Detective Strongoak and the Case of the Dead Elf

by Terry Newman

Private eye Nicely Strongoak is your average detective-for-hire, if your average detective is a dwarf with a Napoleon complex. In a city filled with drug-taking gnomes, goblins packing heat and a serious case of missing-persons, Strongoak might just be what’s needed.

But things are about to turn sour. When on the trail of the vanished surfer, Perry Goodfellow, Nicely receives a sharp blow to the head, is burgled by goblins and awakes in a narcotic-induced haze on the floor of a steamwagon with an extremely deceased elf, who just happens to have Nicely’s axe wedged in his head.

Nicely must enter the murky world of government politics if he is going to crack his toughest case yet. He’ll have to find Perry, uncover who the dead elf is and leave no cobblestone unturned…

Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Humor, Crime, Mystery Thriller

312 pages, Paperback

First published November 27, 2013

About the author

Terry Newman is a former biomedical research scientist and lecturer who came into writing via comedy writing for the BBC and Channel 4. This part-time interest developed into a fully-fledged occupation and he finally hung up his microscope for good in 2004. Since then he has written extensively, both drama and comedy, for stage, film, television, radio and New Media throughout the world. His first novel ‘Detective Strongoak and the Case of the Dead Elf’ was a #1 Kindle Bestseller (Epic Fantasy). Detective Strongoak's latest adventure is 'The King of Elfland's Little Sister'.

Reviews

[Jane Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

It 's a bit hard to know how to describe this book, except perhaps to say that it's a Raymond Chandler meets Terry Pratchett/Tolkein kind of pastiche and I loved every minute of it. I smiled and giggled my way through the whole book, delighting in its quirkiness and originality and definitely want to see more. There's plenty going on in it, and more than a few twists and turns, which keep it moving a good pace. I'm ashamed to admit that I quite often skip paragraphs in books that are a bit lacking in pace, but not so in this case - it kept me hooked all the way through it. I love the main character, Nicely, who has some wonderful throwaway lines; If he were a few feet taller, he'd be my ideal man - as long as he left his axe by the front door when he stopped by. There are some entertaining characters in it, which I hope the author uses again. Petal, the reluctant goblin mob boss is a curiously compelling character, and I've really got a soft spot now for Dragon and hope we get to see him again. Highly recommended if you want something that's fun and a very different.

[Mieneke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another black hole victim, I read Terry Newman’s Detective Strongoak and the Case of the Dead Elf during my journey to Nine Worlds last year. And it was a perfect airplane/con companion, as it was an easy read to put down and pick up repeatedly. It took me a while to get into the book, both because I needed to settle into Nicely’s narrative tone of voice and because I needed to read past the story’s very self-aware positioning as a noir detective story. The book contains all the hallmarks and tropes of this genre, even being set in what seems to be a secondary world version of San Francisco, which is sometimes a little jarring. The characters are also very noir, but are all standard fantasy stock: dwarves, elves, trolls, gnomes, you name it, it is there. However, while the story is trope-filled, it doesn’t rely too much on stereotypes, which made the story work well. In the end, I had fun with the story and I found myself rooting for Nicely, Thelen, and Liza to get the happy ending they deserved.

[Artur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noir fantasy crime mystery. Tolkien meets Pratchett meets Chandler — a handful of my favorite tropes mixed in a surprisingly enjoyable cocktail. Bonus points for surfing nazi elves.

[Alexandra]

12/28/15 $.99 on Kindle.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicely Strongoak is a private detective working on behalf of all the races in his city. When he's asked to look into the disappearance of a young man, he becomes entangled with a group of surfer elves. Another client wants him to find a missing jewel and his investigations cause him to wake up next to a dead elf. If you can imagine the love child of Tolkien and Raymond Chandler then that gives you a pretty good idea of this novel. It's detective noir with elves. A very fun kickoff to a series.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m sorry that this was a stand-alone. It was great fun, with some reminders of Discworld and the Watch

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was all right; worth reading, sure, but nothing special.
The characters are the highlight. Nicely Strongoak is a good protagonist, well-developed and interesting. Many supporting characters add to the story as well, like Thelen, Grove, Wizard Tollingstaff, and the dragon.
The plot is generally well-paced, and keeps one reading, although didn't offer too many surprises for a murder mystery. The setting is solid, with the Citadel a lively place teeming with unique races. The side-trip to the Kingdom of the Forbidden Wastes was I guess a sort of parody, but it didn't fit with the rest of the story.
The ending is only so-so. The different mysteries only kind of tied in together at the end. I also found it very odd how there is a long monologue about how these fantasy races came about from evolution. Granted, I consider evolution to be basically a fantasy-idea anyway, but it seems odd in a story about elves and dwarfs to go the "scientific" route.

[Bobbi Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I absolutely didn't hate this book but I didn't much like it, either. It was the perfect book for when I started reading it: I needed to not care too much about anything to do with it but I needed to be able to read for pleasure for a few minutes, here and there.
Nicely was.. okay. Generally. I have a few serious qualms, though. I'm starting to think the defining feature of Private Investigators in fiction is they cannot say no to an attractive face. And they can't help commenting to the reader about it. And they can't keep their head on when said attractive face shows up. Nicely isn't QUITE as annoying about it as Harry Dresden, though. I'm not sure I'll ever get through the Dresden files. I won't get to the next if this is a series either, though. Also, there's far too many mentions of the word "gravy" especially since it's supposed to be describing alcohol.
All the little quirks that are supposed to make this fun annoyed me. This basically isn't my kind of writing. The Deus Ex Machina in it doesn't help. So completely without point and doesn't enhance ANYTHING. I'm serious. Read at your own risk. May you love it, for I cannot.

[Adam Ranger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first in the Nicely StrongOak series. I read this one after the first, but it does not matter as they are stand alone tales. A detective story in the classic 50's Film Noir, Raymond Chandler style. However the story is set in a world of Dwarves, Elves, Pixies, Wizards, Goblins and Men. The lead character is a dwarf detective. Investigating a missing persons case ad another case of a Missing family jewelled ring. Dont be put off by the setting. This is not a Tolkien spoof, or a second rate Harry Potter. The characters are really well drawn, there is a mineful of humour.

The tale can also be seen as an allegory for our modern world, where class distinction and racial background are raising their problematic heads again.

No spoilers here, but if you like detective books with a twist, this could be for you.

[KMT · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this enormously and, having read the more recent The King of Elfland's Little Sister, I was once again amazed at how the author manages to think up so many characters and locations and so cleverly pulls the threads together of such a complicated plot. I cannot really do more than repeat my review of the second book: Humorous in part and certainly fantastical, this is nevertheless ultimately a regular detective story, and in short, is a spiffing read and one I recommend wholeheartedly. I maybe enjoyed this one a little more than the later book, but both books are excellent, underlined by the fact that, unlike most books I read, I am keeping these to read again sometime when I have forgotten most of the content! I hope another one is on the way!

[Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Homage to Classic PI Stories

Overall a great story with brilliant verbiage, characters, tone, editing, and environment. I’d love to read more stories with the same lead. The only downsides (for me) were that the similes did get a bit overwhelming in a few spots, and the larger issue was that the mystery reasons themselves were a hard to follow. The plot and scenes were quite good; perhaps I just need to read it through again.

In any event, it’s a very fun read, very rich and well done, and I definitely do recommend it.

[Erth · Rating 4 out of 5]

now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.

The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.

i would highly recommend this author and this book.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pulp novel with a twist

Detective Strongoak is a classic gumshoe. He's hard boiled and seen it all but he does have a proclivity for fine clothes. He is also a Dwarf. This is a great whodunnit where the characters are a mix of races; Elves, Dwarves, Goblins, Gnomes and the like.

[C Patrick Daily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it, though it took me a while to really get into it. I'd read another if it comes to it.

