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Lower City: A Novel
From a bold new voice in crime fiction, Lower City blends the gritty realism of S.A. Cosby with the page-turning pulse of Louise Penny.
It’s October 2025 and Hamilton, Ontario is a city on edge—job insecurity, rising rents, and polarization combine in dangerous ways. When a series of abductions plunges the city into chaos, an unsuspecting hero a young steelworker struggling to find his place in the world.
At twenty-six years old, Danny Clarke’s greatest concerns the Blue Jays World Series run, maintaining a friendship with his ex-girlfriend (and definitely not vying to win her back), and becoming a good man—or at the very least, figuring out what that means. In other words, he mostly cares about himself.
On a crisp October evening, during his break at the plant, Danny witnesses the abduction of Braden Steel CFO Jonathan Lean, his hands and feet bound as he’s dragged out of the office by three masked kidnappers. Capitalizing on the existing social tension in the city, the criminals begin terrorizing Hamilton, abducting one person per day in a twisted mission to form “the perfect family”—a play on Braden Steel’s motto, “Strong as steel, strong as family.” Jonathan will be the father, with more family members to follow, people whom the kidnappers blame for the city’s misfortune.
The criminals flood social media with harrowing images and clips of the hostages designed to go viral, and Danny and his two cousins, Priya and Kabir, can’t look away. As paranoia and panic take hold of Steeltown, the Clarke trio race to find the kidnappers and stop them before they can fulfill their ominous threat of making an example of their “family.” Galvanized by a newfound sense of purpose, Danny stops watching life from the sidelines and steps up to take responsibility for himself and others. Because, as he will learn, the only way to save the day is to grow up.
By turns riveting and refreshingly warmhearted, Lower City captures contemporary Canadian life and illuminates the importance of community, connection, and compassion in increasingly divisive times.
It’s October 2025 and Hamilton, Ontario is a city on edge—job insecurity, rising rents, and polarization combine in dangerous ways. When a series of abductions plunges the city into chaos, an unsuspecting hero a young steelworker struggling to find his place in the world.
At twenty-six years old, Danny Clarke’s greatest concerns the Blue Jays World Series run, maintaining a friendship with his ex-girlfriend (and definitely not vying to win her back), and becoming a good man—or at the very least, figuring out what that means. In other words, he mostly cares about himself.
On a crisp October evening, during his break at the plant, Danny witnesses the abduction of Braden Steel CFO Jonathan Lean, his hands and feet bound as he’s dragged out of the office by three masked kidnappers. Capitalizing on the existing social tension in the city, the criminals begin terrorizing Hamilton, abducting one person per day in a twisted mission to form “the perfect family”—a play on Braden Steel’s motto, “Strong as steel, strong as family.” Jonathan will be the father, with more family members to follow, people whom the kidnappers blame for the city’s misfortune.
The criminals flood social media with harrowing images and clips of the hostages designed to go viral, and Danny and his two cousins, Priya and Kabir, can’t look away. As paranoia and panic take hold of Steeltown, the Clarke trio race to find the kidnappers and stop them before they can fulfill their ominous threat of making an example of their “family.” Galvanized by a newfound sense of purpose, Danny stops watching life from the sidelines and steps up to take responsibility for himself and others. Because, as he will learn, the only way to save the day is to grow up.
By turns riveting and refreshingly warmhearted, Lower City captures contemporary Canadian life and illuminates the importance of community, connection, and compassion in increasingly divisive times.
- GenresMystery
Audible Audio
Published September 8, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 26, 2026
A 3.5 rounded up.
An examination of contemporary social issues disguised as a thriller. The book is set in Canada, but readers based in other Western countries dealing with the threat of the extreme right will easily relate.
When the paper mill closed in his hometown in the west, Dan moved to Hamilton, ON, to live with relatives. His uncle, active in the steel union, was able to get Dan a job on the night shift. Dan struggles with finding his way in modern Canada, in light of the cost of living, tariffs, and a changing sociopolitical world. He wants to be a better man and tries his best. One night on his 2 a.m. lunch break, Dan witnesses a kidnapping. He reports the crime to his shift boss and to the police and thus is at least peripherally involved.
