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S.C.P.D. #0
The Case of the Claw
The great metropolis of Super City is the home of dozens of costumed Spectacular Man, the Terrific Trio, the Bruiser, the Superior Six, and more. This isn't their story... When the heroes are done punching out the villains, it's left to the stalwart men and women of the Super City Police Department to restrain them, arrest them, and hope that this time there's enough evidence to actually convict them. SUPER CITY POLICE DEPARTMENTTHE CASE OF THE CLAW The mutated spree killer known as the Claw has returned, leaving bloody victims all over Super City. While Homicide detectives try to find out who the Claw really is, uniformed officers must deal with the Bolt's escape from the drunk tank, and the bumblings of aspiring hero Knight Dude. Meanwhile, the Superior Six claim they'll cooperate with the police and stop the Claw—but they're busy fighting the Brute Squad and stonewalling the cops. The SCPD must find out the Claw's deadly secret, before he claims another victim!
- GenresSuperheroesFantasyCrime
280 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2011
4 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 26, 2017
SCPD: THE CASE OF THE CLAW by Keith Decandido is an excellent work that I wish I'd known about earlier. The reasons are three fold. The first is that I'm a fan of Keith Decandido's writing with things like his work in Star Trek and World of Warcraft being ones I've often enjoyed. The second is that I was a big fan of Gotham Central which this series superficially resembles. Readers of both my reviews and novels will also know I'm a huge fan as well as producer of prose superhero fiction.
SCPD, for those unfamiliar with it, is a series chronicling the activities of the Super City Police Department. The Case of the Claw was published by Crossroad Press and seems to predate Super City Cops, which is a series following the same characters and universe but is a separate trilogy. Confused? Eh, that's just how the system works sometimes. In any case, I'll be picking up the later due to my extreme enjoyment of this volume.
The premise for the novel is Super City is basically a kind of City of Heroes-esque universe in that superheroes are bright, colorful, and famous but not entirely a part of the day-to-day lives of your average citizen. While they're dealing with alien invasions, Dimension X, and other matters--the regular police are still dealing with things like muggers as well as pimps. Worse, the regular police also have to follow up every one of the superheroes' cases as well as investigate the supervillains with none of the credit.
This comes to a head with the return of a mass murderer named the Claw, who has a history of being a spree killer in the city. The superheroes are remarkably tight lipped about this one and have closed ranks, which makes the cops suspicious even as the body count keeps piling up. Our protagonists are the gumshoes and flatfoots of the SCPD. The Homicide and Narcotics Detectives who walk the beat where folk like Spiderman or Superman exist. It was a great idea in Gotham Central and it's a great idea here.
The protagonists occasionally verge on stereotype but in superhero comics, that's not necessarily a bad thing. They're meant to be familiar archetypes of police officers and the casual mixture of 70s Dirty Harry-esque cops with 80s-esque buddy comedy cops as well as modern techno-savvy ones makes it feel like an electic mix you'd find in Metropolis or Gotham City.
I saw the twist with the Claw's identity coming from a mile away but that's due to my familiarity with the tropes of comic books. It wasn't the "truth" of his identity which was the point either but how the various characters reacted to it. You could tell how disappointed and shocked some of them were by the discovery. That kind of emotional beat is rare enough in the superheroes genre and all the better here.
In conclusion, this is a great book for those who love superhero novels and something I recommend to people who enjoy taking advantage of prose fiction. In this universe, superheroes and villains can die or change or be disgraced forever. It's not limited by the conventions of the unlimited comic publishing cycle and all the stronger for it.
9/10
SCPD, for those unfamiliar with it, is a series chronicling the activities of the Super City Police Department. The Case of the Claw was published by Crossroad Press and seems to predate Super City Cops, which is a series following the same characters and universe but is a separate trilogy. Confused? Eh, that's just how the system works sometimes. In any case, I'll be picking up the later due to my extreme enjoyment of this volume.
The premise for the novel is Super City is basically a kind of City of Heroes-esque universe in that superheroes are bright, colorful, and famous but not entirely a part of the day-to-day lives of your average citizen. While they're dealing with alien invasions, Dimension X, and other matters--the regular police are still dealing with things like muggers as well as pimps. Worse, the regular police also have to follow up every one of the superheroes' cases as well as investigate the supervillains with none of the credit.
This comes to a head with the return of a mass murderer named the Claw, who has a history of being a spree killer in the city. The superheroes are remarkably tight lipped about this one and have closed ranks, which makes the cops suspicious even as the body count keeps piling up. Our protagonists are the gumshoes and flatfoots of the SCPD. The Homicide and Narcotics Detectives who walk the beat where folk like Spiderman or Superman exist. It was a great idea in Gotham Central and it's a great idea here.
The protagonists occasionally verge on stereotype but in superhero comics, that's not necessarily a bad thing. They're meant to be familiar archetypes of police officers and the casual mixture of 70s Dirty Harry-esque cops with 80s-esque buddy comedy cops as well as modern techno-savvy ones makes it feel like an electic mix you'd find in Metropolis or Gotham City.
I saw the twist with the Claw's identity coming from a mile away but that's due to my familiarity with the tropes of comic books. It wasn't the "truth" of his identity which was the point either but how the various characters reacted to it. You could tell how disappointed and shocked some of them were by the discovery. That kind of emotional beat is rare enough in the superheroes genre and all the better here.
In conclusion, this is a great book for those who love superhero novels and something I recommend to people who enjoy taking advantage of prose fiction. In this universe, superheroes and villains can die or change or be disgraced forever. It's not limited by the conventions of the unlimited comic publishing cycle and all the stronger for it.
9/10
August 5, 2016
3.5 Stars
I've found this story is one about the people we see. There is more about them and other cases the police are on rather than The Claw. Though, with the information that's held from the police by the superpowers, I can see why. I was expecting a bit more about the mystery to find The Claw than what I got in the beginning. In the end, we got the case and the information the detectives needed.
A character driven story with lives at stake. I'd be curious to try more books by Keith. He has a way of bringing all the characters to life as they are all different. He also makes a point in his stories that things are not all good or bad, there is a balance to the system, you just have to find it. Superheroes are good, yet there is something about the way they do things that can be not as helpful as people think.
****FULL REVIEW TO COME****
I've found this story is one about the people we see. There is more about them and other cases the police are on rather than The Claw. Though, with the information that's held from the police by the superpowers, I can see why. I was expecting a bit more about the mystery to find The Claw than what I got in the beginning. In the end, we got the case and the information the detectives needed.
A character driven story with lives at stake. I'd be curious to try more books by Keith. He has a way of bringing all the characters to life as they are all different. He also makes a point in his stories that things are not all good or bad, there is a balance to the system, you just have to find it. Superheroes are good, yet there is something about the way they do things that can be not as helpful as people think.
****FULL REVIEW TO COME****
September 18, 2019
It’s great to get to see things from the police viewpoint in this super hero story. The heroes aren’t universally good or bad. They often make the officers’ and detectives’ lives harder, for example by bringing in criminals without actual evidence to hold them on. Or by causing collateral deaths and damage during their fights against villains such as the Brute Squad. While there’s some whimsy here and there, this story is a bit darker than some super hero fare (though not as dark as some, either).
I enjoyed the characters, although there were enough named police that I had trouble keeping them all straight after a while. Mac is kind of the stereotypical near-retirement grump with a chip on his shoulder, partnered with the stereotypical too-eager rookie with a chip on her shoulder. Luckily their relationship evolves beyond that, giving them some depth over the course of the story. The other characters are similar in their willingness to grow. I particularly love the police captain, Javier Garcia, who still gets phone calls from his mother constantly while he’s working.
The pacing is excellent, with the police commissioner and mayor raining crap down on Garcia’s head with every day that goes by without the Claw having been apprehended. People continue to die, and various calamities pull the police in all different directions. There’s a hostage situation, a Pulitzer-winning gruff journalist, heroes with names like “Spectacular Man” and “The Bruiser,” and nifty pieces of technology passed along by Ms. Terrific. It’s satisfying as both a mystery and a super hero story!
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2019/09/r...
I enjoyed the characters, although there were enough named police that I had trouble keeping them all straight after a while. Mac is kind of the stereotypical near-retirement grump with a chip on his shoulder, partnered with the stereotypical too-eager rookie with a chip on her shoulder. Luckily their relationship evolves beyond that, giving them some depth over the course of the story. The other characters are similar in their willingness to grow. I particularly love the police captain, Javier Garcia, who still gets phone calls from his mother constantly while he’s working.
The pacing is excellent, with the police commissioner and mayor raining crap down on Garcia’s head with every day that goes by without the Claw having been apprehended. People continue to die, and various calamities pull the police in all different directions. There’s a hostage situation, a Pulitzer-winning gruff journalist, heroes with names like “Spectacular Man” and “The Bruiser,” and nifty pieces of technology passed along by Ms. Terrific. It’s satisfying as both a mystery and a super hero story!
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2019/09/r...
November 19, 2017
Truly a department story, following several teams of detectives and officers plus their supporting Chief and Commissioner - and switching POV clearly between them though the large cast was difficult to follow on occasion. A serial killer has returned for his (or her) every two year spree; problem is the killer is a cape, a super-power individual, with the ability to fly and the capes aren't helping hunt down one of their own.
As the streets run red and political pressure mounts to catch the killer THIS TIME before it disappears again, the Super City Police Department (PD) pulls in overtime while also dealing with the normal (and not so normal, in this cape heavy city) DUIs, domestic disputes, and property damage. Oh, and an alien invasion.
Solid worldbuilding extension of what living in a superhero world must be like.
As the streets run red and political pressure mounts to catch the killer THIS TIME before it disappears again, the Super City Police Department (PD) pulls in overtime while also dealing with the normal (and not so normal, in this cape heavy city) DUIs, domestic disputes, and property damage. Oh, and an alien invasion.
Solid worldbuilding extension of what living in a superhero world must be like.
November 15, 2025
The Case of the Claw is exactly what I love in a superhero-adjacent story: a perfect blend of extraordinary heroes and the very human characters who have to deal with the chaos they leave behind. Keith R.A. DeCandido makes Super City feel lived-in and believable.
The SCPD crew is grounded, funny, and relatable, and the contrast between their everyday struggles and the larger-than-life characters around them is handled perfectly. Fast, clever and a great read for anyone who likes superhero worlds rooted in real people.
The SCPD crew is grounded, funny, and relatable, and the contrast between their everyday struggles and the larger-than-life characters around them is handled perfectly. Fast, clever and a great read for anyone who likes superhero worlds rooted in real people.
March 26, 2021
The writing is sometime heavy handed but it works in the setting.
Somewhat like "the boys" but here the heroes are not bad guys putting on a show, they are good guys just their actions have lot of unintended consequences.
Maybe was inspired by Gotham central.Gotham Central, Vol. 1: In the Line of Duty
Somewhat like "the boys" but here the heroes are not bad guys putting on a show, they are good guys just their actions have lot of unintended consequences.
Maybe was inspired by Gotham central.Gotham Central, Vol. 1: In the Line of Duty
August 14, 2016
3.5 stars
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com, at my request.
With The Claw back in town and killing, other bad guys active has increased as cops are thought to be out in waves looking for The Claw. The police have been working overtime and spread thin chasing villains. The cops are at their limits with the bad guys they are chasing, or having to let go as one of the 'costumes' brought in without evidence or witness.
Tee Morris voices the characters in this book. When I saw that, I had to have it. Along with it being a superhero story with detectives. Yes! :D
Tee Morris lives up to what I looked forward to. He does different accents for the characters to fit their feel in words. Even for the female characters he does different tones and softness to his voice to differentiate the large cast of characters found in this world. Tee has a bold voice that is clear in speaking, making every word easy to understand. The editing sounded seamless as I went through the story with a clean background.
We dive in driving through town with two police on duty, learning that superheroes speeding around town and a quick intro as to what color each one wears. This sets the stage of who is present in the town. Then, Bruiser stops the cops, wanting them to see what he found. A dead mangled body with a post-it note on his forehead. The Claw is back.
We see the case through the detectives eyes as they find the victims and the details of the cases. They struggle to solve the case, but the superheroes that pledged to help, don't seem to be doing that. This murderer needs to be found before he strikes again and they do what they can to get answers. We also see through a journalist and a few other powerful positions in the city that's involved with the case or the superheroes present in the city.
We live through the police lives as they live with the 'costumes' who are 'helping' with dangers and bad guys in the Super City. The pairs are partnered up great to compliment or spark the characters thoughts and personalities. It's a rough way to make a living here in Super City though, the powerful 'costumes' makes it seem the police don't do anything, but the do. As much as the superpowers help, they also hurt. They bring in perps that have to be released back on the streets without the proper witness or information. Also, they don't share information about searching for The Claw, or the want-a-be's get in the way, causing the guilty to get away. The superpowers seem to be outside the law in their way of handling things, or so they think. There are times that this is not a good thing, and we see it.
I've found this story is one about the people we see. There is more about them and other cases the police are on rather than The Claw. Though, with the information that's held from the police by the superpowers, I can see why. I was expecting a bit more about the mystery to find The Claw than what I got in the beginning. In the end, we got the case and the information the detectives needed.
A character driven story with lives at stake. I'd be curious to try more books by Keith. He has a way of bringing all the characters to life as they are all different. He also makes a point in his stories that things are not all good or bad, there is a balance to the system, you just have to find it. Superheroes are good, yet there is something about the way they do things that can be not as helpful as people think.
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com, at my request.
With The Claw back in town and killing, other bad guys active has increased as cops are thought to be out in waves looking for The Claw. The police have been working overtime and spread thin chasing villains. The cops are at their limits with the bad guys they are chasing, or having to let go as one of the 'costumes' brought in without evidence or witness.
Tee Morris voices the characters in this book. When I saw that, I had to have it. Along with it being a superhero story with detectives. Yes! :D
Tee Morris lives up to what I looked forward to. He does different accents for the characters to fit their feel in words. Even for the female characters he does different tones and softness to his voice to differentiate the large cast of characters found in this world. Tee has a bold voice that is clear in speaking, making every word easy to understand. The editing sounded seamless as I went through the story with a clean background.
We dive in driving through town with two police on duty, learning that superheroes speeding around town and a quick intro as to what color each one wears. This sets the stage of who is present in the town. Then, Bruiser stops the cops, wanting them to see what he found. A dead mangled body with a post-it note on his forehead. The Claw is back.
We see the case through the detectives eyes as they find the victims and the details of the cases. They struggle to solve the case, but the superheroes that pledged to help, don't seem to be doing that. This murderer needs to be found before he strikes again and they do what they can to get answers. We also see through a journalist and a few other powerful positions in the city that's involved with the case or the superheroes present in the city.
We live through the police lives as they live with the 'costumes' who are 'helping' with dangers and bad guys in the Super City. The pairs are partnered up great to compliment or spark the characters thoughts and personalities. It's a rough way to make a living here in Super City though, the powerful 'costumes' makes it seem the police don't do anything, but the do. As much as the superpowers help, they also hurt. They bring in perps that have to be released back on the streets without the proper witness or information. Also, they don't share information about searching for The Claw, or the want-a-be's get in the way, causing the guilty to get away. The superpowers seem to be outside the law in their way of handling things, or so they think. There are times that this is not a good thing, and we see it.
