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Softboiled
Calli Westbrook is a failure. Well, maybe she’s not a failure, but her amazing private eye themed business certainly is. All she wants to do is tuck her fedora under her arm, retreat to suburbia, and lose herself in a cozy mystery. Instead, she comes home to find her girlfriend in the arms of another woman.
Now sleeping on the couch in the office she can no longer afford, Calli’s luck takes a turn when a strange woman offers cash to sublet a room. But when the new tenant suddenly vanishes, Calli finds herself catapulted into a real-life mystery.
Enlisting the help of a motley crew of friends, neighbours, and a vagabond cat, Calli is on the case, discovering, perhaps for the first time, what she is truly made of.
From the back alleys and rooftops of Victoria’s historic Chinatown to the stormy waterfront, Softboiled is a wild and rickety bike ride full of danger, daring, drones, friendship, typewriter repair, and a quirky cast of characters you won’t soon forget.
Now sleeping on the couch in the office she can no longer afford, Calli’s luck takes a turn when a strange woman offers cash to sublet a room. But when the new tenant suddenly vanishes, Calli finds herself catapulted into a real-life mystery.
Enlisting the help of a motley crew of friends, neighbours, and a vagabond cat, Calli is on the case, discovering, perhaps for the first time, what she is truly made of.
From the back alleys and rooftops of Victoria’s historic Chinatown to the stormy waterfront, Softboiled is a wild and rickety bike ride full of danger, daring, drones, friendship, typewriter repair, and a quirky cast of characters you won’t soon forget.
237 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 20, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 8, 2022
My Quick Take: This graphic novel was a warm and charming take on a detective story, with cozy mystery vibes.
Thanks to the author and publisher Black Rose Writing for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I’ve just finished reading Softboiled, Victoria BC-based author Lisa Maas’ second graphic novel. The book is set in Victoria in October, with rainy-grey days, and rainy-dark nights. It was fun to see the Victoria setting, as I grew up there! Maas' first book, Forward (2018), was selected as an ALA Stonewall Honor Book in 2019, given for outstanding works in LGBTQIA+ literature.
In Softboiled, main character Calli has a failing private-eye-themed business that she has to close: not enough tourists lining up to play amateur detective, so not enough money to pay the rent. She feels like a failure. As a last ditch effort to avoid eviction, she sublets one of her office rooms to a writer, who disappears. Mystery ensues, and Calli finds herself taking on the role of a real amateur sleuth with the help of a wonderful cast of friends and family.
I am pleased to report that I can wholeheartedly recommend this graphic novel! It is one of a few stories I’ve read this year that give me “warm hug” vibes, and that immersed me in the story fully. From the first chapter, I very much liked the main character Calli, and sympathised with her. She is having one very, very bad day and you know that there is nowhere to go but up. I enjoyed getting to know her, and also her fantastic group of friends, each of whom stands out with their own personality. As side characters, they were well-drawn and really cared, always ready to help. For that matter, the Victoria community in and around Chinatown also played host to a group of engaged businesses and friendly shopkeepers. This is what I mean about a warm hug. The tone was community minded and friendly.
That said, there were some baddies, and there was a mystery to solve. It kept me engaged and I didn’t guess the ending, but I also wasn’t trying very hard. For me, the mystery was certainly a fun aspect, but it was the frame on which to develop the real action, which was getting to know Callie and her friends. They are a diverse cast of characters, with queer and trans representation, and there’s a bit of romance too. I liked the gumshoe aesthetic, and though the story is set in the present, there were some neat anachronisms that lent a noir atmosphere: typewriters are ubiquitous, and there’s a reel to reel tape recorder. Kind of strange, but I liked it!
The dialogue felt genuine and real, and Calli’s responses to the situations she comes up against were logical and familiar: true to life. That said, despite her occasional bouts of self-doubt, I think she may have more gumption than me. Let’s just say you’ll not see me jumping into boats in choppy seas in the dark of night! Little details also made me laugh. At one point if you look for it, there’s a funny fortune cookie that predicts, “The greatest danger could be your stupidity.” Words to live by.
The art shone! Part of my enjoyment of the book was the beautiful panels. I loved the colour palette, which showcased muted, cool, creamy colours with rusty reds and desaturated greens and yellows. Colour varied with the scene and helped create mood and atmosphere, with occasional bursts of bright pink and purple. The shading and lines were very expressive rather than clean-cut and precise, which I thought embodied the cozy mystery theme. Maas has used acrylic ink on watercolour paper, and all the art is hand painted and lettered.
So if you’re in the mood for an afternoon or two for an escapist, cozy, warm-hug detective story with rainy fall vibes, curl up with a cup of tea and a fuzzy sweater and enjoy Softboiled.
Thanks to the author and publisher Black Rose Writing for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I’ve just finished reading Softboiled, Victoria BC-based author Lisa Maas’ second graphic novel. The book is set in Victoria in October, with rainy-grey days, and rainy-dark nights. It was fun to see the Victoria setting, as I grew up there! Maas' first book, Forward (2018), was selected as an ALA Stonewall Honor Book in 2019, given for outstanding works in LGBTQIA+ literature.
In Softboiled, main character Calli has a failing private-eye-themed business that she has to close: not enough tourists lining up to play amateur detective, so not enough money to pay the rent. She feels like a failure. As a last ditch effort to avoid eviction, she sublets one of her office rooms to a writer, who disappears. Mystery ensues, and Calli finds herself taking on the role of a real amateur sleuth with the help of a wonderful cast of friends and family.
I am pleased to report that I can wholeheartedly recommend this graphic novel! It is one of a few stories I’ve read this year that give me “warm hug” vibes, and that immersed me in the story fully. From the first chapter, I very much liked the main character Calli, and sympathised with her. She is having one very, very bad day and you know that there is nowhere to go but up. I enjoyed getting to know her, and also her fantastic group of friends, each of whom stands out with their own personality. As side characters, they were well-drawn and really cared, always ready to help. For that matter, the Victoria community in and around Chinatown also played host to a group of engaged businesses and friendly shopkeepers. This is what I mean about a warm hug. The tone was community minded and friendly.
That said, there were some baddies, and there was a mystery to solve. It kept me engaged and I didn’t guess the ending, but I also wasn’t trying very hard. For me, the mystery was certainly a fun aspect, but it was the frame on which to develop the real action, which was getting to know Callie and her friends. They are a diverse cast of characters, with queer and trans representation, and there’s a bit of romance too. I liked the gumshoe aesthetic, and though the story is set in the present, there were some neat anachronisms that lent a noir atmosphere: typewriters are ubiquitous, and there’s a reel to reel tape recorder. Kind of strange, but I liked it!
The dialogue felt genuine and real, and Calli’s responses to the situations she comes up against were logical and familiar: true to life. That said, despite her occasional bouts of self-doubt, I think she may have more gumption than me. Let’s just say you’ll not see me jumping into boats in choppy seas in the dark of night! Little details also made me laugh. At one point if you look for it, there’s a funny fortune cookie that predicts, “The greatest danger could be your stupidity.” Words to live by.
The art shone! Part of my enjoyment of the book was the beautiful panels. I loved the colour palette, which showcased muted, cool, creamy colours with rusty reds and desaturated greens and yellows. Colour varied with the scene and helped create mood and atmosphere, with occasional bursts of bright pink and purple. The shading and lines were very expressive rather than clean-cut and precise, which I thought embodied the cozy mystery theme. Maas has used acrylic ink on watercolour paper, and all the art is hand painted and lettered.
So if you’re in the mood for an afternoon or two for an escapist, cozy, warm-hug detective story with rainy fall vibes, curl up with a cup of tea and a fuzzy sweater and enjoy Softboiled.
June 9, 2023
Fast, fun graphic novel!
November 28, 2022
It was incredibly charming to read a graphic novel set in the city where I live.
I thought going into this that it was historical fiction, but given the opening, I'm sure you can understand my mistake. I enjoyed seeing thr mystery unravel through the hard work of this group of friends. I talk about this book in this wrap up video.
I thought going into this that it was historical fiction, but given the opening, I'm sure you can understand my mistake. I enjoyed seeing thr mystery unravel through the hard work of this group of friends. I talk about this book in this wrap up video.
December 13, 2022
3.5 rounded up
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Soft Boiled is the second graphic novel by Lisa Maas and is a treat for readers young and old. There’s a mystery to solve, but the real story centers around the protagonist, a down-on-her-luck gal we can all relate to.
•
The plot is engaging, the characters are interesting, and the artwork fits perfectly with the noir vibes. The representation is wonderful, something I’m used to from this author and love to see. This would be a great story for a parent to read with their child to prompt discussion around sex and gender without getting into details that might be too explicit for younger ages. It’s also a great book for any teen or adult to curl up with on a rainy afternoon.
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I appreciate the copy of this ebook for my honest review.