Meanwhile, we readers have already met the kidnappers. Each has their own idea of why they have come together to make a statement to the city. They aren't friends, but they are united in their feelings of being left behind by the rich and powerful. Some mourn the loss of white male privilege, some blame immigrants for their dwindling job prospects, and some resent what they believe are nepo babies.
The novel juxtaposes the backgrounds, beliefs, hopes, and motivations of the criminals to those of Dan and the people in his life. As a kind of third sphere, we have the police. Spring does a great job at showing different sides of contemporary life. At the same time he has written a pretty good thriller, as we follow Dan in his quest to find answers, both to the crime and to his own personal journey.
This is one of those books that grows on you and that you'll continue to think about after you finish reading. I think it's particularly powerful because it's set in Canada, which drives home the universal nature of at least some of today's issues. This is a novel I'm recommending to my friends.
The book rotates through different perspectives, which helps bring the characters into focus. The cast is diverse (for example, Dan's cousins are part South Asian and there's an LBGTQ+ couple), and not everyone is likeable. In addition, the print book uses design elements to signal different means of communication, like text messages, voice memos, and hand-written notes.
On the other hand, if you're an audiobook person, don't miss the full-cast production of the novel. It's really excellently done. One person performs the narrative text, while more than a dozen other voice actors take on the dialogue. Honestly, perfectly performed with no weak links. Each person's voice was consistently delivered and was appropriate for the character. And, even better, there were no sound effects. The audiobook does not mimic a radio drama, so there's no distractions from the story, the author's style, or the build up of suspense. The audiobook is terrific.
Thanks to Random House of Canada Audio (via Libro.fm) and Random House Canada for review copies in audio and print.
An examination of contemporary social issues disguised as a thriller. The book is set in Canada, but readers based in other Western countries dealing with the threat of the extreme right will easily relate.
When the paper mill closed in his hometown in the west, Dan moved to Hamilton, ON, to live with relatives. His uncle, active in the steel union, was able to get Dan a job on the night shift. Dan struggles with finding his way in modern Canada, in light of the cost of living, tariffs, and a changing sociopolitical world. He wants to be a better man and tries his best. One night on his 2 a.m. lunch break, Dan witnesses a kidnapping. He reports the crime to his shift boss and to the police and thus is at least peripherally involved.
Meanwhile, we readers have already met the kidnappers. Each has their own idea of why they have come together to make a statement to the city. They aren't friends, but they are united in their feelings of being left behind by the rich and powerful. Some mourn the loss of white male privilege, some blame immigrants for their dwindling job prospects, and some resent what they believe are nepo babies.
The novel juxtaposes the backgrounds, beliefs, hopes, and motivations of the criminals to those of Dan and the people in his life. As a kind of third sphere, we have the police. Spring does a great job at showing different sides of contemporary life. At the same time he has written a pretty good thriller, as we follow Dan in his quest to find answers, both to the crime and to his own personal journey.
This is one of those books that grows on you and that you'll continue to think about after you finish reading. I think it's particularly powerful because it's set in Canada, which drives home the universal nature of at least some of today's issues. This is a novel I'm recommending to my friends.
The book rotates through different perspectives, which helps bring the characters into focus. The cast is diverse (for example, Dan's cousins are part South Asian and there's an LBGTQ+ couple), and not everyone is likeable. In addition, the print book uses design elements to signal different means of communication, like text messages, voice memos, and hand-written notes.
On the other hand, if you're an audiobook person, don't miss the full-cast production of the novel. It's really excellently done. One person performs the narrative text, while more than a dozen other voice actors take on the dialogue. Honestly, perfectly performed with no weak links. Each person's voice was consistently delivered and was appropriate for the character. And, even better, there were no sound effects. The audiobook does not mimic a radio drama, so there's no distractions from the story, the author's style, or the build up of suspense. The audiobook is terrific.
Thanks to Random House of Canada Audio (via Libro.fm) and Random House Canada for review copies in audio and print.
dnf-for-now
September 15, 2026DNF at 62%
I was drawn into this novel by its Canadian setting and comparisons to S.A. Cosby, who is maybe my favourite contemporary crime writer. Having visited Hamilton myself, I was interested to see a novel set there. It is a truly unique place, not too far from Toronto, a declining industrial city surrounded by gorgeous nature and on the banks of Lake Ontario. One part I was enjoying about the novel was reading about it from a citizen’s perspective, about the community, their challenges and attitudes, as well as the physical surroundings.
However, me and this book did not get along. I couldn’t get behind the protagonist, Danny: a layperson as the ‘detective’ in a mystery is always interesting, but I just did not find him compelling at all. He spent the good first quarter trying to get his ex-girlfriend back, which just made me see him as kind of pathetic, and his two more headstrong cousins are actually the drivers of the investigation. It did also seem strange to me that the white member of the family would be the protagonist when his cousins—who are south Asian—are a lot more interesting. It seemed as though the author wanted to diversify the cast, but was too afraid to go as far as having a protagonist of colour.
One too many pop culture references also gave me the ick: I always find that being too referential is usually a sign of an unimaginative writer. It was the part where one of the characters invents an AI to help solve the case that I had to stop reading. I’m against AI in the real world anyway, but it also seemed to be a lazy plot device to prevent the characters from having to do much actual investigating. At over halfway through the novel, I didn’t feel like the investigators had gotten any further than the average person could through research.
There are probably readers out there who will like this whose tastes differ from my own. But myself, I’ll be sticking to Cosby.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Canada for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was drawn into this novel by its Canadian setting and comparisons to S.A. Cosby, who is maybe my favourite contemporary crime writer. Having visited Hamilton myself, I was interested to see a novel set there. It is a truly unique place, not too far from Toronto, a declining industrial city surrounded by gorgeous nature and on the banks of Lake Ontario. One part I was enjoying about the novel was reading about it from a citizen’s perspective, about the community, their challenges and attitudes, as well as the physical surroundings.
However, me and this book did not get along. I couldn’t get behind the protagonist, Danny: a layperson as the ‘detective’ in a mystery is always interesting, but I just did not find him compelling at all. He spent the good first quarter trying to get his ex-girlfriend back, which just made me see him as kind of pathetic, and his two more headstrong cousins are actually the drivers of the investigation. It did also seem strange to me that the white member of the family would be the protagonist when his cousins—who are south Asian—are a lot more interesting. It seemed as though the author wanted to diversify the cast, but was too afraid to go as far as having a protagonist of colour.
One too many pop culture references also gave me the ick: I always find that being too referential is usually a sign of an unimaginative writer. It was the part where one of the characters invents an AI to help solve the case that I had to stop reading. I’m against AI in the real world anyway, but it also seemed to be a lazy plot device to prevent the characters from having to do much actual investigating. At over halfway through the novel, I didn’t feel like the investigators had gotten any further than the average person could through research.
There are probably readers out there who will like this whose tastes differ from my own. But myself, I’ll be sticking to Cosby.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Canada for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 26, 2026
Thank you Librofm for the free review copy.
Lower City by Alex Spring is a crime fiction novel. It is the first book of the Danny Clarke series.
I did not particularly enjoy this story. My favorite parts of it include: 1. It’s narrated by a full cast. And, 2. I’m finally finished with it. *Sigh.*
I was really looking forward to a good crime fiction audiobook with a full cast. And the full cast is definitely the best thing going for this audiobook. There are a lot of characters so the full cast really helps to understand who’s who so you can understand what is happening while you listen.
I have a list of things I didn’t like that’s too long to mention and I’m not trying to include any spoilers. That being said, the main premise of this is unionized and blue collar workers railing against *all* of the powers that be and somehow the author also throwing a good bit of politicized opinions into it too. So, I was already annoyed by that. Coupled with fairly unlikable characters and a plot that brings no solution to the original unhappy laborer theme, what even are we doing here? And don’t get me started on how proud everyone is of Danny, the 26 year-old “rudderless boy”, for somehow finding a purpose through all of this that was indistinguishable to me.
This one is a miss for me for many reasons, however, the narration is quite good. The performances by the full cast really add to each character and make each one distinctive while listening. As much as I disliked the actual storyline, the narration was good enough to keep me listening to the end.
Lower City by Alex Spring is a crime fiction novel. It is the first book of the Danny Clarke series.
I did not particularly enjoy this story. My favorite parts of it include: 1. It’s narrated by a full cast. And, 2. I’m finally finished with it. *Sigh.*
I was really looking forward to a good crime fiction audiobook with a full cast. And the full cast is definitely the best thing going for this audiobook. There are a lot of characters so the full cast really helps to understand who’s who so you can understand what is happening while you listen.
I have a list of things I didn’t like that’s too long to mention and I’m not trying to include any spoilers. That being said, the main premise of this is unionized and blue collar workers railing against *all* of the powers that be and somehow the author also throwing a good bit of politicized opinions into it too. So, I was already annoyed by that. Coupled with fairly unlikable characters and a plot that brings no solution to the original unhappy laborer theme, what even are we doing here? And don’t get me started on how proud everyone is of Danny, the 26 year-old “rudderless boy”, for somehow finding a purpose through all of this that was indistinguishable to me.
This one is a miss for me for many reasons, however, the narration is quite good. The performances by the full cast really add to each character and make each one distinctive while listening. As much as I disliked the actual storyline, the narration was good enough to keep me listening to the end.
September 23, 2026
A lot of promise in this one but unfortunately missed the mark by the end. Felt like we were working towards something that just fell flat. Sort of like the characters in the book, I wasn't sure why we were doing what we were doing.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Once we get into the actual crime though, it is a good story. Hamilton often feels on edge, like something is about to happen despite very little happening here. Lower City is set in the industrial area as prices rise increasing homelessness, job losses and more. Danny appears to be white but his family are not and deal with the racial tensions in the city and especially industry. Danny has a lot of growth. The book starts with him mostly wanting the Jays to win and find out what went wrong with his relationship with Sam, his ex girlfriend.
The group abducting people want to return to what they think is the ideal life their grandparents lived in the city, when people were closer, jobs were plentiful and life was more affordable (and the city was whiter for some of them). It shows the impact of manosphere and hate groups in cities when they no longer thrive. Especially important as Hamilton suffers in the tariff war and move away from heavy industry.
I would have liked to see a little more from the victim's side of the abductions, it was like they didn't really exist and no one really talked about why they were chosen. It was just 'people' got abducted and more about the masks. Plus some of the fallout but it mentions that this is a new series so maybe it will be covered in book 2. I also enjoyed Priya more than Danny or Kabir so hopefully she can take more of a lead in a future book.
Also, you are reliving the World Series in this, game by game. So be ready for that heartbreak again.
Thanks to Random House Canada for the advance copy for review through Netgalley.
The group abducting people want to return to what they think is the ideal life their grandparents lived in the city, when people were closer, jobs were plentiful and life was more affordable (and the city was whiter for some of them). It shows the impact of manosphere and hate groups in cities when they no longer thrive. Especially important as Hamilton suffers in the tariff war and move away from heavy industry.
I would have liked to see a little more from the victim's side of the abductions, it was like they didn't really exist and no one really talked about why they were chosen. It was just 'people' got abducted and more about the masks. Plus some of the fallout but it mentions that this is a new series so maybe it will be covered in book 2. I also enjoyed Priya more than Danny or Kabir so hopefully she can take more of a lead in a future book.
Also, you are reliving the World Series in this, game by game. So be ready for that heartbreak again.
Thanks to Random House Canada for the advance copy for review through Netgalley.
