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sullyniow's review
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
jeninenine's review against another edition
Well written but I don't want to spend an entire book in hell.
abookishtype's review against another edition
5.0
When they arrive in Hell, the angels are disappointed. Where are the lakes of fire? Where are the torments? In Simon Unsworth's The Devil's Detective, Hell has become a more subtle place. The delegation of angels that arrive at the beginning of the book are told that the new punishments are all the worse because they rest on the slim hope the damned have of maybe, one day, getting released. The system is arbitrary. No one knows what they're being punished for. A special punishment seems to have been reserved for Thomas Fool, one of Hell's Information Man. Just as the angelic delegation arrives, Fool is also told to investigate a series of murders even more savage than usual. How is this sort-of cop supposed to mete out justice in Hell?
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from Edelweiss for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from Edelweiss for review consideration.
totonia's review against another edition
4.0
Definitly intriguing. If you like a good detective novel with twists and an unexpected ending then you are at the right adress.
civreader's review against another edition
4.0
Actually read this quite some time ago, and wrote a reader's report for Unsworth's agent. Really enjoyed it - wonderfully dark, well-realized, well-written, and engaging from beginning to end. Recommended.
charshorrorcorner's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars!
Thomas Fool is an Information Man and the setting is Hell with a capital H.
Turns out that an Information Man means Detective, even though not much detecting has ever been tried in Hell. He and two others start out on their journey to discover what is sucking souls dry while the reader hangs on for the ride. That's all I'm going to say about the plot, because it would be a disservice to interfere with the author's fine telling of this dark fantasy story.
The world building here is phenomenal -and the creativity and imagination? Outstanding! The pacing was fast and the mystery intriguing. The one drawback I felt was that the story was relentlessly dark and I had to take a quick break to read a short story here and there, to lighten my mood. For that, (which is a picky complaint, I admit), I deducted one half star.
This tale was impressive, intricate and imaginative. I'm looking forward to a sequel-I so hope there'll be one. In the meantime, I think I'll check out more of Mr. Unsworth's work. This visually striking imagery put me in mind of Clive Barker's work, (the Man of Plants and Flowers? I imagine him vividly!) Highly recommended for horror fans, but especially to fans of Barker!
Thomas Fool is an Information Man and the setting is Hell with a capital H.
Turns out that an Information Man means Detective, even though not much detecting has ever been tried in Hell. He and two others start out on their journey to discover what is sucking souls dry while the reader hangs on for the ride. That's all I'm going to say about the plot, because it would be a disservice to interfere with the author's fine telling of this dark fantasy story.
The world building here is phenomenal -and the creativity and imagination? Outstanding! The pacing was fast and the mystery intriguing. The one drawback I felt was that the story was relentlessly dark and I had to take a quick break to read a short story here and there, to lighten my mood. For that, (which is a picky complaint, I admit), I deducted one half star.
This tale was impressive, intricate and imaginative. I'm looking forward to a sequel-I so hope there'll be one. In the meantime, I think I'll check out more of Mr. Unsworth's work. This visually striking imagery put me in mind of Clive Barker's work, (the Man of Plants and Flowers? I imagine him vividly!) Highly recommended for horror fans, but especially to fans of Barker!
*A free copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This is it!*
lauriereadslohf's review against another edition
3.0
When I started The Devil’s Detective I knew it might be a bit of a challenge but it called to me. It’s been described as bleak and has also been compared to Barker and though I’ve always adored Barker’s work, I’ve always had to give him my 100% attention because his stuff is rich with description and layer upon layer of dread.
I’m not going to lie. This book made me work. It’s filled with a despair that I just can’t put into words. The author painstakingly recreates Hell as a place you’d never, ever want to visit but not because there is some evil entity setting your ass on fire. No, in this version of Hell you don’t even know why you’re here so there’s not even a sense of “I was an asshole. I deserve this.” You arrive with no memory, are given a job and then you’re not allowed to do it properly. Talk about an exercise in frustration! Your existence is one of despair, tedium and malaise. And that’s all there is.
The story follows an “Information Man” called Fool who is dispatched to investigate the dead bodies that turn up in Hell (it is Hell and overrun with demons, after all). Fool catalogues endless crimes and murders but no one follows up on any of it until one day he runs across a body whose soul appears to have been eaten. Deliciousness! But that’s weird, even in Hell, so The Powers that Be get their ears all perked up and Fool is given a mission as well as a forbidden smidge of hope that maybe, perhaps this one case will be one he’ll actually get to solve.
The best part about this book is the imagery. The characters, if I’m being honest, are rather uninteresting. There’s a female or two and they’re pretty useless creatures, whining and wailing and lamenting and carrying on. Meh, go away. I have no patience for you. A livelier Fool would’ve made this one go down easier but he’s too bland for my taste. The descriptions are 100% what kept me reading but at a bit of a snail’s pace. I never felt an undying urge to keep going to see if he solved the mystery but keep going I did. I don’t regret it though because as I said the imagery and savagery is worth the time.
“He raised his head, feeling something that had to be blood roll down the side of his face. He lifted a hand to it, finding a short tear just below his hairline, another wound that would scar to a keloid ridge and add to the story of his time here, a story written across his skin in the language of Hell.”
I’m not going to lie. This book made me work. It’s filled with a despair that I just can’t put into words. The author painstakingly recreates Hell as a place you’d never, ever want to visit but not because there is some evil entity setting your ass on fire. No, in this version of Hell you don’t even know why you’re here so there’s not even a sense of “I was an asshole. I deserve this.” You arrive with no memory, are given a job and then you’re not allowed to do it properly. Talk about an exercise in frustration! Your existence is one of despair, tedium and malaise. And that’s all there is.
The story follows an “Information Man” called Fool who is dispatched to investigate the dead bodies that turn up in Hell (it is Hell and overrun with demons, after all). Fool catalogues endless crimes and murders but no one follows up on any of it until one day he runs across a body whose soul appears to have been eaten. Deliciousness! But that’s weird, even in Hell, so The Powers that Be get their ears all perked up and Fool is given a mission as well as a forbidden smidge of hope that maybe, perhaps this one case will be one he’ll actually get to solve.
The best part about this book is the imagery. The characters, if I’m being honest, are rather uninteresting. There’s a female or two and they’re pretty useless creatures, whining and wailing and lamenting and carrying on. Meh, go away. I have no patience for you. A livelier Fool would’ve made this one go down easier but he’s too bland for my taste. The descriptions are 100% what kept me reading but at a bit of a snail’s pace. I never felt an undying urge to keep going to see if he solved the mystery but keep going I did. I don’t regret it though because as I said the imagery and savagery is worth the time.
“He raised his head, feeling something that had to be blood roll down the side of his face. He lifted a hand to it, finding a short tear just below his hairline, another wound that would scar to a keloid ridge and add to the story of his time here, a story written across his skin in the language of Hell.”
havoc's review against another edition
4.0
Very close to giving 5 stars.
Though I will probably eventually read the sequel I almost wish there wasn't one. This feels like a strong story by itself and I fear the sequel will weaken it, but that's just me.
Though I will probably eventually read the sequel I almost wish there wasn't one. This feels like a strong story by itself and I fear the sequel will weaken it, but that's just me.
maleficentknits's review against another edition
5.0
Not a book I would think to ever find in my local library or on their summer reading recommendation list for YA. Not at all.
I really loved this book. A little noirish, murder mystery taking place in hell. Our "hero" is Thomas Fool, one of three remaining Information Men in Hell's Bureaucracy that looks into Hell's crime cases. Huh. Yeah. This is Hell. Crime cases in Hell?
Fool and his two co-workers are assigned to look into the mysterious murders of human male prostitutes whose souls are missing and to find out what is The Man, a mysterious man who has been absorbed and transferred into a plant and has his tendrils in practically ever little corner of Hell, up to? Throw in a couple of angels that are bargaining with the Bureaucracy to release souls to Heaven and this is definitely an unusual read.
I really loved this book. A little noirish, murder mystery taking place in hell. Our "hero" is Thomas Fool, one of three remaining Information Men in Hell's Bureaucracy that looks into Hell's crime cases. Huh. Yeah. This is Hell. Crime cases in Hell?
Fool and his two co-workers are assigned to look into the mysterious murders of human male prostitutes whose souls are missing and to find out what is The Man, a mysterious man who has been absorbed and transferred into a plant and has his tendrils in practically ever little corner of Hell, up to? Throw in a couple of angels that are bargaining with the Bureaucracy to release souls to Heaven and this is definitely an unusual read.
pomegranatepanacea's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Definitely not a feel-good read, but a thoroughly enjoyable one. The action is tense and is one of my favorite aspects of the story. It is very violent and profane, and there are vivid descriptions of dead bodies. If that is upsetting to you, then I don't recommend it.
The mystery is well-written as well, in my opinion. There is enough information that a reader could figure things out before Fool if they are paying attention, but not so much that Fool seems stupid.
Something that irked me was the descriptions of masses of bodies; they usually (if not always) mention exclusively pale, white, pinkish skin tones. I don't recall any characters being non-white, and definitely not a named character.
The story is miserable and many people die in it, but it is a misery that I enjoyed.
The mystery is well-written as well, in my opinion. There is enough information that a reader could figure things out before Fool if they are paying attention, but not so much that Fool seems stupid.
Something that irked me was the descriptions of masses of bodies; they usually (if not always) mention exclusively pale, white, pinkish skin tones. I don't recall any characters being non-white, and definitely not a named character.
The story is miserable and many people die in it, but it is a misery that I enjoyed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Excrement
Moderate: Child death, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Grief
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content