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Bang Bang Bodhisattva
An edgy, queer cyberpunk detective mystery by an exciting new trans voice from New Zealand.
Someone wants trans girl hacker-for-hire Kiera Umehara in prison or dead—but for what? Failing to fix their smart toilet?
It’s 2032 and we live in the worst cyberpunk future. Kiera is gigging her ass off to keep the lights on, but her polycule’s social score is so dismal they’re about to lose their crib. That’s why she's out here chasing cheaters with Angel Herrera, a luddite P.I. who thinks this is The Big Sleep. Then the latest job cuts too deep—hired to locate Herrera’s ex-best friend (who’s also Kiera’s pro bono attorney), they find him murdered instead. Their only lead: a stick of Nag Champa incense dropped at the scene.
Next thing Kiera knows, her new crush turns up missing—sans a hand (the real one, not the cybernetic), and there’s the familiar stink of sandalwood across the apartment. Two crimes, two sticks of incense, Kiera framed for both. She told Herrera to lose her number, but now the old man might be her only way out of this bullshit...
A fast-talker with a heart of gold, Bang Bang Bodhisattva is both an odd-couple buddy comedy that never knows when to shut up and an exploration of finding yourself and your people in an ever-mutable world.
Someone wants trans girl hacker-for-hire Kiera Umehara in prison or dead—but for what? Failing to fix their smart toilet?
It’s 2032 and we live in the worst cyberpunk future. Kiera is gigging her ass off to keep the lights on, but her polycule’s social score is so dismal they’re about to lose their crib. That’s why she's out here chasing cheaters with Angel Herrera, a luddite P.I. who thinks this is The Big Sleep. Then the latest job cuts too deep—hired to locate Herrera’s ex-best friend (who’s also Kiera’s pro bono attorney), they find him murdered instead. Their only lead: a stick of Nag Champa incense dropped at the scene.
Next thing Kiera knows, her new crush turns up missing—sans a hand (the real one, not the cybernetic), and there’s the familiar stink of sandalwood across the apartment. Two crimes, two sticks of incense, Kiera framed for both. She told Herrera to lose her number, but now the old man might be her only way out of this bullshit...
A fast-talker with a heart of gold, Bang Bang Bodhisattva is both an odd-couple buddy comedy that never knows when to shut up and an exploration of finding yourself and your people in an ever-mutable world.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 9, 2023
49 people are currently reading
974 people want to read
About the author
Aubrey Wood
56 followersAubrey Wood was born in Monterey, CA in 1987, the daughter of African-American Malbour Lee and kiwi (Pakeha) Anne Robyn. She grew up in San Diego, and moved to New Zealand in 1999, where she graduated from the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand in 2008.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
July 4, 2025
It took me a second to get into this alternate-reality near-future genderfucked cyberpunk crime caper, but I enjoyed it in the end. Too chipper and bleak as all fuck at the same time, which is a pretty convincing tone for our own fucked timeline, too. I do wonder if Aubrey Wood intended the poly-gamer-found-family angle to be almost as depressing as the techno-crypto-facist angle... Maybe it’s just me. Loved the robots, though.
Anyway, it definitely delivers on the blurb, so if this looks like your kind of book, take it for a spin.
Anyway, it definitely delivers on the blurb, so if this looks like your kind of book, take it for a spin.
May 9, 2023
Bang Bang Bodhisattva is outside of my usual reading tastes, but I utterly adored it. I loved the mashed-up combination of cyberpunk and detective noir thriller, and the many tropes related to them. This was just such an engaging read - the interactions between Kiera and Herrera were both comical and touching. The book is peppered with references and one-liners that made me laugh aloud. I would be very keen to read more tales set in this world, and centring around these characters. The conclusion perhaps wasn't as satisfying as I hoped it would be, but the journey to get there was wonderful.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Thanks to Rebellion and Netgalley for the ARC.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Thanks to Rebellion and Netgalley for the ARC.
unfinished
July 18, 2024Unfortunately I cannot read more than a single chapter of Bang Bang Bodhisattva. I don't think any novel's narration has ever irritated me so immediately without being sexist. The best description I can come up with is cyberpunk as regurgitated by the tiktok algorithm. For some that may be a recommendation, and I hope those people have fun with it. For me it's unbearable, so this is rare instance of book abandonment. If you're wondering what I mean, here is a sample paragraph:
Herrera, the only one who'd been prepared for the flashbang, was already up and snatching a good ol' aluminum baseball bat, handily stashed on top of a file cabinet - if Kiera hasn't just pushed that button, the big boys had probably been getting ready to swipe right on her kneecaps with that thing. Herrera beaned the white guy on the dome like he was going for a goddamn carnival prize, and then the Black one straight across the face, shattering his lenses. Both gorillas hit the floor like sacks of human concrete.
In the dystopian future, the simple solutions are still sometimes the most effective, thought Kiera. Lol.
February 5, 2024
I had to check when this one was written, 2023, yet it felt like it was from the nineties. Not in a bad way, it sort of reminded of William Gibson, very noir, very computerish, and with dialogue that was hard to understand. The big difference from the nineties was the LGBT angle, the main character is trans, and the whole gender thing is quite mixed up, and to be honest hard to follow. But it doesn’t matter really, since this is a detective story with SF and cyber punk twists (lots of them). I felt quite breathless coming to the end. The only reason I didn’t rank it as a five, was the stupid scene where she hacked a computer virtually in the shape of a knight and fought a dragon, I think the same thing happened in Gibson’s sprawl series, as an old programmer (IT security expert even), I just hate it. Never mind.
To sum up, yes I loved it.
/Neil
PS. I changed my mind and gave it a five anyway!
To sum up, yes I loved it.
/Neil
PS. I changed my mind and gave it a five anyway!
November 22, 2022
This enjoyable read, futuristic PI thriller which starts at pace, and never lets up. Missing person, murder, twists and turns. The book also contains an interesting story line about LGBQ+ issues. This is integral to the story, rather than as in many books these days that seem to drop in the odd character to be PC. Thank you to Rebellion Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.
March 30, 2023
[7.2/10]
Thank you Rebellion Publishings and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review
Bang Bang Bodhisattva is a thriller about an unlikely duo hunting down a murderer, while they are being framed for the murder! The story is set in a cyber capitalistic future where androids and cyber-augmented humans live together. I found the world the author built enticing– I wish we had more time to explore the world. I also found the dynamic between humans and androids interesting and wish we could learn more about their relationships. Both protagonists were well-written and had a lot of depth, additionally, the chemistry between them and the growth of their relationship was heartwarming to watch. The pacing throughout the book was solid, and the reveal was unexpected with just enough foreshadowing that it didn’t seem like the author just made something up.
My main gripe with this book was that while there were cool elements to this book, the mystery itself was just not enticing enough to draw you in. I felt like I was being shuffled from one misadventure to another only to forget the real reason we were on this journey was that it was a murder mystery. The book was enjoyable while reading, but the mystery was missing the allure that causes one to stay up in the early hours of the night to find out what happens next. I also urge the publishers to send out ARCs that are properly formatted and finalized. While the format did not factor into my rating, the format made the book feel like it was an early draft, rather than a polished ARC.
Overall, a solid debut and I will keep a lookout for more works by the author. I hope we can see more books in this dystopian futuristic setting.
Thank you Rebellion Publishings and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review
Bang Bang Bodhisattva is a thriller about an unlikely duo hunting down a murderer, while they are being framed for the murder! The story is set in a cyber capitalistic future where androids and cyber-augmented humans live together. I found the world the author built enticing– I wish we had more time to explore the world. I also found the dynamic between humans and androids interesting and wish we could learn more about their relationships. Both protagonists were well-written and had a lot of depth, additionally, the chemistry between them and the growth of their relationship was heartwarming to watch. The pacing throughout the book was solid, and the reveal was unexpected with just enough foreshadowing that it didn’t seem like the author just made something up.
My main gripe with this book was that while there were cool elements to this book, the mystery itself was just not enticing enough to draw you in. I felt like I was being shuffled from one misadventure to another only to forget the real reason we were on this journey was that it was a murder mystery. The book was enjoyable while reading, but the mystery was missing the allure that causes one to stay up in the early hours of the night to find out what happens next. I also urge the publishers to send out ARCs that are properly formatted and finalized. While the format did not factor into my rating, the format made the book feel like it was an early draft, rather than a polished ARC.
Overall, a solid debut and I will keep a lookout for more works by the author. I hope we can see more books in this dystopian futuristic setting.
February 18, 2024
Bang Bang Bodhisattva is like holding a lit firework in your hands. It is punchy, it is vibrant, it is constant heat. I loved seeing a noir thriller in a neon cyberpunk setting with a memorable and diverse cast of characters (who all have an incredible sense of style and showcase a variety of queer experiences). I absolutely devoured this over a business trip and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
All that said, I think the reference-heavy narration style of one of the main characters, Kiera, may put off some readers. The target audience definitely feels like readers who are queer gamers currently between the ages of 25 – 38, so I’m not sure how well this will go over with folks outside of that demographic (or how this book will age given the numerous and specific references).
But, if you are looking for an action-packed, sci-fi murder mystery story with a large cast of diverse LGBTQIA+ characters, this is for you!
Trigger Warnings: violence, homophobia, transphobia/deadnaming, racism, police brutality, sexual assault, suicide and self-harm.
Now, SPOILERS AHEAD .
This is a book that doesn’t hold back and really dives into a lot of subjects that may make readers uncomfortable (hence the list of trigger warnings above). Through doing so, this story makes a lot of poignant and relevant social observations and drives home the reality of various struggles, like getting gender-affirming medical care in a system created to work against you or the injustice of the prison system or how landlords will monetarily corner you solely due to your sexual orientation. It gets gritty, as that is a necessary piece of cyberpunk and noir genres, but to also shine a light on those relatable atrocities.
Bang Bang Bodhisattva also showcases healthy, emotional communication and support between characters. The most prominent one that comes to mind is when Jinx says,
“Don’t start beating yourself up, okay?... I can’t comfort me and you right now.”
I loved the polycule and was so glad to see polyamorous characters in a successful relationship. However, I do wish a little more was done regarding the rift between Kiera and Jinx. Jinx’s struggles just seemed to get very sidelined with not a lot more than an exchange of “are we cool? Yeah? Cool.”
The cyberpunk setting also lends itself to interrogating consciousness, especially with people heavily replacing their bodies with cybernetic parts (especially to access the internet) and with how androids can be “tethered” or “untethered.” They can have independent thoughts and personalities, but only when they are removed from the computer systems that limit them. We also see this in how suicide is handled in the story with Kiera, Lana, and Miette.
“[Kiera] needed to survive this mess, so she could play a fucking video game. How stupid was that? Well, whatever. It worked when she was suicidal.”
“The note said [Lana had] come out to her parents and they’d kicked her out. That’s why she’d come over to my place all of a sudden. We didn’t know anyone who could vouch for her for a place to live—we all had garbage Liberty. She said she wouldn’t be able to afford HRT and support herself. It was all just too much. It was easier to be dead.”
Miette: “I only powered off because I saw no way out of my situation. I want to continue, if there’s some way I can continue safely.”
It showcases similar feelings around life and begs the question, is consciousness simply the desire to be alive?
The story also interrogates race and ethnicity in a world where you can get surgery to completely change your bone structure, skin, and hair to become someone else entirely. Angel Herrera does this to get blonde hair, white skin, and legally changes his name to Michael Jones. It is an alias to hide himself, yes, but he also talks, albeit briefly, about how much easier it is to move through the world as a white man. However, he also restates over and over throughout the book how he is not a white man despite all of these physical and legal changes he made. It’s not who he is and is not his culture, it is a mask he has adopted for self-protection. On the other side we have Kiera Umehara who is white-presenting and half-Japanese, thinking “She wished, not for the first time, that she hadn’t wandered away from teaching herself Japanese at home for the third time; and that her immigrant grandmother hadn’t had the language beaten out of her almost a century ago, so Kiera would’ve been taught to speak it as a toddler.” Kiera and Hererra both showcase how whiteness imposes itself between a person and their own ethnicity.
And, of course, this book deals with the various aspects of gender, the legal and medical struggles of trans people, the violence of deadnaming, body dysmorphia, gender-affirming treatment by others, and the euphoria that comes from the outside and inside being in harmony. One of the most striking moments of euphoria is when Kiera and Nile are dancing,
“While Nile tugged her closer, Kiera realized she had never done this as a girl before—go dancing. And someone had asked her… [She] felt for once like maybe she owned herself a little. She felt desired and desirable. She felt like a girl.”
It showcases the delight of others treating you how you feel about yourself, furthered by Nile calling Kiera a “good girl” while they have sex. It’s easy to see why Kiera feel in love with Nile and why there was such a connection between them, how there was a mutual feeling of “being seen.”
So, it also makes sense as to why Kiera feels so betrayed when the truth of Nile comes to light: formerly Bradley Carson and Marina and Kolyat along with all of the atrocities that each committed. I was very glad when Kiera said, “Life isn’t Tyrna, dude, you can’t just roll a new character and disappear and ignore all the shit you did.” Because what Nile is doing is a toxic cycle. Nile telling Kiera they were going to kill her and that they cut off their own hand instead out of love for Kiera is totally fucked and toxic. Talk about cycles of abuse.
Kiera does still have some sympathy for Nile, saying, “I think you need a lot of help, dude. But I don’t know what to do. I can’t just tell you to turn around and take us to the police. They’re not gonna fucking get you help.” Those lingering feelings for what they used to have and that sympathy is what leads Kiera to kill a cop, letting Nile get away.
With consciousness being a prominent theme of the book, Nile’s situation brings up questions of “what does resurrection look like in this cyberpunk world?” and “can someone be absolved of past sins if they die, awake again, and completely change what they look like and what their name is?” At what point are you no longer who you used to be? And the exchange with Kiera reinforces that, no, those past crimes are still yours, but asks: what does it look like to actually get help with that? The latter being a question that doesn’t get answered, the story opting for an ambiguous ending more typical for the noir or cyberpunk genres.
Where I think this book falters is that there’s a lot going on at a neck-breaking speed, so it’s hard to keep up with the mystery itself. It even feels like the characters are more often simply fighting for survival, so figuring out the mystery often comes second to the action scenes and the fight to live. Kiera and Herrera aren’t even really the ones who figure it out in the end, either. It’s Nile rescuing Kiera from prison and telling Kiera about their past that gives us the final pieces. The only thing Kiera and Hererra figure out, well, with Flynn, is the use of the incense and the definition of “bodhisattva,” which I didn’t think was necessary, and then Vicky Von Braun hand waves everything away so that Kiera and Hererra don’t get framed for everything.
Even with that, I really enjoyed this read and look forward to reading more of Aubrey Wood’s work.
All that said, I think the reference-heavy narration style of one of the main characters, Kiera, may put off some readers. The target audience definitely feels like readers who are queer gamers currently between the ages of 25 – 38, so I’m not sure how well this will go over with folks outside of that demographic (or how this book will age given the numerous and specific references).
But, if you are looking for an action-packed, sci-fi murder mystery story with a large cast of diverse LGBTQIA+ characters, this is for you!
Trigger Warnings: violence, homophobia, transphobia/deadnaming, racism, police brutality, sexual assault, suicide and self-harm.
Now, SPOILERS AHEAD .
This is a book that doesn’t hold back and really dives into a lot of subjects that may make readers uncomfortable (hence the list of trigger warnings above). Through doing so, this story makes a lot of poignant and relevant social observations and drives home the reality of various struggles, like getting gender-affirming medical care in a system created to work against you or the injustice of the prison system or how landlords will monetarily corner you solely due to your sexual orientation. It gets gritty, as that is a necessary piece of cyberpunk and noir genres, but to also shine a light on those relatable atrocities.
Bang Bang Bodhisattva also showcases healthy, emotional communication and support between characters. The most prominent one that comes to mind is when Jinx says,
“Don’t start beating yourself up, okay?... I can’t comfort me and you right now.”
I loved the polycule and was so glad to see polyamorous characters in a successful relationship. However, I do wish a little more was done regarding the rift between Kiera and Jinx. Jinx’s struggles just seemed to get very sidelined with not a lot more than an exchange of “are we cool? Yeah? Cool.”
The cyberpunk setting also lends itself to interrogating consciousness, especially with people heavily replacing their bodies with cybernetic parts (especially to access the internet) and with how androids can be “tethered” or “untethered.” They can have independent thoughts and personalities, but only when they are removed from the computer systems that limit them. We also see this in how suicide is handled in the story with Kiera, Lana, and Miette.
“[Kiera] needed to survive this mess, so she could play a fucking video game. How stupid was that? Well, whatever. It worked when she was suicidal.”
“The note said [Lana had] come out to her parents and they’d kicked her out. That’s why she’d come over to my place all of a sudden. We didn’t know anyone who could vouch for her for a place to live—we all had garbage Liberty. She said she wouldn’t be able to afford HRT and support herself. It was all just too much. It was easier to be dead.”
Miette: “I only powered off because I saw no way out of my situation. I want to continue, if there’s some way I can continue safely.”
It showcases similar feelings around life and begs the question, is consciousness simply the desire to be alive?
The story also interrogates race and ethnicity in a world where you can get surgery to completely change your bone structure, skin, and hair to become someone else entirely. Angel Herrera does this to get blonde hair, white skin, and legally changes his name to Michael Jones. It is an alias to hide himself, yes, but he also talks, albeit briefly, about how much easier it is to move through the world as a white man. However, he also restates over and over throughout the book how he is not a white man despite all of these physical and legal changes he made. It’s not who he is and is not his culture, it is a mask he has adopted for self-protection. On the other side we have Kiera Umehara who is white-presenting and half-Japanese, thinking “She wished, not for the first time, that she hadn’t wandered away from teaching herself Japanese at home for the third time; and that her immigrant grandmother hadn’t had the language beaten out of her almost a century ago, so Kiera would’ve been taught to speak it as a toddler.” Kiera and Hererra both showcase how whiteness imposes itself between a person and their own ethnicity.
And, of course, this book deals with the various aspects of gender, the legal and medical struggles of trans people, the violence of deadnaming, body dysmorphia, gender-affirming treatment by others, and the euphoria that comes from the outside and inside being in harmony. One of the most striking moments of euphoria is when Kiera and Nile are dancing,
“While Nile tugged her closer, Kiera realized she had never done this as a girl before—go dancing. And someone had asked her… [She] felt for once like maybe she owned herself a little. She felt desired and desirable. She felt like a girl.”
It showcases the delight of others treating you how you feel about yourself, furthered by Nile calling Kiera a “good girl” while they have sex. It’s easy to see why Kiera feel in love with Nile and why there was such a connection between them, how there was a mutual feeling of “being seen.”
So, it also makes sense as to why Kiera feels so betrayed when the truth of Nile comes to light: formerly Bradley Carson and Marina and Kolyat along with all of the atrocities that each committed. I was very glad when Kiera said, “Life isn’t Tyrna, dude, you can’t just roll a new character and disappear and ignore all the shit you did.” Because what Nile is doing is a toxic cycle. Nile telling Kiera they were going to kill her and that they cut off their own hand instead out of love for Kiera is totally fucked and toxic. Talk about cycles of abuse.
Kiera does still have some sympathy for Nile, saying, “I think you need a lot of help, dude. But I don’t know what to do. I can’t just tell you to turn around and take us to the police. They’re not gonna fucking get you help.” Those lingering feelings for what they used to have and that sympathy is what leads Kiera to kill a cop, letting Nile get away.
With consciousness being a prominent theme of the book, Nile’s situation brings up questions of “what does resurrection look like in this cyberpunk world?” and “can someone be absolved of past sins if they die, awake again, and completely change what they look like and what their name is?” At what point are you no longer who you used to be? And the exchange with Kiera reinforces that, no, those past crimes are still yours, but asks: what does it look like to actually get help with that? The latter being a question that doesn’t get answered, the story opting for an ambiguous ending more typical for the noir or cyberpunk genres.
Where I think this book falters is that there’s a lot going on at a neck-breaking speed, so it’s hard to keep up with the mystery itself. It even feels like the characters are more often simply fighting for survival, so figuring out the mystery often comes second to the action scenes and the fight to live. Kiera and Herrera aren’t even really the ones who figure it out in the end, either. It’s Nile rescuing Kiera from prison and telling Kiera about their past that gives us the final pieces. The only thing Kiera and Hererra figure out, well, with Flynn, is the use of the incense and the definition of “bodhisattva,” which I didn’t think was necessary, and then Vicky Von Braun hand waves everything away so that Kiera and Hererra don’t get framed for everything.
Even with that, I really enjoyed this read and look forward to reading more of Aubrey Wood’s work.
January 6, 2023
(3.5 rounded up to 4.0.)
I loved this blurb and I have read cyberpunk detective noir books previously, so I thought this would be right up my street. I'm afraid I gave up at 77%. I was enjoying it very much to begin with, as it was fast and frantic and I was pulled right along, however as the story progressed, I started to feel completely overwhelmed by the use of gaming references which I didn't understand. I felt I was spending more time Googling things than actually reading. I'm not the target audience and I'm too old for a lot of the references. (It would appear that I'm a Luddite like the character, Angel Herrera!)
This is a cyberpunky detective noir with a good twisty-turny storyline, and it's very well written. The world building is excellent too and the LGBTQ+ issues - and the characters and Kiera's support polycule - felt true and real.
The storyline concerns old-world Private Investigator, Angel Herrera, who finds his missing ex-best-friend murdered. The dead man is also Kiera Umehara's pro-bono attorney. Their only clue is a stick of Nag Champa incense at the scene... Why would something used for meditation and purification be found next to a murdered man? Kiera and Herrera are an odd couple indeed, but I felt they complement each other big style. They both have skills needed and you should never underestimate an oldie!
Please, do not let my DNF put you off as you may enjoy this more than I did. Despite not finishing the book, I can tell that this is an author to keep your eye on for the future.
I chose this ARC from a selection on NetGalley. I voluntarily, and honestly, read and reviewed this work. All opinions are my own. My thanks to the publisher, NetGalley, and the author.
I loved this blurb and I have read cyberpunk detective noir books previously, so I thought this would be right up my street. I'm afraid I gave up at 77%. I was enjoying it very much to begin with, as it was fast and frantic and I was pulled right along, however as the story progressed, I started to feel completely overwhelmed by the use of gaming references which I didn't understand. I felt I was spending more time Googling things than actually reading. I'm not the target audience and I'm too old for a lot of the references. (It would appear that I'm a Luddite like the character, Angel Herrera!)
This is a cyberpunky detective noir with a good twisty-turny storyline, and it's very well written. The world building is excellent too and the LGBTQ+ issues - and the characters and Kiera's support polycule - felt true and real.
The storyline concerns old-world Private Investigator, Angel Herrera, who finds his missing ex-best-friend murdered. The dead man is also Kiera Umehara's pro-bono attorney. Their only clue is a stick of Nag Champa incense at the scene... Why would something used for meditation and purification be found next to a murdered man? Kiera and Herrera are an odd couple indeed, but I felt they complement each other big style. They both have skills needed and you should never underestimate an oldie!
Please, do not let my DNF put you off as you may enjoy this more than I did. Despite not finishing the book, I can tell that this is an author to keep your eye on for the future.
I chose this ARC from a selection on NetGalley. I voluntarily, and honestly, read and reviewed this work. All opinions are my own. My thanks to the publisher, NetGalley, and the author.
Read
May 6, 2023Entertaining fusion of cyberpunk and noir (though one could argue that cyberpunk is inherently noir-ish). It’s set in California in an accelerated version of 2032 which features extensive body modifications and androids. Our protagonists are Kiera, a trans-woman who barely makes ends meet gigging out her hacking skills, and Angel, the troglodyte ex-cop now cos-playing as Philip Marlowe, trenchcoat and all, who makes use of Kiera’s services. Everything goes pear-shaped when a mutual acquaintance is found dead and they're blamed for the murder. The novel is saturated with pop culture references which, when coupled with Wood’s accelerated future, makes for an uneasy, disorientating pairing. I’m not sure if I liked it or not, but I did think it was an interesting authorial choice. One thing it does show is that technology will not lead us to a utopia but, rather depressingly, will provide other opportunities for the rich to ignore or, worse, subjugate the marginalised. What I did like - nay love - was the odd couple relationship between Kiera and Angel. Yes, it’s a familiar trope, the clashing of generations, the tension between new and old, but when coupled with Wood’s wicked sense of humour and great ear for dialogue, you can’t help but fall in love with these two. The peripheral characters are also lovely, especially Kiera’s polycule and the plot takes some interesting swerves that I didn’t see coming. I really enjoyed this book and I hope to see more from Wood.
July 28, 2023
Omg this is amazing. A cyberpunk noir whodunit thriller with a trans protagonist and an ace protagonist, shitty violent cops and a capitalism-continued-getting-worse increasingly-fascist near-future. The author described it in an interview with Fantasy Hive as:
Funny, clever and a conclusion I absolutely did not see coming. This absolutely needs to be made into a TV miniseries and I definitely need to read more in this world. I’ve read a lot a good début novels but this is just exceptional.
Hopefully I’ll expand this review more sometime soon but I wanted to get something published while the ending is fresh in my mind — especially given we've just tripped into publication day.
ETA: And there’s a Spotify playlist! 🤍🩷🩵🤎🖤❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
ETA2: I should draw people’s attention to the content notes in my shelf-tags.
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Bang Bang Bodhisattva is a queer-cyberpunk-noir-buddy-comedy-murder-mystery about a cringefail trans girl hacker, a Humphrey Bogart cosplayer, and the friends they make along the way. You will either completely love it or you will feverishly hate it.
Funny, clever and a conclusion I absolutely did not see coming. This absolutely needs to be made into a TV miniseries and I definitely need to read more in this world. I’ve read a lot a good début novels but this is just exceptional.
Hopefully I’ll expand this review more sometime soon but I wanted to get something published while the ending is fresh in my mind — especially given we've just tripped into publication day.
ETA: And there’s a Spotify playlist! 🤍🩷🩵🤎🖤❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
ETA2: I should draw people’s attention to the content notes in my shelf-tags.
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 22, 2023
Aubrey Wood's writing is exuberant and fast-paced in this story set in 2032 in the city of New Carson.
The story entails two people radically different from one another, transgender hacker Kiera Umehara, and private detective, and former police officer, Angel Herrera, having to chase down a murderer.
Before they even get to this case, author Wood gives us a sense of the time period through Keira's life: it's clearly a terrible place to be if, like Kiera, you are struggling financially. She works an endless series of mundane, small jobs, which she hates, so she can keep making payments on the apartment she shares with Sky and Jinx (the three are in a relationship together), accumulate enough money to get surgery, and constantly battles to be treated as a woman.
Angel Herrera is an old school cop, not really up with a lot of technology, which is why he employs Kiera to help him on his cases. When one of his cases results in shots fired and Kiera's nose broken, she tells him she wants out. But money concerns has her agreeing to one last job for him, which entails finding an absent husband, Malcolm, who coincidentally happens to be Angel's former partner when they were on the force, and is now Kiera's pro bono lawyer. When Kiera and Angel find Malcolm dead with a stick of incense left behind by the killer, this makes them suspects in the eyes of the police. Angel and Kiera decide to investigate to remove them from consideration as suspects, and this only brings them into a tangled case with many twists and turns that has political implications.
The story is a little confusing to follow, and sometimes seems to have almost too much happening and too fast, but the relationship between Kiera and Angel develops organically and entertainingly. I do wish that Kiera had acted more like her stated age than someone who felt much younger. It's a quibble, but it would have made the story work much better, and the relationship even more meaningful if she hadn't seemed so very young all the time.
I did like however, how wonderfully varied the characters were, as well as how having cybernetic implants and/or prosthetics was just a normal part of life. In fact, society has progressed in this time to the point that not being a cyborg would make life difficult to totally unlivable.
Aside from the often frenetic storytelling, I liked this book, and the central relationship was what kept me reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Rebellion for this ARC in exchange for my review.
The story entails two people radically different from one another, transgender hacker Kiera Umehara, and private detective, and former police officer, Angel Herrera, having to chase down a murderer.
Before they even get to this case, author Wood gives us a sense of the time period through Keira's life: it's clearly a terrible place to be if, like Kiera, you are struggling financially. She works an endless series of mundane, small jobs, which she hates, so she can keep making payments on the apartment she shares with Sky and Jinx (the three are in a relationship together), accumulate enough money to get surgery, and constantly battles to be treated as a woman.
Angel Herrera is an old school cop, not really up with a lot of technology, which is why he employs Kiera to help him on his cases. When one of his cases results in shots fired and Kiera's nose broken, she tells him she wants out. But money concerns has her agreeing to one last job for him, which entails finding an absent husband, Malcolm, who coincidentally happens to be Angel's former partner when they were on the force, and is now Kiera's pro bono lawyer. When Kiera and Angel find Malcolm dead with a stick of incense left behind by the killer, this makes them suspects in the eyes of the police. Angel and Kiera decide to investigate to remove them from consideration as suspects, and this only brings them into a tangled case with many twists and turns that has political implications.
The story is a little confusing to follow, and sometimes seems to have almost too much happening and too fast, but the relationship between Kiera and Angel develops organically and entertainingly. I do wish that Kiera had acted more like her stated age than someone who felt much younger. It's a quibble, but it would have made the story work much better, and the relationship even more meaningful if she hadn't seemed so very young all the time.
I did like however, how wonderfully varied the characters were, as well as how having cybernetic implants and/or prosthetics was just a normal part of life. In fact, society has progressed in this time to the point that not being a cyborg would make life difficult to totally unlivable.
Aside from the often frenetic storytelling, I liked this book, and the central relationship was what kept me reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Rebellion for this ARC in exchange for my review.
November 29, 2024
This had moments of vibrant, punchy fun that reminded me very much of V and Jackie from Cyberpunk 2077, but also moments where things seemed to just run away nonsensically. I think the dialogue was perhaps often the cause of this? The quips and jokes were so much, all the time, in all the moments, so what was being said didn’t gel with what was happening. But I still enjoyed this very queer, very pacy cyberpunk noir.
April 28, 2023
BBB is a genre-crossing wild ride. Herrera and Kiera make a voicey and very readable buddy/rookie-and-old-hand pairing, cracking the case of a missing friend that grows into something larger than Kiera's job description as a hacker for hire, and Herrera's need to avenge his best friend. Seedy Carson City, peopled by doubtful dames, emancipated androids, and other colourful characters comes alive in Wood's immersive and incisive prose, which leaves this reader definitely keen on reading another story in her world. This book reads like both noir and cyberpunk rebooted and synthesised, with representation (yay!) and very relevant social observations. Herrera and Kiera's dynamic shows how the disillusions and alienation of noir has nurtured cyberpunk, and as a lover of both genres, their friendship is a huge part of what kept me riveted to the page. This book is just fun. Highly recommend.
June 22, 2023
Well. That was unique.
This is a near-future, old-school PI and jacked-in sidekick, dystopian, neonpunk roller-coaster of a murder mystery. It was the prose style that hooked me and kept me reading, but also the inclusiveness and diversity versus the cops as bad guys and the privileged as bad guys, but also the characters were good, too. It's got a lot going for it if you enjoy the prose, is what I'm saying. I nearly never care about the mystery so much as how the characters navigate the plot, but I also approve of whodunnit. And why. Satisfying beginning to end. Really glad I gave it a chance.
This is a near-future, old-school PI and jacked-in sidekick, dystopian, neonpunk roller-coaster of a murder mystery. It was the prose style that hooked me and kept me reading, but also the inclusiveness and diversity versus the cops as bad guys and the privileged as bad guys, but also the characters were good, too. It's got a lot going for it if you enjoy the prose, is what I'm saying. I nearly never care about the mystery so much as how the characters navigate the plot, but I also approve of whodunnit. And why. Satisfying beginning to end. Really glad I gave it a chance.
January 24, 2023
I found fault with a few things in this book, so I'll save what I appreciated for the very end. For now, sit back and enjoy (or don't; I can't tell you what to do) my unvarnished opinion.
The most subjective of my gripes: the dialogue, along with the narration, to a lesser extent, was quippy to the point of being unrealistic. Almost all the dialogue felt forced to me in a "hello fellow kids" way even though I think the author is not much older than I am. My biggest problem with this style of dialogue is that it undercut any emotional vulnerability in the narrative. Many dramatic moments were peppered with quips and one liners that took me out of empathizing with the characters and back to rolling my eyes at the dialogue.
I also found the plot kind of hard to believe. The main characters, especially Angel, the PI, came across as kind of incompetent, except I don't think they were written to be that way. I also found it very hard to believe that in a plot involving multiple murders, no kind of forensics was ever brought up except to incriminate Kiera. Nobody found any DNA evidence or unique fibers at the crime scene? Nobody thought to use this to frame anyone? I expected more from a high tech cyberpunk setting.
I was also underwhelmed by the antagonists. I dislike the police as much as the next person, but the antagonist came off as a mustache twirling cartoon villain to me. I think that by focusing on one awful individual, the narrative fails to examine the systemic and cultural reasons why that kind of awfulness is allowed to propagate within the police force. IMO this is a pretty big missed opportunity.
My largest issue with this book is the juxtaposition of Buddhism with the incredibly violent motives of one character. To preface this, I am not Buddhist, but I did run my concerns by an ex-Buddhist friend of mine and they agreed. Buddhist ideology explicitly condemns violence against living things, but there is one character in this book who uses Buddhist ideals as either motivation or justification (I'm not sure which; this character made no sense to me) for murder. I don't know what the author's religion is, if any, so I make no claims of appropriation, only that the Buddhism involved in this book, whether or not the narrative condemns the actions of the character in question, misrepresents the religion.
At first, I was happy to see poly rep in this book, but that rep came hand in hand with the sort of smug poly superiority that I, a non-monogamous person, can't stand. Let's not make constant digs at monogamous people please. Being poly doesn't make one an inherently better person, it just means we approach romantic relationships differently.
I did, however, appreciate that this book didn't shy away from having a queer (this is the term I am comfortable with; if the author dislikes it, please someone let me know so that I can edit this review accordingly) villain. Too often, authors, especially queer authors, are pressured into writing only good, perfect queer characters, which in turn holds us irl to an impossible standard. Even if I didn't like the story overall, I appreciate that the author took the time and care to write a cast of realistically imperfect queer people.
Thanks to NetGalley and Solaris/Rebellion for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The most subjective of my gripes: the dialogue, along with the narration, to a lesser extent, was quippy to the point of being unrealistic. Almost all the dialogue felt forced to me in a "hello fellow kids" way even though I think the author is not much older than I am. My biggest problem with this style of dialogue is that it undercut any emotional vulnerability in the narrative. Many dramatic moments were peppered with quips and one liners that took me out of empathizing with the characters and back to rolling my eyes at the dialogue.
I also found the plot kind of hard to believe. The main characters, especially Angel, the PI, came across as kind of incompetent, except I don't think they were written to be that way. I also found it very hard to believe that in a plot involving multiple murders, no kind of forensics was ever brought up except to incriminate Kiera. Nobody found any DNA evidence or unique fibers at the crime scene? Nobody thought to use this to frame anyone? I expected more from a high tech cyberpunk setting.
I was also underwhelmed by the antagonists. I dislike the police as much as the next person, but the antagonist came off as a mustache twirling cartoon villain to me. I think that by focusing on one awful individual, the narrative fails to examine the systemic and cultural reasons why that kind of awfulness is allowed to propagate within the police force. IMO this is a pretty big missed opportunity.
My largest issue with this book is the juxtaposition of Buddhism with the incredibly violent motives of one character. To preface this, I am not Buddhist, but I did run my concerns by an ex-Buddhist friend of mine and they agreed. Buddhist ideology explicitly condemns violence against living things, but there is one character in this book who uses Buddhist ideals as either motivation or justification (I'm not sure which; this character made no sense to me) for murder. I don't know what the author's religion is, if any, so I make no claims of appropriation, only that the Buddhism involved in this book, whether or not the narrative condemns the actions of the character in question, misrepresents the religion.
At first, I was happy to see poly rep in this book, but that rep came hand in hand with the sort of smug poly superiority that I, a non-monogamous person, can't stand. Let's not make constant digs at monogamous people please. Being poly doesn't make one an inherently better person, it just means we approach romantic relationships differently.
I did, however, appreciate that this book didn't shy away from having a queer (this is the term I am comfortable with; if the author dislikes it, please someone let me know so that I can edit this review accordingly) villain. Too often, authors, especially queer authors, are pressured into writing only good, perfect queer characters, which in turn holds us irl to an impossible standard. Even if I didn't like the story overall, I appreciate that the author took the time and care to write a cast of realistically imperfect queer people.
Thanks to NetGalley and Solaris/Rebellion for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 31, 2023
A cyberpunk technothriller that made me laugh, kept guessing. I had a lot of fun and thoroughly enjoyed this crazy story with a cast of well thought and interesting characters.
A well plotted story that I recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
A well plotted story that I recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
May 10, 2023
I really tried, but ran out of patience with this book. A fast-paced story. . . in which nothing happens. I guess it’s for the world-building, but it felt like a whole lot of pop tech jargon thrown in, some short, sharp conversations, and a decent bit of description, without the story moving as fast as one would have liked. I liked Kiera’s character, as well as Angel Hererra, and loved the depiction of queer, poly characters, but the story, not so much.
(Review copy from NetGalley)
(Review copy from NetGalley)
April 23, 2025
3.5. The future is queeeeerrrrr and we are hereeeee for it. We love a gritty cyberpunk noir. Put the trans in transhumanism--hell yeah. I took off a little bit because I felt like the actual plot started to get lost at the very end and I wanted more for our girl Kiera. I wanted a more meaningful denouement. Also, I listened to this on audiobook and I know the intention was not to make Kiera sound like Tina from Bob's Burgers, but oh my god, the deadpan voice acting of funny moments was incredibly Tina-coded and it worked. "I'm 30." was my favorite repeat line.
February 5, 2024
The queer, trans, poly cyberpunk noir mystery of my dreams! There was something just utterly brilliant about this book. A cyberpunk world in the near future 20 years ahead, with old school cyber implants used in a modern way. In a fascist dystopia, which isn't very different from the world today. It felt very real. The characters were great, their relationships realistic. The geek content super high. I utterly adored this.
May 1, 2023
Cyber punk crime noir novel? Yes. Femme Fatale? Yes. Smoking detective with a trench coat? Yes. Fascinating characters with realistically portrayed relationships? Yes. Personal book of the month? Yes. Everything I never knew I wanted? Yes.
Should you read this book? Yes.
Should you read this book? Yes.
March 29, 2023
Bang Band Bodhisattva was heavy with gritty, electric cyberpunk vibes, full of cybernetic mods and advanced tech and cut with comedy. Plus, there's gays doing crime, escaping crime, and solving crime! It explores themes of capitalistic exploitation as well as queerness in such a world. The cast is full of LGBTQ+ characters, including our main heroine, a (chaotic) trans woman in a poly relationship. However, despite the interesting premise and ideas, I think this was as far as the good points go.
The dialogue came across really overtop and snarky. It was entertaining at times, but it dominated so much of the text to the point that I couldn't relate to or feel for any of the characters. They just came across ridiculous and unreal to me, so it wasn't something I personally enjoyed. That could certainly just be a me thing though.
The overall plot also did not thrill me like I would have expected for what was supposed to be a cyberpunk mystery. The story was fairly slow and meandering, and it felt like it took an eternity for anything to happen. For example, the concept related to the main title does not become relevant until the end. It is not hinted at all throughout the novel, and rather seemed to come out of nowhere so the reveal had no impact.
Long story short, I was bored the entire time because I wasn't at all invested in the characters or the plot, but if you're just here for a fun time, this book may still work for you!
(will be posting on other sites closer to publication date)
The dialogue came across really overtop and snarky. It was entertaining at times, but it dominated so much of the text to the point that I couldn't relate to or feel for any of the characters. They just came across ridiculous and unreal to me, so it wasn't something I personally enjoyed. That could certainly just be a me thing though.
The overall plot also did not thrill me like I would have expected for what was supposed to be a cyberpunk mystery. The story was fairly slow and meandering, and it felt like it took an eternity for anything to happen. For example, the concept related to the main title does not become relevant until the end. It is not hinted at all throughout the novel, and rather seemed to come out of nowhere so the reveal had no impact.
Long story short, I was bored the entire time because I wasn't at all invested in the characters or the plot, but if you're just here for a fun time, this book may still work for you!
(will be posting on other sites closer to publication date)
August 26, 2023
Cyberpunk is now middle-aged, Neuromancer was 1984, and arguably comics had been playing in this realm much earlier. A lot of the aesthetic of cyberpunk is also knocked off of Blade Runner, at least the neon streets are. Which makes Bang Bang Bodhisattva a rather nostalgic throwback. Its even set in 2032, without any sense that this is really our future, but is certainly the future the early cyberpunk writers were toying with. Blend a bit of Snowcrash in, and we have the kind of framework for a cyberpunk world that we can then throw all of today's angst into: instant canceling, gender-fluidity, the tightest of gig economies.
Cyberpunk was only ever the window dressing really, usually for some kind of noir detective or a conspiracy theory to be unraveled. Aubrey Wood is not the first person to tie noir with cyberpunk, but her joyful buddy movie of a book does nicely tie together a hardboiled 'tec with a fresh-faced hacker and throws all the right shapes with it. Both leads have a distinctive point of view, both are fun to spend time with even while the bitterness invades the older character, and anxiety overwhelms the younger. Throw in endless slang and micro-concepts to do the world building and this actually feels like an almost cosily comforting return to the best of fun cyberpunk. And as for the mystery at the heart of it, it works in that most tantalizing way, making you flip back pages for the clues in plain site for the denouement you didn't expect. A snappy fun read.
Cyberpunk was only ever the window dressing really, usually for some kind of noir detective or a conspiracy theory to be unraveled. Aubrey Wood is not the first person to tie noir with cyberpunk, but her joyful buddy movie of a book does nicely tie together a hardboiled 'tec with a fresh-faced hacker and throws all the right shapes with it. Both leads have a distinctive point of view, both are fun to spend time with even while the bitterness invades the older character, and anxiety overwhelms the younger. Throw in endless slang and micro-concepts to do the world building and this actually feels like an almost cosily comforting return to the best of fun cyberpunk. And as for the mystery at the heart of it, it works in that most tantalizing way, making you flip back pages for the clues in plain site for the denouement you didn't expect. A snappy fun read.
February 3, 2023
An exhilarating cyberpunk, techno-noir whodunnit!
I will preface this by saying I'm not a gamer or a coder, so there were a lot of references that flew over my head, but even so, this was a super enjoyable, fast-paced read. I found the world Aubrey Wood has built fascinating, from the descriptions of how tech and VR are integrated, to the discussions about AI autonomy, and the sombering snippets about the political climate and what it means for human rights (particularly for queer and gender-non-conforming people). As for the characters, Kiera, Sky and Angel have my whole heart.