I've found this story is one about the people we see. There is more about them and other cases the police are on rather than The Claw. Though, with the information that's held from the police by the superpowers, I can see why. I was expecting a bit more about the mystery to find The Claw than what I got in the beginning. In the end, we got the case and the information the detectives needed.
A character driven story with lives at stake. I'd be curious to try more books by Keith. He has a way of bringing all the characters to life as they are all different. He also makes a point in his stories that things are not all good or bad, there is a balance to the system, you just have to find it. Superheroes are good, yet there is something about the way they do things that can be not as helpful as people think.
April 14, 2012
Just finished reading this novel last night, and I am still smiling. I can recommend it whole-heartedly to anyone who appreciates a fast-moving, tightly-written and intelligent urban fantasy novel. I can recommend it just as firmly to anyone who loves a solid police procedural. And I recommend it is familiar with hard-edged trend of modern comics for adults, which includes a body of extremely impressive work from post-modern writers like Brian Michael Bendis, Kurt Busiek, Mark Waid, or Mark Millar. And more importantly, I can recommend it to anyone who appreciates the novel not only as a story, but as a craft.
Readers have been loving the work of Keith DeCandido since the late 1990's, although they seldom realize that he's the author of their favorite books. Over the years, he has written dozens of high-profile novels for famous franchise movies, television shows and games. If you bought a novelization some time after 1999 and found that it was actually well-written and entertaining, in other words, there's a fair chance that he wrote it--I'd say he was second only to Alan Dean Foster as a master of the form.
It's this amazing wealth of experience and skill that DeCandido brings to "SCPD: The Case of the Claw". This book is what DeCandido can do when he actually cuts loose and writes a book strictly for his own pleasure. The novel is set in a superheroic urban fantasy universe, and it is told from the point of view of the hard-working, long-suffering real cops who have to keep trying to make collars and cases in a world where crazy morons in long underwear are zipping, stomping, flying and flopping through the streets and skies. While the freakshows indulge in spectacularly destructive fisticuffs, the beat cops and homicide detectives are actually trying to work: investigating horrible cape-related crimes, throwing the wannabes and bunglers in the tank, eating awful cheap lunches and navigating the stormy waters of human relations with their parents, children, partners and friends.
There are echoes of many famous graphic novels in this little book. You can see the influence of Moore's "Watchmen" and his run of "Miracle Man", and of Busiek's "Marvels" in particular, as well as a hint of Bendis. There are certainly some pointed comments made in the course of the story about the events depicted in modern comics, and how they would look if they were witnessed by ordinary mortals who actually have to work for a living, not to mention uphold the legal system.
I'm not going to spoil a thing, because everyone deserves to read this book without having even the smallest part of it ruined. All I'm going to say is this: if writing a book can be compared to other forms of skilled labor, DeCandido is a master craftsman. Every join is clean, every surface is smoothly sanded, every line is a perfect parallel or perpendicular. It's no mystery why editors come back to him year after year, when they need the job done right.
Readers have been loving the work of Keith DeCandido since the late 1990's, although they seldom realize that he's the author of their favorite books. Over the years, he has written dozens of high-profile novels for famous franchise movies, television shows and games. If you bought a novelization some time after 1999 and found that it was actually well-written and entertaining, in other words, there's a fair chance that he wrote it--I'd say he was second only to Alan Dean Foster as a master of the form.
It's this amazing wealth of experience and skill that DeCandido brings to "SCPD: The Case of the Claw". This book is what DeCandido can do when he actually cuts loose and writes a book strictly for his own pleasure. The novel is set in a superheroic urban fantasy universe, and it is told from the point of view of the hard-working, long-suffering real cops who have to keep trying to make collars and cases in a world where crazy morons in long underwear are zipping, stomping, flying and flopping through the streets and skies. While the freakshows indulge in spectacularly destructive fisticuffs, the beat cops and homicide detectives are actually trying to work: investigating horrible cape-related crimes, throwing the wannabes and bunglers in the tank, eating awful cheap lunches and navigating the stormy waters of human relations with their parents, children, partners and friends.
There are echoes of many famous graphic novels in this little book. You can see the influence of Moore's "Watchmen" and his run of "Miracle Man", and of Busiek's "Marvels" in particular, as well as a hint of Bendis. There are certainly some pointed comments made in the course of the story about the events depicted in modern comics, and how they would look if they were witnessed by ordinary mortals who actually have to work for a living, not to mention uphold the legal system.
I'm not going to spoil a thing, because everyone deserves to read this book without having even the smallest part of it ruined. All I'm going to say is this: if writing a book can be compared to other forms of skilled labor, DeCandido is a master craftsman. Every join is clean, every surface is smoothly sanded, every line is a perfect parallel or perpendicular. It's no mystery why editors come back to him year after year, when they need the job done right.
January 6, 2013
(Originally reviewed on Otherwhere Gazette)
If you’ve read my reviews before, you know I enjoy superhero stories. Among my many favorites are Green Lantern and Flash, about both of whom I’ve written reviews.
Keith R. A. DeCandido’s Case of the Claw has superheroes — quite a few of them, including two teams — but the story isn’t about them. It’s about the regular cops of Super City Police Department (SCPD), both patrol officers and detectives, as they deal with the real-world problems that superheroes cause. For example, how do you prosecute a criminal when the only witness to the crime is a “costume” (SCPD slang for a superhero) who won’t testify because he’d have to reveal his real name? How do you hold a drunk supervillian who can shoot energy blasts from any part of his body, especially when no one realizes who he is until it’s too late because he was arrested in street clothes and not his costume? And how do you deal with a new “costume” who hasn’t quite got the hang of the whole hero thing yet, tending to cause more damage than he prevents?
SCPD is set in a world we’d easily recognize, with a police commissioner who wants to look good for the next election, a senator promoting a bill that’s unworkable at best, and a detective nearing retirement who is assigned to train a rookie in homicide, among other familiar things. On top of that, the cops of SCPD don’t just have to deal with the usual problems of big-city crime, they also have to deal with a super-powered serial killer who’s already killed fifteen people, and who leaves — get this — a Post-it note with a drawing of a claw on the forehead of his victims, hence the name “The Claw.”
As with his Dragon Precinct, DeCandido weaves humor in with his serious story, but somewhat less than in Dragon Precinct. He also creates characters with both believable strengths and weaknesses, and manages a large cast of characters while keeping them different enough that they really seem like distinct people, which is an art in and of itself. And even after the case is closed — one of the detectives explains that cops don’t solve cases, they close cases — DeCandido keeps going, showing a little bit of the aftermath of the events on the men and women of SCPD.
I definitely recommend Case of the Claw to anyone who likes superheroes, police procedurals, or both, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next one.
If you’ve read my reviews before, you know I enjoy superhero stories. Among my many favorites are Green Lantern and Flash, about both of whom I’ve written reviews.
Keith R. A. DeCandido’s Case of the Claw has superheroes — quite a few of them, including two teams — but the story isn’t about them. It’s about the regular cops of Super City Police Department (SCPD), both patrol officers and detectives, as they deal with the real-world problems that superheroes cause. For example, how do you prosecute a criminal when the only witness to the crime is a “costume” (SCPD slang for a superhero) who won’t testify because he’d have to reveal his real name? How do you hold a drunk supervillian who can shoot energy blasts from any part of his body, especially when no one realizes who he is until it’s too late because he was arrested in street clothes and not his costume? And how do you deal with a new “costume” who hasn’t quite got the hang of the whole hero thing yet, tending to cause more damage than he prevents?
