Bullets and Black Magic

by Matthew X. Gomez, Ran Scott (Illustrator)

Blake is a thief, and a good one. He's a specialist, acquiring rare old tomes and occult artifacts for those that can afford to pay him. But his latest heist goes sideways when his patron turns up dead and more than a few things that go bumb in the night turn out to be after the book... and Blake's head.

Blake's got a few tricks up his sleeve, however, and some friends he can turn to. The question is though... will it be enough?

96 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 30, 2022

Reviews

[Scott Cumming · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hesitate to fully class something as pulp given the connotations of the word, but Gomez melds noir and the supernatural masterfully delivering a novella that feels like reading a comic book rather than presenting itself as a fusty piece of literature.

Blake is charged with finding a book for Solomon, a pawn shop broker with a penchant for the exotic and mysterious. Blake robs a vampire to get it and its merely the tip of the iceberg with this one.

It's endlessly entertaining filled with great characters including the first they/them I think I've encountered in fiction of this type and chock full of action involving monsters and those daring to call upon Gods.

It's shocking to me this doesn't have a few more ratings as Gomez is top class at melding a noir style with more fantastical elements.

[Joe Ortlieb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the honor of reading this as a beta last year. When the physical copy came out I knew I needed it. It's just as good if not better a 2nd time around. It's an action packed joyride fueled by magic. With a touch of gore thrown in for good measure. It's a read I think will be enjoyable no matter how many times it's reread.

[Coy Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick 90 minute read that follows a thief-for-hire named Blake through a world of occult noir. Gomez handles the noir elements with sharp prose and descriptions that land like jabs. The occult elements really make this unique world come to life. Vivid characters, excellent dialogue, and a plot that swings into action on page one. Highly recommended.

[Edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Action packed urban fantasy

This was a fun fast paced urban fantasy thriller. Pulp fiction at its finest. I sincerely hope Gomez writes more in this world or at the very least gives us a full blown epic fantasy tale.