As for the murder mystery itself? I really did not see that coming. It was bonkers, in the best way possible. Now, I would like more books set in that world, please and thank you, with Kiera and Angel solving mysteries together (because I really want to know how their relationship evolves after—but no, shush, spoilers).
Thank you to Rebellion Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I will preface this by saying I'm not a gamer or a coder, so there were a lot of references that flew over my head, but even so, this was a super enjoyable, fast-paced read. I found the world Aubrey Wood has built fascinating, from the descriptions of how tech and VR are integrated, to the discussions about AI autonomy, and the sombering snippets about the political climate and what it means for human rights (particularly for queer and gender-non-conforming people). As for the characters, Kiera, Sky and Angel have my whole heart.
As for the murder mystery itself? I really did not see that coming. It was bonkers, in the best way possible. Now, I would like more books set in that world, please and thank you, with Kiera and Angel solving mysteries together (because I really want to know how their relationship evolves after—but no, shush, spoilers).
Thank you to Rebellion Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2024
proper queer cyberpunk story centering a 30s something trans woman loser (affectionate)
cracking it open really helped re-energize my own enthusiasm for writing
to give the pitch: it's a cyberpunk noir thriller following down on her luck 30s something transwoman Kiera, trying to raise enough money to raise her polycule's social score so they aren't evicted from their apartment. in the wrong place at the wrong time, Kiera and her on-again off-again friend/employer Angel Herrera, a luddite private investigator, are framed for two separate murders. they have to work together to avoid the fascist police in order to clear their names and find the real killer.
i loved this book. It's fast-paced, heartfelt, and sincerely queer. It feels like proper cyberpunk but free of all the weird anti-Asian and ableism that plagues the common cultural conception of 'classic' cyberpunk while keeping the scathing critique of capitalism with a picture of a future that's more of a fun-house mirror of our present.
cracking it open really helped re-energize my own enthusiasm for writing
to give the pitch: it's a cyberpunk noir thriller following down on her luck 30s something transwoman Kiera, trying to raise enough money to raise her polycule's social score so they aren't evicted from their apartment. in the wrong place at the wrong time, Kiera and her on-again off-again friend/employer Angel Herrera, a luddite private investigator, are framed for two separate murders. they have to work together to avoid the fascist police in order to clear their names and find the real killer.
i loved this book. It's fast-paced, heartfelt, and sincerely queer. It feels like proper cyberpunk but free of all the weird anti-Asian and ableism that plagues the common cultural conception of 'classic' cyberpunk while keeping the scathing critique of capitalism with a picture of a future that's more of a fun-house mirror of our present.
January 13, 2024
To categorize broadly, this is a fun, fast-paced odd-couple buddy book with a terrific female protagonist. But it’s so much more than that and I’m not sure I can do the author’s accomplishment justice here from my cis-het-suburban-middle-aged-mom perspective, but I’ll try.
Each character on the surface seems pretty straightforward and simple at first, which pushes the murder mystery frame-job front and center to draw the reader in to the plot.
As the plot progresses, though, the nuances and complexities and joys of the characters’ lives sneak into the forefront and you can’t help but get caught up in those elements. I don’t want to get more detailed so as not to spoil the experience for first time readers.
As they say, representation matters, and this book is rich with it: trans characters, polyamory that works, cyberpunks, gamers, even a jaded middle-aged old fart.
Highly recommend!
Each character on the surface seems pretty straightforward and simple at first, which pushes the murder mystery frame-job front and center to draw the reader in to the plot.
As the plot progresses, though, the nuances and complexities and joys of the characters’ lives sneak into the forefront and you can’t help but get caught up in those elements. I don’t want to get more detailed so as not to spoil the experience for first time readers.
As they say, representation matters, and this book is rich with it: trans characters, polyamory that works, cyberpunks, gamers, even a jaded middle-aged old fart.
Highly recommend!
November 4, 2023
3.5 stars | A fun and compulsively readable queer cyberpunk noir mystery. The excellent, thoughtful worldbuilding is definitely the best part. It is clearly a debut novel, though—the mystery itself is clumsily constructed, with a disappointing solve, and while the dialogue was punchy enough to get a few laughs out of me, I couldn't remember a single line as soon as I finished the book. I'm also not a fan of the way
Aubrey Wood mentioned in an interview that the characters are modeled on herself and the people she knows, and I totally see that. Kiera and her friends are very relatable—I know lots of people like them!—and that gives them an endearing everyperson quality, but they lack the development or interiority to truly be memorable. This book needed to be thought through a bit more, but Wood has a ton of potential as a writer that I hope she lives up to.
Aubrey Wood mentioned in an interview that the characters are modeled on herself and the people she knows, and I totally see that. Kiera and her friends are very relatable—I know lots of people like them!—and that gives them an endearing everyperson quality, but they lack the development or interiority to truly be memorable. This book needed to be thought through a bit more, but Wood has a ton of potential as a writer that I hope she lives up to.
January 5, 2024
4+ All the trappings of a high octane sci fi noir. Great pacing, relatable protagonist, snappy dialogue. Meticulous near future world building But at the same there’s real poetry in some of Keira’s meditative sequences. Sometimes the writer’s enthusiasm overpowers stylistic concerns, which is why this missed the 5 rating, but still pretty great. I really appreciated the way the protagonist’s trans identity was an important part of the narrative but not their only defining quality.
March 26, 2025
There was so much lantern hanging in the opening pages I was worried it would be too much up its own ass and nearly bounced, but Wood stayed on the right side of that line, and it wound up being really fun, if a little unstable, tone-wise.
August 19, 2023
My review:⭐⭐⭐⭐
This has 2 points of view, Kiera, who is a trans female, and Angel, whose tone is very noir detective!
This has a multiple characters who are LGBTQ+, and different relationships.
It's set 20 years in the future, and the technology is very cyber punk!
It's a really good detective story, with lots of twists.
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Rebellion.
This has 2 points of view, Kiera, who is a trans female, and Angel, whose tone is very noir detective!
This has a multiple characters who are LGBTQ+, and different relationships.
It's set 20 years in the future, and the technology is very cyber punk!
It's a really good detective story, with lots of twists.
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Rebellion.
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