A Stitch in Crime

City of Devils #4

by Justin Robinson

Assembled from the corpses of six women, Jane Stitch is haunted by impulses she can’t control and memories that aren’t hers. When she returns to her hometown to solve the mystery of her creation, she finds herself drawn unwillingly into a war between rival gangs of monsters for control over the patch of desert she once called home. Her creator, the only one who knows where she came from, has an agenda of his own and it doesn’t include helping Jane put to rest the ghosts of her past lives. In the desert, among thundering herds of giant ants, in the shadow of a frozen blob, Jane is determined to solve the riddle of herself. Or die trying.

414 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 16, 2020

About the author

Much like film noir, Justin Robinson was born and raised in Los Angeles. He splits his time between editing comic books, writing prose and wondering what that disgusting smell is. Degrees in Anthropology and History prepared him for unemployment, but an obsession with horror fiction and a laundry list of phobias provided a more attractive option.

Reviews

[Kate Sherrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a beta reader on this and then received an ARC from the publisher to blurb. It may well be Robinson's best in this series, maybe even overall. I love the belief in his world that let him expand it beyond the series' titular city and the bravery that went into writing not only a monster protagonist but also a female monster protagonist with a harrowing back story that doesn't rely on the usual tired "how a woman gets strong" tropes to make her believable and sympathetic. Jane Stitch, meat golem, has a quest as unusual as she is and explores a world you won't find anywhere else (rantches! ) . The video game industry should be all over these books. They would be an endless joy to play!

[Clarissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read my full review at FANBASE PRESS.

Excerpt: "The most important takeaway from A Stitch in Crime for me is my affection for Jane. I can’t wait to hear from her again. She is a fascinating anomaly in a world at complete odds with itself. She has started down a very interesting road of self-discovery, and knowing the imaginative places Robinson is capable of going, it should be a very entertaining trip."

[Kevin Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first of the City of Devils books not from Nick Moss' perspective, and it reveals that monsters have troubles, too.

Jane Stitch is a meat golem -- one woman assembled from the parts of many others, and given life through an alchemy of electricity and mad science. Something bad happens just before the book starts, and she feels that she needs to discover who she is. Who she was. Who was her.

She returns to the backdesert Arizona town where she was created, only to remember why she left in the first place. Her creator is actively unhelpful, and she is caught up in a war between (giant ant) rantchers -- mutants on one side, and headless horsemen on the other.

The only way out is through, and that way lies anger, anger and pain, anger and pain and self-discovery. Even six dead women can have a heart-pounding, near-death series of adventures and revelations.

[Ry Herman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The narrative shift from Nick Moss to Jane Stitch represents not only a change for the City of Devils series, but a step up to another level for Justin Robinson as a writer. This is, at least in my opinion, the finest book he's written yet, and I was already a fan. While retaining his trademark humor and inventiveness, he adds layers of depth to this one that really makes it shine.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting latest book in the series, lots of neat new characters

Will buy the next book in the series for sure.

[James Pronath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keep 'em coming!

[H.L. Cherryholmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

City of Devils is an incredible series and, although a bit different from its predecessors, A Stitch in Crime is a wonderful addition. Not only wonderful but my favorite in the series (so far!). I loved that it took a step away from the city of City and opened up the world that Mr Robinson has so deftly created. Jane Stitch, the protagonist, is a monster and this is the first time (I'm pretty certain) we've been given access into the inner life of one. She's as complex as all the parts that make up her body - more so, actually. And even though this story doesn't take place in Los Angeles the reader learns more about what happened to turn it (and the rest of the world) into the City of Devils. What really stood out for me, though, was how much heart is in this story. It was surprisingly moving. I very, very much look forward to her return. Bring on Book 5!