Ghostcrime

by Christian DeWolf

Welcome to Magnetifax, Nova Scotia's newest futuristic municipality. With a serial killer on the loose and someone abducting Metal People (robots -- but don't call them that to their faces), it seems like Detective Stebbins' day can't get any worse. But the clues to a grisly murder spell out 'Ghost', and Stebbins realizes he's going to have to watch his back -- unless he's just losing his grip on sanity.

In this spine-chilling crime-thriller-comedy, follow the investigation of the Magnetifax Police Department as they square off against costumed murderers, ghost experts, obstinate technology and adorable raccoons, on the way to uncovering a mystery that goes all the way to the top. But it's not just any crime they're out to stop -- it's GHOSTCRIME.

253 pages, Paperback

Published October 30, 2015

Reviews

[Dane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admit it. You wanted to read this book as soon as you saw the title. Yeah, I use double spaces after periods. Deal with it.

I will include a caveat right now that I know the author. And though I have considered signing up for this site before it was the chance to support a friend that pushed me to join. I did think that maybe I could be one of those people that gains fame and notoriety for their Goodreads comments. That's a thing that happens, right?

I assure you, I don't consider my rating biased or erroneous. I genuinely enjoyed this book and plan to re-read it soon. You would need to know me but 're-play-ability' is my ideal for any entertainment I consume. If I want to read, watch, play, or listen to something over again (and even over and over and over) that's my benchmark. And I really do want to read this again. Both because I enjoyed it and because I feel I missed out on some things. There's a lot going on and that's not a criticism.

What's that? I should say something about the book and stop talking about me? I stand by my comment that this book work is worth reading based on the title alone. Here's a bullet list of things that if you like should convince you to get your own copy:

- Mystery/intrigue
- Brandy (the liquor not the singer/actress, nor the hit song by Looking Glass)
- Robots
- Ghosts (obviously)
- Sandwiches
- Those terrifying plague doctor masks
- Mirth units
- Snappy dialogue
- Great gags
- Car chases
- The singer Dar Williams (she has nothing to do with this book but as my favourite singer I'm always looking for new ways to foist her on people)
- Computer programming
- Richly imagined worlds

Speaking of 'richly imagined worlds', this story takes place in a city called Magnetifax: a futuristic floating city hovering above the real city of Halifax, Nova Scotia. There are some in-jokes related to this, which from context any reader will understand but possible not truly 'get'. I don't think this diminishes the book in any way but possibly makes it extra appealing to those who live here.

If you stuck with my comments this far you may be wondering why I haven't said much about Ghostcrime? And the simple fact is I don't want to spoil anything. A proper review necessitates explaining plot-points and stylistic nuances and I don't want to do that. I want you to know that I enjoyed reading this book. And I will enjoy it the next time I read it. And the next.

[Michelle Proulx · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book. The author has a brilliant and mysterious sense of humor--jokes sneak into the story at the most unlikely places, so you sometimes laugh out loud as you're reading, then stop, realize you don't know why you laughed, re-read the passage, remember why you laughed, laugh again, re-read it a third time, discover there are even more layers to the joke, then laugh even harder. I'm admittedly not a huge fan of mysteries, but when reading this book I didn't even care that I disliked the genre--it's that good.

The story follows the adventures of a delightfully down-on-his-luck police detective and his attempts to stop a mysterious masked individual who's roller-skating around the streets of Magnetifax (futuristic Halifax) killing people. Then you add a vengeful ghost and his robot -- sorry, "person of metal" -- into the mix, and things just get ridiculous. And I mean that in the best possible way.

It's weird, it's wacky, and it's wonderful. 5 stars!

[C.L. Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read a book like this one. It's hilarious in a quirky, unexpected kind of way. The third person narration is always making subtle digs at the protagonist. The futuristic society that DeWolf envisions is satirical and oddly believable.

Until I read this book, I never thought that I could read two pages of computer code and end up laughing.

Read this book if you like black comedy, science fiction, and satire.

[Peter Moreira · Rating 4 out of 5]

DeWolf writes with a rare gusto and unique style. He begins with a unique premise (a ghost and robot conspiring together) on builds it up into his own little futuristic world. He is able to bring out a lot about this world with little effort, and the plot twists are thoroughly entertaining.

[Lady Jane Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Made me laugh so many times, and the Halifax in jokes killed me.