October 1, 2026
I quite enjoyed this thriller! It’s set quite close to home, in Hamilton, so I was somewhat familiar with the location, but even more so, the issues addressed in this book. I love that we got to relive the Blue Jays World Series run from last year, and Spring does an excellent job of incorporating many of the issues that Canadians were facing… the absurd tariffs, the breakdown of the Canadian-American political relationship, the growing anger and disappointment of many towards the blasé attitude of the government in the face of struggling to afford life… these are the catalysts of the events that unfold in the book.
Danny Clarke starts off as an unlikely hero, but his character growth throughout the story is admirable. At the beginning, I found his need for answers from others and overt attempts to improve his life a bit off putting; it seemed like he was waiting for life to change without actually putting much of the work. However, this definitely changes as he witnesses the first kidnapping and begins to investigate with his cousins.
I always love when positive familial relationships are depicted, and this one has quite a few: Danny and his cousins and aunt and uncle, Danny and his mom. I also appreciate that his cousins are biracial, half South Asian, with South Asian names; Canada is multicultural, so to see this represented on the page is fantastic. Also, Danny is self-aware enough to know that his cousins have faced struggles he can’t relate to simply because of their mixed race identity. The cousin dynamic was really heartwarming, and never have I related more to a character when it’s revealed that Priya loved Nancy Drew mysteries as a child and used to read two of them in a day!
There are a lot of intertwined stories here, and while I did suspect many of the reveals, I think the subplots came together really nicely in the end. Overall, a timely and gripping thriller!
Huge thank you to Random House Canada for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
Danny Clarke starts off as an unlikely hero, but his character growth throughout the story is admirable. At the beginning, I found his need for answers from others and overt attempts to improve his life a bit off putting; it seemed like he was waiting for life to change without actually putting much of the work. However, this definitely changes as he witnesses the first kidnapping and begins to investigate with his cousins.
I always love when positive familial relationships are depicted, and this one has quite a few: Danny and his cousins and aunt and uncle, Danny and his mom. I also appreciate that his cousins are biracial, half South Asian, with South Asian names; Canada is multicultural, so to see this represented on the page is fantastic. Also, Danny is self-aware enough to know that his cousins have faced struggles he can’t relate to simply because of their mixed race identity. The cousin dynamic was really heartwarming, and never have I related more to a character when it’s revealed that Priya loved Nancy Drew mysteries as a child and used to read two of them in a day!
There are a lot of intertwined stories here, and while I did suspect many of the reveals, I think the subplots came together really nicely in the end. Overall, a timely and gripping thriller!
Huge thank you to Random House Canada for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 3, 2026
Set in Hamilton, Ontario, during a period of rising costs and threatened steel jobs, we follow Danny, a young steelworker who witnesses the kidnapping of his company’s CFO. When more influential people are abducted, Danny and his cousins, Priya and Kabir, get drawn into figuring out what is happening and trying to stop it.
Hamilton’s industrial history, the decline of those industries, the trade war, and the changing city all feel important, not just like a backdrop. The story also gets into racial tensions, resentment, and the appeal of looking back at an imagined version of the past when life seemed more secure.
I found Danny interesting. He starts out feeling lost and disconnected, but his experiences force him to stop watching from the sidelines and take responsibility for himself and the people around him. His growth gives the thriller a strong individual component alongside the larger events unfolding in the city. That said, Priya was my favourite, and I found it to be engaging throughout with a strong sense of place. I'm curious and excited to see where book 2 will go!
Thank you @randomhouseca & Alex Spring for the #gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Hamilton’s industrial history, the decline of those industries, the trade war, and the changing city all feel important, not just like a backdrop. The story also gets into racial tensions, resentment, and the appeal of looking back at an imagined version of the past when life seemed more secure.
I found Danny interesting. He starts out feeling lost and disconnected, but his experiences force him to stop watching from the sidelines and take responsibility for himself and the people around him. His growth gives the thriller a strong individual component alongside the larger events unfolding in the city. That said, Priya was my favourite, and I found it to be engaging throughout with a strong sense of place. I'm curious and excited to see where book 2 will go!
Thank you @randomhouseca & Alex Spring for the #gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A bit of social commentary on a hero's journey? Sign me up.
At first, it wasn't exactly what I thought it would be and it took me a bit to warm up to Danny Clarke because at first glance he felt like a big manchild and he kinda is but that is the point as we see him grow up as the story progresses and that was very nice to experience.
I think my favorite part is how it leans a bit on industrial towns in late-stage capitalism with a frustrated population and how that will cause unrest and people willing to do about anything to rectify that sentiment of unfairness BUT also how that's not exactly the motivation and more like a justification for something darker and self-serving.
It's definitely a good entry crime novel for those starting in the genre, the writing flows well and the characters are compelling enough to complement the plot and so is the underline message that we must know and participate in our community.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
At first, it wasn't exactly what I thought it would be and it took me a bit to warm up to Danny Clarke because at first glance he felt like a big manchild and he kinda is but that is the point as we see him grow up as the story progresses and that was very nice to experience.
I think my favorite part is how it leans a bit on industrial towns in late-stage capitalism with a frustrated population and how that will cause unrest and people willing to do about anything to rectify that sentiment of unfairness BUT also how that's not exactly the motivation and more like a justification for something darker and self-serving.
It's definitely a good entry crime novel for those starting in the genre, the writing flows well and the characters are compelling enough to complement the plot and so is the underline message that we must know and participate in our community.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I got this from Netgalley because of the SA Cosby comparison. Having read it, I don't think it's a useful comparison so readers might want to know that.
Lower City falls somewhere between literary and crime fiction, without really committing to either. The characters aren't quite developed enough to be good literary fiction (particularly how the criminals got that way and there is also too much telling and not enough showing) and the crimes don't build much sustained tension for a thriller (the kidnappings are very frightening but the writing undercuts this by adding an aside or changing scene quickly.)
The plot mixes a traditional steel plant community with modern social media, and it felt like some parts of the book were set in the seventies and other parts literally today. This was the most interesting part of the book for me, but overall, taken as a more literary endeavour the social commentary lacked any insight beyond the obvious. There is potential in this book, but the balancing act between social awareness and thrills didn't quite work for me this time.
Lower City falls somewhere between literary and crime fiction, without really committing to either. The characters aren't quite developed enough to be good literary fiction (particularly how the criminals got that way and there is also too much telling and not enough showing) and the crimes don't build much sustained tension for a thriller (the kidnappings are very frightening but the writing undercuts this by adding an aside or changing scene quickly.)
The plot mixes a traditional steel plant community with modern social media, and it felt like some parts of the book were set in the seventies and other parts literally today. This was the most interesting part of the book for me, but overall, taken as a more literary endeavour the social commentary lacked any insight beyond the obvious. There is potential in this book, but the balancing act between social awareness and thrills didn't quite work for me this time.
September 3, 2026
3.75⭐️
A gritty dive into Steeltown. Jobs being cut, industry closing down and people at their wits end, culminates in a story of folks who decide that instilling fear is a way to incite change.
Having lived in Hamilton lends an added sense of entertainment when you see the places you know reflected. I loved the “mountain lion” moniker and recognizing truth within these pages.
It was fun reliving the Blue Jays run for the World Series this way and seeing Hamilton make the world news. Parts of that just made me smile. The little bits of reality mixing with the fiction.
I can’t put my finger on exactly why, but I didn’t really lose myself in this story. Maybe the characters weren’t as relatable as I’d wish, I think I liked Priya the best. I likey will pick up the next Danny Clarke story, to see what Hamilton has in store.
A gritty dive into Steeltown. Jobs being cut, industry closing down and people at their wits end, culminates in a story of folks who decide that instilling fear is a way to incite change.
Having lived in Hamilton lends an added sense of entertainment when you see the places you know reflected. I loved the “mountain lion” moniker and recognizing truth within these pages.
It was fun reliving the Blue Jays run for the World Series this way and seeing Hamilton make the world news. Parts of that just made me smile. The little bits of reality mixing with the fiction.
I can’t put my finger on exactly why, but I didn’t really lose myself in this story. Maybe the characters weren’t as relatable as I’d wish, I think I liked Priya the best. I likey will pick up the next Danny Clarke story, to see what Hamilton has in store.
September 14, 2026
This was a gritty, high-tension thriller set in Hamilton, Ontario. Right off the bat I was so intrigued with it being set so close to me and in a city I'm so familiar with.
A young steelworker named Danny takes it upon himself to be the hero when he witnesses the abduction of the steel company's CFO. He and his two cousins play vigilante to try and protect their community.
It took me a bit to connect with Danny, but his growth throughout the story felt genuine and by the end I was fully invested. I loved Priya right away and hope to see more of her as the series continues.
Overall, this story kept me interested, I really liked the writing, and I look forward to reading more of this new series in the future!
(Also, if you're a Toronto Blue Jays fan you'll have to relive the ups and downs of last year's World Series, which was a fun touchstone but does end in heartbreak!😅)
A young steelworker named Danny takes it upon himself to be the hero when he witnesses the abduction of the steel company's CFO. He and his two cousins play vigilante to try and protect their community.
It took me a bit to connect with Danny, but his growth throughout the story felt genuine and by the end I was fully invested. I loved Priya right away and hope to see more of her as the series continues.
Overall, this story kept me interested, I really liked the writing, and I look forward to reading more of this new series in the future!
(Also, if you're a Toronto Blue Jays fan you'll have to relive the ups and downs of last year's World Series, which was a fun touchstone but does end in heartbreak!😅)
September 20, 2026
After the sawmill closed down in Powell River, B.C., 26 year old Danny left to live with his aunt, uncle and cousins in Hamilton, Ontario and to work in a steel plant. On night shift, while outside for his lunch break, he witnesses the kidnapping of one of the bosses. When more kidnappings occur, he and his cousins attempt to solve the crime. This novel occurs in the fall of 2025. The Blue Jays are doing well and there are tariff issues. Danny himself has his own issues and is trying to find a purpose in his life after a breakup. The book also delves into the issue of unrest among people, especially white men, who feel downtrodden and angry. This gives depth to the crime novel. I enjoyed recognizing the real names of places in lower Hamilton.
September 11, 2026
Not my usual genre, this sounded interesting looking at the way that a lot of the world is heading in. The feel of the city was exactly as described, with many people struggling to survive late phase capitalism. The reasons that the criminals had were very varied. Danny had coasted along in his life without really ever taking responsibility, and very fortunately he was more interested in trying to turn this around rather than falling into the red pill traps. After witnessing the first kidnapping he becomes motivated to try to solve the mystery. His cousins and ex were really appealing, and having them solve other cases with Nancy could make a good series. Danny's growth felt very authentic.
October 12, 2026
This was a different type of mystery for me. It took me a little while to get into it, but the full-cast audio definitely helped build excitement and suspense! The Canadian setting drew me in, and I enjoyed learning more about Hamilton. Danny grew on me as the story developed. I appreciated that he often took long walks to process heavy things, and I applauded him for seeking therapy to work through what was keeping him stuck. I loved the relationship he and his cousins shared and rooted for them as they did their sleuthing. The full-cast audio was spectacular, and all the narrators were spot-on!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Great plot and appealing characters, very of the moment with themes of modern masculinity, frustration, and what happens to industrial towns when those industries are no longer thriving. Would love follow ups focused on the different characters especially Priya!
September 27, 2026
Well I am surprised I gave this book a high rating, as I almost didn't keep reading it (via audio book) after about the 10 minutes. But it shortly got a lot better, and ended up being a good read. I am glad I stuck with it.
October 7, 2026
Loved it. Can't wait for the second one. I'm invested in these characters. Hamilton rules.
Read
October 8, 2026This just fell absolutely flat for me.
DNF
DNF
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews