K23 Detectives by Noah Murphy

All I can say about the "K23 Detective" series is way cool! If you like Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files" or Simon Green's "Nightside" or "Hawk & Fisher" books, I guarantee you'll love Noah Murphy's world.

Book one is A Clear and Feathered Danger. Where we meet the main central characters for first time, and upon meeting them, we are captivated. We meet Quintanelle Fillion, an elven mage who wants to make it in the wide world... or at least in New Delta. She's smart, and a bit lost at first, as well as very overwhelmed by the number of creatures and people she needs to deal with -- not as easy as it sounds when you have a rather racist and sheltered upbringing. She applies to go to work for Alfonso Deegan, a detective who is the owner of K23 Detectives. He is happily married and is a bit of a perfectionist. He's also a little grouchy :)  His associates include Mordridakon, a dragon (who is insatiable in a few different ways), and Trogg the Genius, the world's smartest ogre.

Once introductions are made, A Clear and Feathered Danger gets right to the meat of the story. The Avian Syndicate is a criminal syndicate in New Delta made up entirely of large birds (or bird-like creatures). They want something, but they can't steal it. So, they do the next best thing: The kidnap a goblin shaman to help them achieve their goal.

This is a very fast-paced story. Once the action starts, it doesn't stop. Occasionally it slows a bit, but not much, and usually to turn a corner. Along the way, we learn a bit about the politics of New Delta and how the Avian Syndicate came to be. Alfonso is smart, savvy and the kind of detective you want on your side. New Delta is not a city I want to live in -- ever -- but it is really fun to visit.

Book 2 is What Lies Within. With the addition of Eluna, the K23 Detectives are ready for some corporate espionage. What starts out as a murder of a private detective and a blackmail scheme becomes something much darker and much more dangerous.

After the first romp, you should be prepared for the fast pace... at least you'd better be because this is one rollercoaster of a ride. Politics, blackmail, murder and other shenanigans are sure to keep your attention. I honestly had to re-read several passages because I wasn't sure how Alfonso got to the answers he got to! It all makes sense in the end, but its a quick, twisty story that will leave you looking for more.

The third (and last, so far) in the series is The Impending Darkness. This book reminded me more of the "Nightside" books than anything. Again, a very fast pace, tight storyline and an ending that left me wishing that there was another book ready right now.

This time around, we follow Deegan and Co. to the twin cities of Brocenback and Alkhan. The rulers of othe cities want to marry and join the two cities. A lot of the people really don't want that. And, just to keep things a bit off balance, the followers of the forbidden deity of destruction and disorder, have resurfaced.

All in all, I highly recommend these books. They're well-written, logical and the world is quite different from most that are out there. There's a dystopian edge to the stories, as well as a very cyberpunk feel. Something for everyone whether you like sci-fi or fantasy, and especially if you like Harry Dresden :)