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Going Concerns
People from across the empire come to the cosmopolitan city-state of Raneadhros to find new lives. After fleeing a past employer she’s sure tried to have her killed, though, Ann Swift’s having trouble starting when you’re a six-foot-six wolf woman, it’s hard to convince people you just want a quiet job as an accountant. When Gibson Scava, a brash feline detective investigating the very employer she’s trying to get away from, barges into her life to get her to work a case with him, it gets even harder.
As assassins show up at her doorstep and the Ranean Guard takes a dim view of her “interference,” Ann needs to decide just much she can trust the flirtatious Gibson—and just how much she’s willing to embrace the Big Bad Wolf stereotype she’s been fighting against her whole life.
Set in a world of Victorian engineering, low magic, and human and animal races, this mystery/comedy in the vein of Moonlighting was nominated for a Cóyotl Award.
As assassins show up at her doorstep and the Ranean Guard takes a dim view of her “interference,” Ann needs to decide just much she can trust the flirtatious Gibson—and just how much she’s willing to embrace the Big Bad Wolf stereotype she’s been fighting against her whole life.
Set in a world of Victorian engineering, low magic, and human and animal races, this mystery/comedy in the vein of Moonlighting was nominated for a Cóyotl Award.
- GenresFantasy
123 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 4, 2016
3 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Watts Martin
16 books36 followersWhen not designing spacecraft AIs, racing to stop terrorists, or romancing werewolves, Watts Martin writes stories for fun and documentation for a living. (Which is, for the record, often still fun.) Most of Watts's stories involve anthropomorphic animals, which may be why they've been nominated for multiple Coyotl and Ursa Major Awards. In addition to the short story collection Why Coyotes Howl and the Coyotl-winning novella Indigo Rain, you can find other works by Watts in anthologies including Inhuman Acts, Five Fortunes, and The Furry Future, and magazines including New Fables and Heat. Watts's first novel, Kismet, was released in early 2017.
Watts's writing, including several free stories, is available at Coyote Tracks.
Watts's writing, including several free stories, is available at Coyote Tracks.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 19, 2016
Captivating, entertaining, excellent characters with both fun and horrifying interplay.
Protagonist Annie is a tall and striking wolf who just wants to lead a quiet life as an accountant, dedicating her free time to reading. Unfortunately for her, adventure and danger seem to just follow her around. Perhaps it is because she is scrupulously honest and can't resist trying to right the apparent crooked bookkeeping of her employers. When the police won't listen, she quits her job and moves a long distance in an effort to avoid reprisals. It doesn't work, though. When a hired killer armed with a crossbow appears at her door, she realizes she must see the campaign to trap the wrongdoers through to the proper conclusion. Aided by an unorthodox feline police officer, she sets out to do just that.
They find secrets much more horrifying than just a little embezzlement or money laundering, though, and the stakes are quickly escalated.
No spoilers here. Read the story and find out what happens. It is both serious and humorous, often at the same time. The author's clever use of language and wit kept me reading even late at night.
With luck, we'll see some more of Annie Swift and her newfound friends.
Protagonist Annie is a tall and striking wolf who just wants to lead a quiet life as an accountant, dedicating her free time to reading. Unfortunately for her, adventure and danger seem to just follow her around. Perhaps it is because she is scrupulously honest and can't resist trying to right the apparent crooked bookkeeping of her employers. When the police won't listen, she quits her job and moves a long distance in an effort to avoid reprisals. It doesn't work, though. When a hired killer armed with a crossbow appears at her door, she realizes she must see the campaign to trap the wrongdoers through to the proper conclusion. Aided by an unorthodox feline police officer, she sets out to do just that.
They find secrets much more horrifying than just a little embezzlement or money laundering, though, and the stakes are quickly escalated.
No spoilers here. Read the story and find out what happens. It is both serious and humorous, often at the same time. The author's clever use of language and wit kept me reading even late at night.
With luck, we'll see some more of Annie Swift and her newfound friends.
July 8, 2016
Very entertaining. I enjoyed Annie's character, someone who desires to be respected for their mind, not their brawny nature and questionable skills. Almost like the opposite of Mr. Incredible from the Incredibles.
The real gem of this story though is the interaction between the main character and her sidekick Scava. The banter had me laughing at multiple points, and when the two are together I can't help but smile. The story's mystery didn't much for me, but that humorous back-and-forth earned it the four stars. I certainly want to see more of these characters, and more of Martin's writing.
The real gem of this story though is the interaction between the main character and her sidekick Scava. The banter had me laughing at multiple points, and when the two are together I can't help but smile. The story's mystery didn't much for me, but that humorous back-and-forth earned it the four stars. I certainly want to see more of these characters, and more of Martin's writing.
September 5, 2016
This is a nice bite-sized mystery for those who enjoy stories that involve anthro characters.
The real draw for me is the characters. The protagonist Annie is a very likable lead, and her interactions with other characters is very enjoyable to read. Author Watts Martin is good at writing banter.
The plot isn't anything spectacular, but it doesn't really need to be. The mystery itself is fine and has an eerie twist that I enjoyed, but is otherwise unremarkable. Though I appreciated that it wasn't overly exaggerated like some mystery stories tend to be.
I haven't read any of the author's other works, so I'm not familiar with the fictional world he's created here. As a new reader, I managed to catch on to the general gist of what the world was about, although when the characters would casually mention gates to other worlds I was left scratching my head. Now a story like this doesn't need to explain all the technicals, especially if these concepts are explored in the authors other stories, but be prepared to come in with an open mind to just accept these things since it is a fantasy story (apparently some people can't even accept that there are 'animal people' in the story).
Another thing about this world is that different animals species have different names, and the author uses these names to describe them. To be fair he also uses the animals actual species name too, but then there are parts where he uses both, and its all very confusing sometimes. I kinda wish there was an appendix.
But other than that, I wouldn't mind reading another story with these characters, if the author ever makes them. And maybe I'll check out his other stories too!
The real draw for me is the characters. The protagonist Annie is a very likable lead, and her interactions with other characters is very enjoyable to read. Author Watts Martin is good at writing banter.
The plot isn't anything spectacular, but it doesn't really need to be. The mystery itself is fine and has an eerie twist that I enjoyed, but is otherwise unremarkable. Though I appreciated that it wasn't overly exaggerated like some mystery stories tend to be.
I haven't read any of the author's other works, so I'm not familiar with the fictional world he's created here. As a new reader, I managed to catch on to the general gist of what the world was about, although when the characters would casually mention gates to other worlds I was left scratching my head. Now a story like this doesn't need to explain all the technicals, especially if these concepts are explored in the authors other stories, but be prepared to come in with an open mind to just accept these things since it is a fantasy story (apparently some people can't even accept that there are 'animal people' in the story).
Another thing about this world is that different animals species have different names, and the author uses these names to describe them. To be fair he also uses the animals actual species name too, but then there are parts where he uses both, and its all very confusing sometimes. I kinda wish there was an appendix.
But other than that, I wouldn't mind reading another story with these characters, if the author ever makes them. And maybe I'll check out his other stories too!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews