, pests, smell, and waste should have made her sick.

Not including a glossary and illustrations hurt this story. It was hard for me to keep up with everything because there wasn't a glossary to reference. I took a star away because Johanna walked through the sewer system without PPE. This should have made her sick, as it could reek of rotten eggs down there. It could also cause her to vomit, have nausea, dizziness, a lack of concentration, or a combination of these symptoms.

The cons listed above are why I did not issue this book a five-star rating. Despite issuing this book a three-star rating, I enjoyed it.

Austin Shirey should think about building a series off of this book. It would be a waste to leave it as a standalone.

I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Matty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something is wrong with our city. Johanna Kolibrik a former journalist now a callous, self centered and jaded private investigator is given the job to locate a man’s missing wife in the city of Madripol. Lots of smoking and whiskey drinking as you would expect from a PI. It is a mysterious city where fungus grows and lives on nearly everything; streets, buildings, clothing, typewriters, even on people. Mushrooms of all colors and sizes are growing everywhere. Johanna finds herself mixed up in a city wide conspiracy involving corrupt public officials, a wealthy corporation, sporesuckers, madcappers, mushroom people, and a creature with collective consciousness that has long lived under the city. The author stated the city was inspired by a visit to Prague. Austin Shirey creates a strange fungal city, great characters, and a very meaningful plot. The story is ultimately about creating change and inspiring people to stand up against the hate and corruption in our society. I found the novella came from his heart and hope for more books to come about the city of Madripol and its human/fungal citizens.

[Astilbe The Hobbit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for reaching out and asking me if I’d like an e-copy of his novella to read and review!

This 130 page novella is following a private detective, Johanna Kolibrik, who takes on a job, ignoring her gut, in need of money looking for a man’s missing wife. And well, it gets so much more interesting from there!

This novella I found so creative! Good writing! And can we talk about the city and the fact it is normal to have mushrooms/fungi growing out of literally everything. Like it’s normal to be seen with a mushroom or two growing out of your jacket.

I feel it wrapped up well and fit in a lot for a little guy like this but I also feel it could have made for such an interesting full novel with the twist we get as you read. The city and with how our detective thinks gave me Bruce in Gotham dealing with King Pin and/or Penguin vibes.

I will say the detective like tone of the story normally isn’t my thing and I find myself not as interested because I’m a weirdo but I was still invested in the city and all the cool tid bits involving the mushrooms about it. Also, enjoyed the message being conveyed.

[Wesley Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of his novel, in exchange for an honest review.

This novella is a dystopian mystery. Mushrooms have taken over the city, but Johanna must do her private investigating job anyways. She takes on a case, searching for a wealthy man’s missing wife but what she finds is a conspiracy theory that might not just be theory.

The world of Madripol was beautifully realized. It was dark, and creepy and had several layers. There was a strong class system and a ton of scandal and corruption. I was all for it. And the secrets were revealed in such a timely manner.

Johanna was a fully realized character with a thorough back story. I liked learning about what she had been through and seeing how that shaped her later decisions in the book. Having everything focused on one character was very refreshing to me and I felt that I was very connected to her at the end and loved seeing her at work!

[Marco Landi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stelle
tra il Fungal-noir e Fungal-lives-matters
Siamo dalle parti di China Mieville, Jeff Noon, Jeff Vandermeer..
Una città di funghi e spore, con esseri fantasiosi e ambientazioni oniriche.. con drogati di funghi, poveri, oppressi da cinici poliziotti e politici corrotti.. una piaga che sembra uccidere i funghi.. strani avvistamenti nei cimiteri.. Persone scomparse e omicidi..
La nostra detective, ex giornalista, avrà vita dura nel risolvere quello che parte come un caso di scomparsa e che poi sfocerà in una lotta per i diritti civili molto weird.. di uomini e funghi!!

[Nelli Lakatos · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝒯𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒’𝓈 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓌𝓇𝑜𝓃𝑔 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒸𝒾𝓉𝓎.”

City of Spores was such an important and thought provoking read, it captivated me from the very beginning. I couldn’t put the book down, it was so intriguing and different from anything I’ve ever read.

I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend reading it to everyone!

Thank you so much Austin for reaching out to me and sending me a digital copy of your incredible book in exchange for my honest review.

[Blaise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark detective novella set in a city where Mushrooms and spores are invested the city at large. Our lead PI investigator was once a journalist but has since found herself kicked to the curb due to the corruption of politics and big name players in the city. Now tasked with discovering the disappearance of a woman, Johanna has no choice but to take the case and she will discover a whole nest of secrets buried in this city no one will see coming.

[Krissy (books_and_biceps9155) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @shirey_writes for my copy! This is an incredibly fast paced novella. The world building for its size is excellent and the characters so well done. The plot is meaningful, and I thought Shirey’s inspiration of Prague to spread (see what I did there) through the pages. Hopefully we will get more of the city of Madripol!

[Books For Decaying Millennials · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Austin Shirey left some Blue Oyster Mushrooms growing in my inbox...wait... I mean he provided me with a digital copy of his book, to review, in exchange for my honest views and opinions.
-
While I am not a die-hard mystery fan, I've always had a weakness for a good noir tale, told with some interesting twists and an author who will bring some original flavor to the concept. This goes doubly so for stories that fall with him that twilight expanse we call "Weird Fiction", sometimes there's Horror, sometimes fantasy or hints at something stranger, harder to pin down. That's exactly what Austin Shirey delivers in his novella "City of Spores". The City of Madripol is a place both grounded in the Urban environments we would recogize from the recent past, but from that bit of reality the shadows grow long and strange and Mushrooms abound in curious color and shape. Along with my select taste for Noir and Detective fiction, I have a long standing love for a protagonist who could be considered damaged goods, jaded, a person with no love for the system, and guaranteed to get beat up. basically the farthest thing from Dick Tracy. In Johanna Kolibrik, Shirey has delivered all of that and more. Kolibrik wears her baggage like a day pack. I would argue she is born of the same stuff as Karl Kolchak, Harry Dresden and "Big Red" Hellboy. She carries wounds that she won't allow to heal, yet draws strength from that and pairs it with a sharp intelligence and a soul rich with creative passion. She puts this to work in a City wrestling to reconcile it's past and its future, or what most perceive as such. Mysteries and questions proliferate like the Mushrooms of Madripol.
Without the reader noticing, Shirey draws the reader into a story and place that seems to turn labyrinthine before we realize what is happening. You will be drawn into a mystery...or is a network of smaller questions leading to one big answer?
I recognize that as a novella, there is only so much time and space we can be given in this story. That said I felt like there could be more. Maybe that's just a desire for more Kolibrik mysteries, and maybe that desire for more is a good thing. It shows that you'll walk away from City of Spores, roughed up, tossed about, but you'll leave with a smirk on your face.
Although they are very different stories, I found myself comparing City of Spores to the Robert Weaver novel "Blessed Skeletons". If these books were films I'd recommend they be a Double Feature, I got the sense that the ex judge in Blessed Skeletons, and the ex reporter in City of Spores would be comfortable colleagues who could meet for a drink or three down at the pub.
If you're looking for some weird fiction that rests comfortably in the Noir tradition, this the story for you.

[Sarabelle ⚔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

~ 3.0 stars

Thank you Book Sirens and the author for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!

I needed a break from the usual book I go for, and this was the perfect little novella to pick up!

Madripol is a city unlike any other, with all kinds of mushrooms and fungi growing on nearly any surface it comes in contact with. Citizens are in a constant battle, trying to combat the spores that linger heavy in the air, and yet those born and raised in the city are simply accustomed to the bizarre growths that just won't go away.

There's something wrong with this city and it's pretty clear within the first chapter that this is a place I'd never want to find myself.

What I liked: It's just so unique. There are many strange little quirks in this world, such as mushroom mimics turning into every day objects, that kept me intrigued. The story follows Johanna, a private investigator trying to stay afloat. She is a bit dark with a heavy past and seems the perfect type of character for this sort of career. There are many twists and turns throughout this, and I never really knew what to expect.

What I didn't like: The writing isn't the cleanest, but I'm just nitpicking here because it didn't really distract from the story at all. It did get pretty weird, in a way I didn't find shocking, nor extremely exciting. It ended up not at all being what I expected, and that disappointed me a bit.

All in all, I think Austin Shirey is a fun author who isn't afraid to explore the stranger side of fiction, and if science-fiction mysteries are your jam, you should absolutely check him out!!

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

“There is something wrong with this city.”

A Mushroom infested mystery thriller that follows a private investigator who's struggling to keep her business afloat, and decides to accept a strangers generous offer to find his missing wife. This investigation ultimately leads to finding information that has the potential to unravel a conspiracy and reveal its conspirators within the city.
The story was a lot better than I initially imagined it would have been. The author does a great job of keeping the story moving, while providing enough details along the way to really get the idea and vision across of how significantly the mushrooms have consumed everyday life. They literally live with Mushrooms growing everywhere. On streets, on buildings, on your clothes, on people, on everything!
I found this a very good and interesting read. From beginning to end I thought it was a solid story with a good conclusion as well. A bit dark and gritty that fits the storyline well, with enough suspense to keep you reading till the end. I really enjoyed this one!
Thank you Austin Shirey for the e-copy!

[Bo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huge thanks to @austinshirey for sending me a copy of City of Spores! This book pulled me into Madripol — a city where every shadow feels damp and every street corner smells of rot. The setting is incredible: part noir, part nightmare, where spores creep into walls, art, and minds until you can’t tell what’s alive and what’s just pretending.
Johanna Kolibrik is the kind of protagonist I love — rough, resilient, and just flawed enough to feel real. What starts as a missing person’s case quickly becomes something much darker, leading her into the underbelly of Madripol where fungus, conspiracy, and forbidden art collide. It’s not a book full of jump scares — this is slow, creeping dread. The horror builds like mold on damp wood, subtle at first but impossible to ignore once you see it spreading.
The novella’s shorter length keeps the pace tight, but I found myself wanting more time in this strange, spore-choked world. More Madripol. More Johanna. More of that unnerving atmosphere.
If you’re a fan of fungal horror, weird noir, and cities that feel like characters in themselves, this one deserves a spot on your shelf 4 mushrooms.

[Kayla Feutz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Austin in exchange for a review.

First of all, anything mushroom related, I’m in. So requesting the opportunity to read this before its release on 2/15/24 was a no-brainer for me. I am in no way particularly qualified in anything literature, but you will get an honest opinion from a regular person.

There’s something wrong with this city..

City of Spores is a fast-paced novella in which we follow Kolibrik through her case as a PI. The city is covered in fungi that’s creeping from old town to the new, and a found manuscript changes her case drastically. It reads like an action-packed detective show, and I could see it play out in my head as the conspiracy grew bit by bit. I was wishing for more of the creep factor, but overall I enjoyed the book. It was written well, and I can’t say much more without spoiling it, but I think it ended just right. Thank you for the ARC!

[Book hoarder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was attracted by the cover. Huge mushrooms, like in a fairy tale. I didn't know what to expect.

It starts like a detective story, but weird, because of all the fungus and mushrooms. But I liked that idea, it is new to me. The mimics made me laugh.

Just during the read, I felt there is much more to it, than just a story.

It made me feel like I was back in 1968, when my fathers country was occupied. Occupiers, like the Meyerlings in the story, controlling everything. Not free to move where you want.

The author used words like Old Town, which is the same in Prague. And Eastern European names. I saw the story unfold in Prague. That made this book close to my heart.

The only thing I couldn't picture well is the detective. She is a woman, behaving like a male. Drinking whiskey and having a cigarette hanging on her lips. I like tough women, but she felt more like a man.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

You had me at fungus infused city… um, what? Weird but true. This mushroom-dusted setting with its spore soaked air instantly drew me in. Fungus everywhere? Mushroom mimics? The general WTF of it all had me wanting to know more. Then there’s an outcast detective, social injustice, and dark secrets to be uncovered. Yes, please!

This book has a bohemian, artistic feel, especially as the story develops. Without getting into spoilers, it leans into hard boiled detective territory with an eerie spin and enough twists to keep it fresh.

Personal preference: I’m usually put off by violence and some scenes were a bit much for me. It’s a gritty city and violence fits the situations, but my own concern tends to pull me out of a story when characters are badly beaten and still limping along.

Overall, this is a fascinating story. I’ll recommend it to friends and likely read it again at some point.

[Mattwright42 · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.**

I was really surprised by this book! I didn't have any expectations about this novella - only because I hadn't heard of it at all. What I experienced as I was reading was an excellent sort of science fiction noir story about a journalist-turned-detective who was working a case that turned out to be larger-than-life and affected the entire city.

There are ideas in here about history and who writes it, art and its uses as a form of protest, and what the "little man" (or our intrepid detective) can do to make a difference against an oppressive system.

The fact that the entire story takes place in a city overrun by mushrooms is simply a plus in my opinion. Go read and enjoy!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this unique and entertaining fantasy/cosmic horror story. I listened to the audiobook and it was a quick listen that I finished on a 5 mile hike. I loved the fungi elements of it. Even though it was set in a city, I still think it was a great read for a long hike because it mixes very natural elements in an urban setting. It had quite a noir feel to it. Even though it's tagged as fantasy and mystery, I feel there were horror themes and culty vibes. The author did a really good job of creating an enchanting atmosphere. There was even a bit of humor in it. I'm also a sucker for books about books. I would recommend this for fans of T.Kingfisher and Gabino Iglesias's The Devil Takes You Home.

[Abby Draper · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I felt infected afterwards, by the manuscript. Like it’d crawled up my nose while I was reading and taken root in my mind.”

This quote from the book is a bit like how I feel after reading it. I think it worked in that way because this fungus-filled world was so eloquently described that I feel icky after reading it. This novella is part murder mystery, part unique sci-fi fantasy. I was intrigued by the premise and enjoyed the detailed descriptions.

I’m giving this 3 stars because I did love the language and idea, but I had a little bit of a hard time staying engaged in the story. I also didn’t love the ending and was hoping for something different. Overall, it’s a fun short read!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Michael J. L. Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This lean novel (novella?) is a fun experience if you're looking for a compelling mystery plotline set in a strange, modern city overrun by fungi of all kinds. Its length means a breakneck pace, but in most cases the events feel earned and intentional. The prose is clean, concise, and lends itself to some memorable imagery and snappy characterization. Any issues I had with elements of this book were overshadowed by the things Shirey does so excellently in terms of setting and description, which I have found to be this story's strong suits. Support indie authors! This story is worth it.

(This review was copied from StoryGraph)

[Rob Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

A soft retro-steampunk city and a hard-edged main character who immediately made me want more. I devoured this book in under 24 hours, a true page turner. "There's something wrong with this city". As I followed our private detective from high town to the mushroom dens, each page and chapter had me more and more intrigued. Author Austin Shirey has introduced himself with a slam dunk of a novella that I only wish I could have more of. The pacing is tight and I felt wound up in the history of these characters and of this very intriguing city.
I'm still thinking about things unsaid in the book and wishing for more.

[Kylee Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love when a book revolves around mushrooms, and this one did not disappoint. Although I wouldn't consider the full book to be "sporror," there are definitely moments that earn the title .

This fantasy noir novella is set in Madripol, a city absolutely infested with mushrooms. They grow in the streets and houses, on your clothes, and every once and a while, you might even come across a "mimic."

Private investigator Johanna Kolibrik is making ends meet, when she is offered a large sum of money to help find a missing person. But the deeper she digs, the more she's pulled into a tangled web of conspiracy and mycelium.

There’s something very wrong with Madripol, and you are definitely in for a wild, fungi-laced ride as Johanna unearths its secrets.

[Nyx Graves · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy, and I am leaving my honest review.

Sentient mushrooms, conspiracies, m*rder, detectives, and a fantastic storyline! This book felt like I was watching an old detectives show. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time trying my best to figure out what the conspiracy might have been, and I was still wrong! I saw this was about mushrooms and said, "Count me in," and I am so glad I did! The ending was tremendously written and all together, just a fantastic book!

[Thea Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I I loved how it’s not like any other fantasy book, but still under the genre fantasy. It was both interesting, mysterious and funny to be reading. Multiple times I started to laugh out loud, because of a funny conversation or comment. It really is a good book, but I’m not the biggest fantasy ready, which is why I’m giving it 4 stars. I’m happy that I got the chance to read this as a ARC and still leave this honest review

[Brittni Quintana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting world building. I wanted to learn more about this city, how it all functions. I appreciate the natural way that we discover things about this world and its problems. The main character is a little obnoxious, though I can’t put my finger on why. The side characters all have depth. I found myself pushing forward to see what happens next. Overall, this is a really interesting story.

[Jennifer Fischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a different type of read, I highly recommend City of Spores by Austin Shirey! I’d describe this book as a fungal mystery. The fungus kind of reminds me of The Last of Us, but the story is completely different. I really enjoyed the main character and the plot kept me guessing, so I rated this book 4 stars. I’ll definitely consider reading other work by this author in the future!

[Stace · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was such an unique idea. I have never read anything similar. The characters development aren't the normal people good people you would see in modern day books. It really reminded me of when books were so unique from each other and not just the same story. The why he wrote the book, really made it seem like he is trying to make money off of the reason, guilt into reading and good ratings.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Phoebe Lawlor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers a straightforward and engaging narrative built on an intriguing concept. Although I found myself occasionally confused about the plot, the compelling writing and storyline compelled me to continue reading. The pieces do fall into place by the conclusion. However, enhancing the protagonist's character development, given that the story is narrated from her perspective, would have been beneficial.
I received an ARC copy and wrote this review voluntarily. Thank you!