[Susan Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great funny book

I enjoyed this book. The author did a good job of mixing in a detective story in with dragons, castles and elves.

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

[Thebookiemonster · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this. If it weren't such a frivolous read, I'd give it the life-changing 5 stars. It's my favorite detective novel, even rivaling Raymond Chandler's stuff.

[Ayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

The race relation stuff was a bit heavy-handed, but all in all a quick amusing read!

[Jaq Greenspon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Former guard turned PI Nicely Strongoak is a dwarf in an elf's world. Okay, not just elves. There's also imps, ogres, tree folk, goblins, humans and various other high fantasy book mainstays. As the book opens, Nicely gets involved in a case whereby the ex-boyfriend of a girl who works down the hall from his office has gone missing. And a high class dame from the right side of the tracks comes downtown to hire Nicely to recover a stolen ring. Then there's the surf elves (like surf nazis but with pointed ears - no seriously) and exiled royalty and it all culminates with an elf in the passenger seat of Strongoak's vehicle who happens to have an ax buried deep in his skull (The "Dead Elf" of the title).

From there, things really go off the rails. There are plots and subplots, dead ends and dark alleys. There are racial issues and monologues about evolution. And a dragon because, well, dragon.

This is all well and good but, like most detective stories these days, everything is actually interconnected and convoluted to the point of absurdity. Terry Newman, who evidently came to writing after a career as a biologist and has this published via an open door contest, is making sure every single idea he's ever had is thrown into the mix. Oh yeah, the book is also supposed to be funny. Considering Newman is allegedly making his primary income as a comedy writer, this would seem a no-brainer except it's not. It's barely amusing.

One of the problems seems to be that Newman really doesn't understand the genre he's parodying beyond a weekend marathon of Peter Jackson films. This book proves the axiom "it's all in the execution," reading like someone who had a clever idea (it is clever) but had absolutely no idea how to turn it into an actual book. Being a scriptwriter does not qualify one to write prose - they are different art forms and should be treated as such.

Character wise, there are too many to keep track of, especially when none of them, especially the major ones, are distinctive. Ironically, Newman imbues his minor characters with distinguishing speech patterns and nuance so they actually become what you remember and not the primary at all. Even our hero, Nicely Strongoak is wishy washy. We get a bit of his background but with almost all of his relationships (particularly with the three female leads) we're told what we're supposed to think about the actions and then none of Strongoak's reasoning makes much sense.

One of the big complaints being leveled at the eBook market is that the publishers treat it like a bastard stepchild. The assumption is that for whatever reason the consumer doesn't care as much about the end product as those who buy physical books. Or maybe, there's a downsizing happening in editorial offices. Either way, I'm actually glad to have read "Terry Newman is one of 15 authors signed up by major fantasy publisher Harper Voyager after an open submissions fortnight" on Newman's own website. I'm glad because what it says to me is Harper Voyager was doing some kind of a stunt and not terribly invested in the outcome. This is good because there was absolutely no editorial hand visible in this book. Forget someone to guide the first time novelist through the rough patches of 500 page story-telling, there are grammar and syntax errors which are unforgivable. It felt like they took the manuscript as was, decided it was "good enough" and slapped a mediocre cover over a bland title and moved on to the next of the 15 books. Of course it's bad in that I kept looking to make sure it wasn't self-published, which would have explained a lot.

In the end, it's not a horrible book, but it's not good, either. If there wasn't so much sex and adult situations (and with some judicious editing) Detective Strongoak might have made a good YA. If the plot had been more coherent and either the fantasy or noir genres been more studied, it could have been a clever send up of either or both. As it stands, it's just... meh.

[Jason LaPier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicely Strongoak is a private eye in the heart of a complex city of humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, goblins, and the occasional pixie. The novel is humorous, as you may expect, but more interestingly than that, it toys with the tropes of both fantasy and hard-boiled detective fiction. It does this so well in fact that you may find yourself predicting the plot based on known tropes, only to have it yanked away into a different direction, becoming a true blend of classic and fresh narratives.

The city - a ringed citadel, which segregates the inhabitants into races and classes - is a prime example of setting as a character. It's inhabitants stretch the full range of society underneath its structures and walls are permeable depths, both metaphorically and physically. Strongoak walks - and drives - these streets and more as he juggles three independent cases (which may or may not be interconnected). Though the anthropology and architecture is Tolkien-style fantasy, the technology and geology is more reminiscent of hard-boiled-style 1940s California. This allows Strongoak to drive a car and use a phone in order to track down men, elves, gnomes, and wizards alike, and at the same time allows for absurdities like Surf Elves (because we've seen what Legolas can do on his feet - just imagine what he could do on a surfboard, and it only seems natural that some elves would take to this dexterous watersport).

All in all, the world that Newman creates for us is rich and full, right down to touching on issues of politics and race relations. Nicely Strongoak is a captivating narrator and protagonist who is balanced with strengths and - ah - shortcomings, and best of all is downright funny when he needs to be. Any fan of fantasy and (more importantly) detective fiction should give Dead Elf a read.

[Harper Daily · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title really grabs you here, and the book matches its description. Basically a slightly humorous fantasy noir parody, with hints of mystery novel and notes of good old British humorists like Terry Pratchett. Good book!

[Bill Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books in the genre called mash-up fiction are tough to judge. Detective Strongoak and the Case of the Dead Elf falls into that category. In terms of structure, it is an LA noir detective story complete with a lead character that gets knocked out on a fairly regular basis. There is at least one femme fatale and one missing piece of jewelry and one dead elf. The lead character thinks to himself a lot as he is driving across town.

The fantasy elements of the story are more or less the veneer laid over the detective story. Detective Strongoak is a Dwarven detective who used to be on the city guard before getting a badge that lets him work as a shield-for-hire. He questions wizards and scribes and goblins and a gnome or two but the flavor is always that of a detective yarn. Except for a fairly long info drop where someone explains the origins of every race in the fictional world. That goes on long enough to remind you of the worst of that kind of expository world-building.

The characters are charming and engaging and there is suspense built as the plot unfolds, but there is a self-awareness to the prose that forces some of the fantasy elements. A good read, but flawed.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Private detective Nicely Strongoak goes about his day until he is asked to investigate the case of a missing surfer. The case seeming easy enough turns into a whirlwind of mystery and murder. The book which is a mishmash between LOTR, mystery noir, humor and thriller takes readers to a fantasy world filled with colorful characters.

While, investigating the missing surfer, Perry Goodfellow, is thrown into a chaotic world filled with murder, death, fire, drugs, magic and goblins. He awakens after one of his investigations next to a murdered elf with Nicely's weapon engraved into his skull. With death knocking on every door, Nicely must navigate the sticky world of politics while making sure he's not next.

The mysterious thriller is tinged with jokes and wildly creative characters that takes the reader for a wild ride. It is a quick read but can be a bit wordy at times. A great read for anyone who likes fantasy books or who has a soft spot for private eye dwarfs!

[Katherine Harbour · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Tolkien's Elves and Dwarves were placed in a mystery noir novel, it would probably be as crazily entertaining as this. The scene in the labyrinth with the dragon alone...

In the modern city of Widergard, Nicely Strongoak is a Dwarf and a detective. When an Elf he's made friends with is killed, Nicely is drawn into a complicated conspiracy involving surf Elves, a bombshell femme fatale, and the good girl Elf Thelen. With little details such as Dragonette cars, a band called The All-Star Syncopated Gnome Home Jump Band, and a thuggish, Tony Soprano-like Goblin called Petal who wants to be human, the worldbuilding is rich. It reminded me of Terry Pratchett and Raymond Chandler. It also made me think of Terri Windling's YA Bordertown series. A fun and charming read narrated in the first person by Nicely himself.

[Nathan Garrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

If someone were to go looking for proof that genre tags were useless, they might at some point come across Detective Strongoak and the Case of the Dead Elf. This book is a cross of "traditional" fantasy and hard-boiled noir mystery. D&D meets L.A. Confidential.

While most mash-ups rely soley on the novelty of their chaotic premises, the author manages to actually craft a compelling tale. It's a bit tongue in cheek, giving plenty of humorous nods to cliches and tropes, and never takes itself too seriously. The swaggering, self-deprecating, coffee-addicted, private eye dwarf is the perfect embodiment of everything this novel stands for.

If you're looking for a break from the grim and the dark and want something funny and fast paced, Detective Strongoak and Case of the Dead Elf will not disappoint.

[Corey Dutson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read, if a bit winding in spots. Can't say I read a lot of noir-inspired stuff, but this was fun. Really had that gumshoe vibe throughout the whole thing. I enjoyed the blend of 'modern' life in the citadel (read: city) versus the old times that the reader would associate with traditional fantasy.

The characters felt well-defined and though a few were fairly 2-dimensional, they don't detract from the rest of the main cast. I noticed a couple spots where the author got a new word or phrase in his head, and would use it far too often. Pixie Farts, as an example.

Found the near ending exposition (which is always so common in noir works) felt very deus ex machina. Lot of things just dumped on the reader to process and accept in a very small window. Probably the weakest point in the whole novel.

Fun book, easy read.

[Donald · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was exactly what I wanted to read in a book of this genre. Great characterization, a lot of edge-of-seat situations, a good plot, and a lovely intelligent and humourous style. The first 5 or so pages were a trifle dense with allusions but the book settled down to a lovely story about a dwarf (Master Detective Strongoak) who is employed to solve a missing case and a missing jewel case at the same time by two very delectable young ladies ... of whom we hope to hear more. Many an adventure, many elves, many conundrums, lots of gripping danger, all set in a rather different version of the present here. Maybe it will turn out to be prophetic?

I can not wait to read the next and the next and the next volumes and I hope some of the lovely characters we were introduced to hear will re-appear soon.

A great novel.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strip away the setting, and this is kind of a ho-hum detective novel. But what a setting! Imagine Middle Earth, about 700 years after the end of the Return of the King. But not just that. It's 1930s Middle Earth. This is a 1930s Middle Earth noir detective story. It sounds totally insane. It's a premise that should have crashed and burned, but it really works.

Like I said, the actual whodunit plot is pretty blah - I didn't really feel any urgency in the "who stole the Hardwood emerald" mystery. And the weird little evolutionary biology plot twist at the end didn't do a lot for me.

For the plot itself, I would have given this book 3 stars, maybe even 2. But the concept and execution is worth an extra star.

[Melissa C · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more. It falls into an all too common trap--it wants to be too many things. It tries too hard to be funny, noir-ish, full of political intrigue, and fantasy, and it ends up being a mishmash. It's too self conscious and ultimately overdone. All of the "mysteries" the detective takes on end up being connected, which is typical for detective stories, but they seem connected by coincidence rather than a plausible or logical chain. It even has Tolkien's Eagles-style dues ex machina near the end. It was moderately interesting, so I kept on until the end, but if I had a paper copy rather than it being the thing open every time I turned on my Kindle, I might not have finished it. Just sort of an "eh" for me, despite some interesting world building.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pleasure to read! Funny, engaging characters in a steampunk-ish world that just keeps getting better the longer you read. It is like Guy Noir in steampunk fantasy. The first few pages I thought I was going to hate this -- come on, a Dwarf Guy Noir, with Elves, Gnomes etc? But I plowed on and was quickly won over. Admittedly, it is occasionally hard to follow the plot twists, but not in a bad way. There is much racial commentary in the social structure of this world - Nicely deplores it but he also practices it himself, sometimes in the same sentence. The book was smart, funny and very escapist. I loved it.