•
Soft Boiled is the second graphic novel by Lisa Maas and is a treat for readers young and old. There’s a mystery to solve, but the real story centers around the protagonist, a down-on-her-luck gal we can all relate to.
•
The plot is engaging, the characters are interesting, and the artwork fits perfectly with the noir vibes. The representation is wonderful, something I’m used to from this author and love to see. This would be a great story for a parent to read with their child to prompt discussion around sex and gender without getting into details that might be too explicit for younger ages. It’s also a great book for any teen or adult to curl up with on a rainy afternoon.
•
I appreciate the copy of this ebook for my honest review.
May 15, 2023
Graphic novel that works
Well, sorta. I admit I'm not a big fan of the genre, but the teaser on Amazon convinced me to try. Caveats: a big slow download, even on 5G. On my Kindle Fire's 7 inch screen it was almost unreadable. I had to download again on a tablet with a 9 inch screen to make it legible. The instructions for viewing did not work as given in the intro, on either Kindle or Android, but I was able to turn pages and read. The story and characters are delightful, even the prickly parts. The art is good too, though it took my old eyes a bit of time to adapt. Still a delightful change of pace and a good mystery with a solid wrap up. I may have to look for more.
Well, sorta. I admit I'm not a big fan of the genre, but the teaser on Amazon convinced me to try. Caveats: a big slow download, even on 5G. On my Kindle Fire's 7 inch screen it was almost unreadable. I had to download again on a tablet with a 9 inch screen to make it legible. The instructions for viewing did not work as given in the intro, on either Kindle or Android, but I was able to turn pages and read. The story and characters are delightful, even the prickly parts. The art is good too, though it took my old eyes a bit of time to adapt. Still a delightful change of pace and a good mystery with a solid wrap up. I may have to look for more.
November 13, 2022
A very engaging queer detective story!
Enjoyed it so much. The art was beautiful and the characters were interesting.
Would definitely recommend!
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eArc of their book in exchange for my review!
Enjoyed it so much. The art was beautiful and the characters were interesting.
Would definitely recommend!
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eArc of their book in exchange for my review!
November 16, 2022
Give me all the graphic cozy mysteries please and thank you! I adored this!
May 15, 2023
Fun read
This is only the second illustrated book I’ve read, as an adult. I really enjoyed it. Storyline and graphics. Splendid!
This is only the second illustrated book I’ve read, as an adult. I really enjoyed it. Storyline and graphics. Splendid!
October 25, 2023
I didn't love the art but the story is great.
November 1, 2022
Thank you to the author for the gifted copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Looking for a sapphic, diverse gumshoe good time? This may be the graphic novel for you! We follow Calli who has been running a now failed private eye business and is figuring out what to do next. She experiences several obstacles, some hope, and gets pulled into a mystery. Calli can't help but use her private eye passion to try and solve this mystery.
I loved the cast of characters and their relationships. There were typewriters, pining, friendship, and a great cat! It was also great to see Victoria's Chinatown as the backdrop for this story. The moments where Calli is working and just living her regular life are well-balanced with the build-up of the mystery. I was just happy to be carried along since I wanted Calli to succeed. Calli's involvement made sense as well. I read Softboiled very quickly and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
The art is great. Maas used acrylic ink but diluted it to create the softness and effect of watercolour while maintaining stronger colours. I found the character design unique and liked the different perspectives of many frames that kept scenes dynamic and interesting.
There is a slight HP reference in terms of a side character's nickname brought up once.
I will definitely check out the author's other work, Forward, which was a winner of the ALA Stonewall Honor Book 2019.
Looking for a sapphic, diverse gumshoe good time? This may be the graphic novel for you! We follow Calli who has been running a now failed private eye business and is figuring out what to do next. She experiences several obstacles, some hope, and gets pulled into a mystery. Calli can't help but use her private eye passion to try and solve this mystery.
I loved the cast of characters and their relationships. There were typewriters, pining, friendship, and a great cat! It was also great to see Victoria's Chinatown as the backdrop for this story. The moments where Calli is working and just living her regular life are well-balanced with the build-up of the mystery. I was just happy to be carried along since I wanted Calli to succeed. Calli's involvement made sense as well. I read Softboiled very quickly and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
The art is great. Maas used acrylic ink but diluted it to create the softness and effect of watercolour while maintaining stronger colours. I found the character design unique and liked the different perspectives of many frames that kept scenes dynamic and interesting.
There is a slight HP reference in terms of a side character's nickname brought up once.
I will definitely check out the author's other work, Forward, which was a winner of the ALA Stonewall Honor Book 2019.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews