Hornytown Chuztpah

by Andrew Hiller

A comedic noir novella about a demon framed for murder in the Devil's corner of D.C. and the one Dick who might have the Manischewitz to do something about it.

Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Humor, Science Fiction

166 pages, Paperback

Published March 17, 2026

About the author

Andrew Hiller attempted to travel the road least taken only to fall off. Caught in wild currents, he surfaced to find his commentaries selected four times as best of the year on Washington’s NPR station WAMU 88.5 FM, a pair of his plays fill the New York City stage, and an opportunity to act and write with the original Muppets gang in his Cobblestone Documentary series. His first fantasy novel, A Climbing Stock, grew to reach the top 50 on Amazon’s humor best sellers. In between projects, he has taught art in a psychiatric ward, hosted an internationally broadcast science, health, and tech radio program, and reads everything that makes him go “Huh?” or “Ha!” His second novel, A Halo of Mushrooms was released in December 2015.

Reviews

[Nico :)]

Thank you to #NetGalley and Andrew Hiller for my audio arc of this book!

This was so much fun! This book was a rollercoaster of humour from start to finish, and definitely not a book where I have read something similar.

Not only was the story strong with how it followed a new dynamic between demons and humans, it was hilariously and expertly narrated by Hiller himself and his sister.

The story follows Sol as he helps a demon prove herself innocent of a murder she didn’t commit. There’s mystery, suspense, a whole lot of humour, and super soakers.

This is a strong 4/5 for me, not something I would normally pick up but I’m so glad I did!

I really enjoyed the ending too. No spoilers, but I do think we need more detectives working with demons.

[Eve & Rye]

(Review copy courtesy of Atthis Arts, Andrew Hiller, and NetGalley.)

5⭐ (with chutzpah!)

I. Loved. This. Book. And it’s one I 100% recommend on audio. In fact, let’s do something a little unusual (for me!) and start there.

Audio-Specific 🎧: 4 hours, 19 minutes. Performed by brother-and-sister duo Andrew Hiller and Alicia Hiller—which is exactly why I picked it up. I’ve slowed down a bit on review copies, but I couldn’t pass this one up. The idea of a family-produced audiobook? Instantly charmed.

And the story absolutely benefits from having the author read it. The book seemed to be an urban fantasy satire (among other things), but I think a different narrator—or even reading it in print—might have made the tone feel too self-serious. Instead, Andrew Hiller plays it straight and slips in just enough of a wink to let you in on the joke. Perfection!

I will say… twelve hours later, I remember nothing about Alicia Hiller’s performance. That’s not at all meant as a slight. It means she did her job perfectly and blended seamlessly with Andrew. Nothing pulled focus away from the story.

All in all, an EXCELLENT audiobook experience.

NOW! Onto the rest of the review!

This book is hilarious. (Anti-vampire measures, but make them Jewish!) That Super Soaker full of chicken soup which itself was outlawed for being too powerful, too saturated with grandmotherly love? Incredible. The humor is sharp and charming, with some genuinely strong political commentary woven in as well.

I can’t overstate how different my experience was from what the cover led me to expect. I appreciate that the author created it (it’s wacky as hell!) but it reads as unpolished, which just isn’t true of the story itself.

When I say I wish the book were a little longer, I mean that I was enjoying the hell out of it and didn't want it to end, not that anything was lacking. It gets in, tells the story it wants to tell, delivers great side characters, and does it brilliantly. I just didn’t want to leave.

The world doesn’t feel explicitly set up for sequels, but it could absolutely support them. The worldbuilding is rich and inventive, and I’d love to spend more time in it. But even if Hiller never returns to this universe, I’ll be watching for whatever he does next.

Ps. This book gives Who Framed Roger Rabbit? vibes in the best way. No, I will not be elaborating.

📌 TL;DR: A wildly charming read best experienced on audio. So get ready to break out your headphones!

[Lilli]

Hornytown Chutzpah
by Andrew Hiller
Narrated by Andrew Hiller and Alicia Hiller

This novella here was quirky, immersive, and fun. I learned many words… an interesting satire!! I initially started listening and thought 💭 wait what.. but as I moved forward I was intrigued!! Needless to say the cover art was awesome while the title itself pulled me in…
In my opinion author Andrew Hiller put his heart in this and gave us meanings…priceless
….he gave us context to his mind and his thoughts!!!

The Wise Guy Yiddish… ”boychick”= boy

The narration by both Andrew Hiller and his sister Alicia Hiller gave it a personality!!!

I enjoyed this novella it was fun!!


Thank you @NetGalley @Atthis Arts

[FaithfulReviewer (Jacqueline)]

Thank you to Atthis Arts, the author and NetGalley

This is not what I expected it to be...it isn't funny in the slightest. If I'm honest, I found this really difficult to read. Having to look up 3 or 4 words on every page is not my idea of fun. I'ts normal for me to look up a couple of words every few pages but this book raised the bar...and not in a good way.
Couldn't get though more than a few pages before my patience ran out.

It's a big no from me on this one!

#Hornytown #NetGalley

[Vals]

Actual rating: 3.5

A quick detective story set in a branch of Hell here on Earth where a human helps a demon framed for murder, and, meanwhile, delivers a witty and funny commentary on human nature.

Honestly, I didn't know what to expect while reading the first two chapters, because you're thrown in the middle of it all, with characters and setting that are not really explained, and with a heavy presence of Yiddish words that threw me off a bit. I'm glad I kept going since it gets clearer and better: I found myself invested in this fast-paced short story, and by the end I wanted to know more about the characters and this strange version of Hell.

This novella is clever, both in its concept and the language it's written in, and I'd love for it to be longer so I could learn more about the world-building and what goes on in it. Definitely a quick, fun read with witty and on point comments about not just human nature, but also its politics.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity the read and review the ARC of this novella.

[Elizabeth Licht]

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book. This review is unfortunately late due to health issues that popped up unexpectedly. The book opened with a “ten commandments” of Sol, and these were really fun. Loved the use of the Yiddish slang from the start.

I loved the interactions between our main character and Lt. Connors. The familiarity and mutual understanding they had of the other, as well as the candid way Connors spoke about the allegations of the crime leant to the character building subtly. I also enjoyed our main character using his former police experience to help hide Urrie. I also appreciate the manipulation tactics Urrie used to get him to help clear her name once the cops left. The use of both physical evidence and his religious beliefs made it more interesting than if she had only blackmailed him. I do wish the eventual explanation of what Hornytown is had been earlier in the story because it would have made it easier to follow some of the conversations in earlier chapters.

I love the care that the characters we are introduced to in Hornytown have for Sol. The puppet had an odd appearance, but it was used for comedic effect in a way that didn’t bother me. I also loved the sexuality positivity that the author included.

The ending third of the story was a good time and included a lot of references to other religions and spiritual practices in addition to the Jewish references. It wasn’t the most revolutionary plot, but it included takes on sin, religion, morality, and inner growth. Was a great time and would recommend to a wide range of readers, especially those not very experienced with noir stories. The glossary of terms included was also done with humor, which was a nice touch.

[Leann]

Hornytown Chutzpah was short - it got in and out while telling a great story.

I did feel a little confused at first, like I was dropped into the middle of a book or a middle of a series. At the same time, that same feeling meant that the action happened starting on page one and dragged the reader - or listener in my case - along with our main character.

I really enjoyed this, and the narrators were fantastic.

[Elisa Weiss]

Sol Weiss used to be a cop, but now he's just a dick (the private eye kind). When Urrie shows up at his office accused of murdering the mayor of Hornytown (the outskirts of hell where humans can indulge in all the sins they want, with all kinds of demons there to help them along), Sol is pulled back into the chaos and excitement of his former life, armed with a super soaker full of Manischewitz (Jews don't believe in holy water).

This book is weird in the best way. It's so over the top ridiculous, with just the right amount of Jewish tradition and humor. I gave this 5 stars not because it's the greatest piece of literature ever written, but because I just had so much fun listening to this story. The author and his sister are the narrators, and they do a vast range of different characters and voices. There were a lot of accents - some of which felt like it detracted from the story just because I wasn't always able to fully understand the words. But they truly brought each unique character to life. They truly immerse the reader in this absolute wild ride.

Thank you to netgalley and Atthis Arts for the advanced listener copy in exchange for an honest review

[Margaret Adelle]

C'mon boychick, we gotta save Hell.

"Hornytown Chutzpah" by Andrew Hiller is a fantasy novella featuring Jewish mythology in a "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" style noir. It follows Sol, a former cop turned private detective who was once the man everyone in "Hornytown" could turn to for help. He's fallen out of the game until a demon pops up in his office claiming she's been framed for the murder of Hornytown's mayor. Which is impossible, as demons can't kill. So Sol finds himself back in his old stomping grounds with water balloons of wine, ready to stumble his way through the case.

I loved the concept and the focus on Jewish mythology. Since bullets don't do anything to demons, Sol uses kosher wine and, at one point, kosher chicken soup made by somene's bubbela as the Jewish stand-in for holy water. There are intriguing concepts around Hornytown and how it actually handles sin. Even the reveal of the mystery itself has a lot to do with Jewish mythology and was a unique twist I wasn't expecting. There's also plenty of surreal characters, like the green puppet poker player. Plenty of delightful oddity to go around.

The biggest downside for me was the extent to which the writing style focused on being funny/clever. I love a unique and humorous voice (I am fully on the "Dungeon Crawler Carl" train) and the noir-style pith mixed with Yiddish were a fun and unique mix. But the narration didn't seem to know when to stop and it often made things going on more difficult to understand. For example, when it was time for a "here's our next step" transition moment, there was more often a pithy one-liner than an actual explanation. Other explanations were equally muddled with sarcastic lines. I had to reread regularly just to find out why there were at that location or what that big reveal actually meant. Even the Yiddish glossary in the back has a joke in every definition. Comedy can overstay its welcome quickly and I wish the narration had pulled back every so often to keep it from becoming overwhelming.

All that being said, I give this book the honor of being placed among the weirdest books I've read. Right up there with alien potatoes trying to take over the planet and sock puppet body horror. Readers looking for the weird will find it here.

[ROLLAND Florence]

Solomon Weiss is a dick. Not as in "asshole", but as in "private investigator". He is also a bar mitzvah dropout who could never figure out how to read Hebrew. What a way to embarrass your family in front of your whole community! He had to be schlepped away by the rabbi. Oy vey.

In short, he is a detective, but not a cop. And he has to investigate on a crime committed in hell. Urrie is a demon, and she has been framed. But why would she kill someone? Demons are all about making people suffer, and death is the end of suffering. It does not make sense.

So, hell is on earth, and the devil has his headquarters in DC. Hornytown is hell, or the suburbs of hell. All kinds of things happen to people there. They get damned and drink a lot of Manischewitz. Jews do not believe in hell, but here we are. If you go to Hornytown, you will be reminded to study your Torah. And if you don't? The Devil is no mensch. You have been warned.

This is a funny, witty novella that will be amazing as an audiobook. Make sure to read the "wise guy guide to Jewish and Yiddish words" at the end (especially if you are not used to Yiddish).

I received this book as an ARC on Rosh Hashanah, while I was sitting in a church basement and trying to entertain children who were high on dates and honey (a surprisingly common Jewish experience, if you live in a country with a very small Jewish community). That was the sign 5786 was going to begin very well. Two days later, I started reading Hornytown Chutzpah and definitely had a lot of fun. Andrew Hiller has a special talent for metaphor - turning the mundane into entertainment by connecting things that have nothing to do with each other.

Thank you Atthis Arts, NetGalley and Andrew Hiller for the advanced reader copy. I am really looking forward to the audiobook, and hope it is read by a narrator with a New York Jewish accent.

Now you can go back to boring, normal life. Make sure to top it with a glass of Manischewitz on Friday evening. L'chaim!

[Christiane Knight]

This was a Hell of a book!

I don't usually read noir-styled stories, but I do love funny and I adore rich worldbuilding that makes a story feel fresh. Hiller delivers this worldbuilding aptly while turning relentless humor on the cliches and shticks of the noir genre.

We're thrust immediately into the action when Wise-Guy Sol, a private dick, finds a demon--a succubus, to be exact--in his office, playing up the femme fatale bit to the most as she asks for his help in clearing her name. See, she's been accused of murdering the human Mayor of Horneytown--a little corner of Hell that popped up one day in Washington DC, which feels accurate--and she needs her name cleared. She thinks Sol is the only one who can help her. He's not so sure he wants to go back to Hornytown, where he has a lot of history, both good and bad. But being a mensch [even though he might question being called that] he takes on the job and leads us through a vivid and twisting romp that's surprisingly deep and emotional.

I love the liberal use of Yiddish in Sol's narration throughout the story! If you're not versed, there's a helpful guide to Yiddish and Jewish words in the back of the book, all helpfully explained by Sol. [which is delightful!] To be honest, I didn't even realize it was there until I finished because any words I didn't know were quite easy to pick up in context. It added to the overall worldbuilding in an immersive and fun way.

Also worth mentioning is the way that Hiller uses [and playfully makes fun of] noir tropes and what people expect to be worthy of Hell without falling into stereotypes. It's all done with a deft hand and a lot of respect, and I truly enjoyed reading it. This story is non-stop funny, but it's got plenty of depth. I'll definitely be giving this a re-read in the future.

Highly recommended!

[R.L.]

This was pretty fun and funny, provided you don’t really care too deeply about the word soup of Yiddish, Hebrew, and Jewish terms and how they’re used. A lot of that simply didn’t make sense, but it also didn’t take away from this fast-paced detective noir comedy novella and the plot, which was pretty solid. Sol is a private dick plucked straight out of a Mel Brooks movie and plopped into Hornytown, a piece of hell appropriately located alongside Washington DC, where he is helping a succubus clear her name of a murder, using Manishevitz (inexplicably) and Matza Ball Soup. The beginning of the book was a bit confusing cuz you’re thrown right in (I felt like I was reading a part of a series but I missed the first book) but I finally got my bearings about a third of the way through. Lots of word play, which I love, though the puns and constant witticisms did kind of get old after awhile. Still a pretty fun, not so long listen, and I love that the author and his sister worked together on the reading this audiobook.

Thanks to NetGalley and AtThisArts for the ARC of this book!

[Carrie Gulledge]

I genuinely wanted to love this one but unfortunately this just doesn't appeal to my normal sense of humor. This is 100 percent the type of book I love to listen to in audio form and I firmly expected to enjoy it on the same level as I enjoyed books like Dungeon Crawler Carl and How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying. This just wasn't like those at all - I often found myself struggling to understand what the author was saying, why it was humorous and what the point was. And I didn't enjoy the audio version at all - I'm sure some people will love the author narrating this book himself but it just didn't work for me. I DNF'ed very early in.

**I received an ARC of the audiobook from Netgalley**

[Elle McPhee]

this was a fun and fast read that hits all the classic noise beats. we have a feme fetal, run down detective and lots of one liners that made me laugh.
the audiobook is narrated by the author and his sister who really bring it to life. it's always nice to hear the story how the author intended it.
overall I'd recommend this book as a lighthearted, funny, and quick read

[Loni Spilberg]

I don't usually read books in this genre, but it was a fun, weird, noir-styled novella. Being Jewish and having lived outside of Washington, D.C., I appreciated all the Yiddish and the references to my old hometown. It alternates between slapstick humor and biting commentaries on human nature. Silly and poignant.

[Caleigh]

I like the style of this book, i think it was very clever and fun to read. The audiobook was fun to read, I like the various voices and everything about the audiobook. I think it was a nice short read and I enjoyed how clever and fun it was.

[Rita Spilberg]

This was a weird book. The Yiddish took me back. I loved it. I don't normally read books like these but the story kept surprising me and I kept liking it more and more. Hiller is funny and heartfelt simultaneously. I don't know how he does it but I'm really glad he did!

[Doug Dluzen]

Hornytown was such a fun read! Great mix of humor, adventure, mystery noir, with an awesome infusion of religion and fantasy. I think Andrew hits a great balance of escapism with some nods to the current state of our world, especially in D.C. Pick it up and enjoy and get ready to laugh.

[T.J.]

This book was good took some following for me loved the mix of mythical creatures and detective and humorous light all together.

[E.D.E. Bell]

I love this book, couldn't be prouder to be its editor, and look forward to many more capers.

[Sarah]

3.5 ⭐️
This is outside of the normal genre of books that I read but I do not regret it. It was very unique and entertaining. I had a fun time while listening to this audiobook. The story well thought out and well paced. I loved the characters and their different personalities. The narrators were amazing! I loved the way they portrayed every character so differently and it really added to the story. If you are going to pick this book up then I highly recommend choosing the audiobook!

Thank you so NetGalley and Atthis Arts for the ALC.

[Lisa Davidson]

I read this on my kindle and then I listened to the audiobook while I was driving for work. And, well. I enjoyed the print and I think it's an original story that felt nostalgic because of the callbacks to detective noir. But the author and his sister narrate the audiobook and it's so excellent I was grinning the whole time I was listening to it. Thank you NetGalley for letting me read and listen to this, because I had a terrific time

[Geoffrey Hill]

The humor is first rate with a lot of references to D.C. and our politics. For those who think D.C. is a cesspool, this book will leave you chuckling. If you're looking for a description for the book, imagine a murder who done it with a demon as a potentially innocent suspect. She convinces an older detective to take a case he should know better than to accept and the romp through Washington begins...

[Steph]

3.5/5 🌟

An urban fantasy noir/detective novella with a Yiddish twist.

It’s not really my sort of thing but I overall I enjoyed it.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.