SCPD is set in a world we’d easily recognize, with a police commissioner who wants to look good for the next election, a senator promoting a bill that’s unworkable at best, and a detective nearing retirement who is assigned to train a rookie in homicide, among other familiar things. On top of that, the cops of SCPD don’t just have to deal with the usual problems of big-city crime, they also have to deal with a super-powered serial killer who’s already killed fifteen people, and who leaves — get this — a Post-it note with a drawing of a claw on the forehead of his victims, hence the name “The Claw.”
As with his Dragon Precinct, DeCandido weaves humor in with his serious story, but somewhat less than in Dragon Precinct. He also creates characters with both believable strengths and weaknesses, and manages a large cast of characters while keeping them different enough that they really seem like distinct people, which is an art in and of itself. And even after the case is closed — one of the detectives explains that cops don’t solve cases, they close cases — DeCandido keeps going, showing a little bit of the aftermath of the events on the men and women of SCPD.
I definitely recommend Case of the Claw to anyone who likes superheroes, police procedurals, or both, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next one.
September 11, 2011
The Claw, a mysterious serial killer, is back on the streets of Super City. The superheroes who patrol and protect the city haven't been able to stop him. Neither have the officers and detectives of the S.C.P.D., who do their best to enforce the law and put criminals behind bars, despite the interference of superheroes who can't be bothered with due process or rules of evidence, or anything else that isn't expedient. Can the Claw be stopped, or will he disappear, only to kill again? And can a city truly be safe if it needs to be protected both from its criminals and its vigilante protectors?
Keith R.A. DeCandido, veteran writer of TV and movie tie-in fiction, gives readers an all-too-rare original novel with this, the first in his S.C.P.D. series. It's an effective fusion of superhero story and police procedural, with a central mystery that couldn't be told without the superheroic elements, yet is solved through good old fashioned police work. DeCandido creates a well-thought-out world, where the common tropes of superhero comics butt heads with the legal realities of the real world.
Stories featuring a real-world view of superheroes, particularly from the ground-level, non-powered residents of that world, are nothing new. DeCandido even mentions several as inspirations in his introduction. Superheroes in prose are also not particularly groundbreaking. What makes this novel work is the execution: DeCandido creates a thoroughly believable world and populates it with interesting characters and an intriguing story. He tells his story briskly and economically, giving us the information we need in order to flesh the characters and situations out, without overburdening us with exposition. He wisely keeps his focus on the normal cops. We learn the names and powers of some of the heroes, but he doesn't waste time filling us in on their origins or anything that doesn't concern the cases the police are investigating. And that's fine, because that's not the story he's telling.
In places, DeCandido's writing reminded me of Ed McBain's 87th Precinct novels, which--to my mind--are the gold standard by which all other procedural fiction should be judged. I'm looking forward to future stories in this series, and learning more about the cops as we go.
Keith R.A. DeCandido, veteran writer of TV and movie tie-in fiction, gives readers an all-too-rare original novel with this, the first in his S.C.P.D. series. It's an effective fusion of superhero story and police procedural, with a central mystery that couldn't be told without the superheroic elements, yet is solved through good old fashioned police work. DeCandido creates a well-thought-out world, where the common tropes of superhero comics butt heads with the legal realities of the real world.
Stories featuring a real-world view of superheroes, particularly from the ground-level, non-powered residents of that world, are nothing new. DeCandido even mentions several as inspirations in his introduction. Superheroes in prose are also not particularly groundbreaking. What makes this novel work is the execution: DeCandido creates a thoroughly believable world and populates it with interesting characters and an intriguing story. He tells his story briskly and economically, giving us the information we need in order to flesh the characters and situations out, without overburdening us with exposition. He wisely keeps his focus on the normal cops. We learn the names and powers of some of the heroes, but he doesn't waste time filling us in on their origins or anything that doesn't concern the cases the police are investigating. And that's fine, because that's not the story he's telling.
In places, DeCandido's writing reminded me of Ed McBain's 87th Precinct novels, which--to my mind--are the gold standard by which all other procedural fiction should be judged. I'm looking forward to future stories in this series, and learning more about the cops as we go.
August 2, 2016
(audio version)
""Great. Another d....d alien invasion""
Such a fun book and being able to enjoy it through the medium of audio and Tee Morris's over the top narration was just perfect. This is a silly story, set in the comic book world of Super City, where Costumed superheroes help ( though some might say hinder) the police in maintaining law and order and defending against threat from space.
But the crimes are real, as are the very human police attempting to solve them. The characterisations of these hard afflicted members of the force are fully rounded and realistic. It makes for a great contrast.
A bit of pathos with much conflict, confusion and comedy as dead bodies start appearing in the city, no clues other than each has a yellow post it note stuck to the head. The Claw is back!
The story is flamboyant and over the top so the language can be just a little bit colourful. The narrator is able to give great voice to the miriad characters trying to live and work in this much beset city as well as sustaining the in between text. So if you enjoy comics, this is certainly for you. But it is also an enjoyable police procedural, too.
I received a complementary copy, via Audiobook Boom, from the right's holder in exchange for an honest review. This I have given. Thank you so much - I doubt I would have discovered it without you
""Great. Another d....d alien invasion""
Such a fun book and being able to enjoy it through the medium of audio and Tee Morris's over the top narration was just perfect. This is a silly story, set in the comic book world of Super City, where Costumed superheroes help ( though some might say hinder) the police in maintaining law and order and defending against threat from space.
But the crimes are real, as are the very human police attempting to solve them. The characterisations of these hard afflicted members of the force are fully rounded and realistic. It makes for a great contrast.
A bit of pathos with much conflict, confusion and comedy as dead bodies start appearing in the city, no clues other than each has a yellow post it note stuck to the head. The Claw is back!
The story is flamboyant and over the top so the language can be just a little bit colourful. The narrator is able to give great voice to the miriad characters trying to live and work in this much beset city as well as sustaining the in between text. So if you enjoy comics, this is certainly for you. But it is also an enjoyable police procedural, too.
I received a complementary copy, via Audiobook Boom, from the right's holder in exchange for an honest review. This I have given. Thank you so much - I doubt I would have discovered it without you
March 25, 2013
Fans of police procedurals as well as comics will find The Case Of the Claw a satisfying read. The premise of the story mixes fantasy with gritty reality as the hunt for a super villain serial killer is told from, the point of view of the cops in a city populated by super heroes. Fans of shows like The Wire and Homicide: Life On the Streets will see influences from those shows in the detective work on the pages. Genre savvy fans may also spot a secret identity or two that are only implied at in the text. All in all a good read.
February 5, 2012
I'm not a fan of police procedurals, but I really enjoyed this book. There have been some attempts to demonstrate how due process cannot be as effective in the world of suprrheroes by the major comic companies, but Keith really examines it in this story that throws in an alien invasion for good measure. Looking forward to future installments in this series. :
August 9, 2012
I was very entertained by this, a novel set in a superhero world told entirely through the perspective of the police and other non-heroes (a reporter, for one). Self-published, so there were a few small typos and formatting oddness, but on the whole it was well worth the money. Recommended.
December 3, 2012
I liked this. It was kind of a hybrid of silver/golden aged comics and a police procedural... almost NYPD Blue meets Spiderman.
Mild Spoiler.
My only issue was that the ending seemed kind of.... anti-climatic. Too much NYPD, not enough Superhero.
Still, good book, strongly recommended.
Mild Spoiler.
My only issue was that the ending seemed kind of.... anti-climatic. Too much NYPD, not enough Superhero.
Still, good book, strongly recommended.
September 2, 2015
Good story, with an unusual twist that most Superhero books I'read are narrated by 3rd person, a hero or a villain. This one is told from the point of view of the local police department in a city with superheros. If you like the superhero genre then you would probably like this book.
July 10, 2020
A police procedural with superheroes. Not bad for a genre mash-up. I bet the police in Gotham City hate Batman too.
October 21, 2013
Very interesting. I had never read a Super crime novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews