Plastic by Scott Guild

Published by Pantheon on February 13, 2024

Sometimes, after the fifth or sixth time I’ve said to myself “I’m not sure I like this book,” I stop reading it. I persevered with Plastic. A mix of engaging moments and wtf moments convinced me that my continued attention was warranted, but in the end, my reaction remains: I’m not sure I like this book.

Erin seems to be living in a television show, or perhaps she views her life that way. Chapters start with “In this scene,” followed by a description of Erin’s activities, presumably narrated by Erin. She watches a popular television show (Nuclear Family, a show about post-apocalyptic teen angst in which some of the characters are waffles or robots) and talks to friends about their membership in the Church of Divine Acceptance, a pseudo-religion that equates faith with technology (“No God or weird stuff there.”).

Conjugations of “to be” and other bits of conventional sentence structure have disappeared in Erin’s post-apocalyptic world (“How Owen doing? He back home now?” is answered “He just get out hospital”), although Erin speaks fluidly when she narrates her life. The language change seems odd given that kids still play Marco Polo (words that seem more likely to disappear than “is” and “of”). But the kids are made of plastic, so any additional oddness is comparatively easy to accept.

Ah yes, the plastic. Perhaps I should have mentioned this earlier. Erin and her friends are plastic “figurines.” Maybe they only feel like they are plastic (a final scene suggests they might really have skin made of flesh), although they repair injuries to their bodies with Wound Glue. They seem human in most other respects, including the pleasure they take in alcohol, drugs, and sex. Erin sometimes orders a Hot Date when she wants to get laid, although her Smartbody can give her an equivalent experience with a virtual hookup.

Erin spent her inheritance on a Smartbody to help her avoid the reality of terrorism, global warming (the “heat leap”) caused by burning chicken bones as fuel, and the aftermath of a nuclear conflict. She escapes into a virtual reality called Smartworld.

Erin uses virtual reality to recreate Patrick, who died in front of her in a high school terrorism incident. She even gives herself a virtual pregnancy until she becomes angry and clicks the menu for a virtual abortion. Later in the story, Erin will develop a relationship with Jacob, a blind figurine.

Erin’s sister disappeared a terrorist bombing. Her father died of Brad Pitt disease (and perhaps of a broken heart after his boyfriend left him). In the virtual world, Erin receives unwanted warnings that caution her to avoid terrorist attacks. She suspects she knows the source of the warnings but doesn’t want to confirm her suspicions. On the other hand, not reporting the warnings will have its own consequences, including (at the least) being placed on a watch list by the oppressive government that tries to keep everyone under constant surveillance. That’s easy when people spend most of their lives getting high and living in a virtual world.

My impression is that Scott Guild excelled in creative writing classes. Plastic is certainly creative, but the novel feels like a series of gimmicks — interesting gimmicks, to be sure — that never quite cohere into a whole that is equal to, much less greater than, the sum of its parts. I didn’t become absorbed in the reality that Guild built, perhaps because I never quite saw its point. The metaphor of people living plastic lives seems a bit obvious. Still, Plastic might encourage readers to see quasi-religion, the risks of totalitarian government, terrorism, virtual reality, and the other topics that animate the story in a new light. Barring that, the story has some entertainment value, even if it doesn’t promote emotional engagement with its plastic characters.

RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS

Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz

Published by Minotaur Books on February 13, 2024

Gregg Hurwitz brings a couple of interesting themes to Lone Wolf. One is foreshadowed in the title. Series hero Evan Smoak, a/k/a Orphan X, has always been a loner. He prefers his own company to that of people and their infinite capacity to annoy him. He feels pity for people who fill their lives with pointless tasks to distract themselves from their loneliness.

A few books ago, Smoak became responsible for a teenage girl who was part of the Orphan project that turned Smoak into a killing machine. That responsibility carries with it the discomfort of a quasi-parental relationship he’s ill-equipped to handle. A few books ago he also started a halting relationship with a woman in his building but allowed it to fizzle away, in part to protect her from the violence he attracts. In Lone Wolf, after a brief visit to the disagreeable father he never knew, Smoak finds himself dealing with a brother he dislikes and his brother’s daughter, another teenage girl but one who lacks coping skills. The extent to which he will allow his family to touch his life is part of the unfolding drama, although it doesn’t get in the way of the action.

I admire the way Smoak’s personality has evolved during the series. Characterization is a cut above the usual for thriller tough guys. Apart from recognizing that he might be missing out on the humanizing value of relationships, Smoak is starting to feel old. He doesn’t recover from injuries as quickly as he once did. Aches and pains are accumulating; some will likely be permanent. Smoak recognizes a physical decline in his arms supplier (one of his few friends) and is haunted by the knowledge that he will face a similar future if he survives into old age.

The other theme develops when Smoak meets two billionaires who fancy themselves to be masters of the universe. One brags about his ability to earn profits by manipulating behavior through clandestine data collection. The other laments the softening of young people who are glued to screens and anxious about body image. One of them might be a murderer but orchestrating the murder of a few people might be less immoral than gaining wealth by surreptitiously controlling the behavior of millions.

The novel isn’t just about weighty themes and strong personalities. The plot is in constant motion. The action is credible and cinematic. Hurwitz weaves humor into a plot that starts with Evan’s niece pleading with him to find her lost dog. Naturally, the search brings Hurwitz to the home of a man who has just been murdered. He saves the man’s daughter but can’t prevent an injury that destroys her vocal cords. The encounter begins a war between Smoak and the assassin, Karissa Lopatina, a/k/a the Wolf. The story sends Smoak on a search for the person who hired Lopatina and on a mission to prevent her from returning to kill the dead man’s daughter. And yeah, to find the dog. The perfect blend of action, drama, and humor make Lone Wolf the best entry so far in what has become a strong series for thriller fans.

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Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford

First published in Great Britain in 2023; published by Scribner on February 6, 2024

Police detectives in the city of Cahokia work to solve a murder in Cahokia Jazz. Wikipedia, the repository of all knowledge, tells me that Cahokia, located across the Mississippi from the current site of St. Louis, was the first significant settlement in North America. The remaining mounds have been designated as an historic site. The city existed from 1050 to 1350, but the novel imagines that in 1922, it is a modern city populated by three segregated racial groups. The US is at war with Russia in the territory now known as Alaska. Against that background, Cahokia Jazz might best be described as a crime novel with literary aspirations set in the context of an alternate history.

In the eyes of some, the city founded by Aztec royalty is still ruled by Aztec royalty, although the native residents — Aztec by legend more than ancestry — were largely converted to Catholicism by a Jesuit priest. Native beliefs nevertheless shape policy. Private ownership of land is forbidden in Cahokia; land belongs to everyone. The Land Trust manages long-term leases of land to its tenants. Water and electricity are shared in the same way.

Frederick Hopper’s bloodied corpse is found on the rooftop of the Land Trust building. Hopper is a takata — a person of European ancestry. The two other prominent ethnic groups in Cahokia are takouma — with ancestry that is native to the continent, and taklousa — a person of African ancestry. A takouma word, written in blood on Hopper’s forehead, might be translated as a call for independence.

Two detectives are assigned to the case. Joe Barrow is a mix of takouma and taklousa. Phineas Drummond is takata. Hopper’s wife, representing the views of many takata, regards Barrow as a savage and will only speak to Drummond. Hopper was in the Klan, a popular organization in his home state of Ohio, before he moved to Cahokia. By the novel’s midpoint, the Klan will be leading an insurrection.

The story explains Barrow’s connection to Drummond, first as wounded soldiers who met in a hospital, then as partners in law enforcement. Barrow isn’t quite sure how he feels about Drummond. He appreciates Drummond’s willingness to see him as an equal (an unusual trait among the takata) but doesn’t admire the man’s personal qualities. Drummond is being paid off by bootleggers and has a taste for hookers. Thanks to his connections, Drummond has developed an addiction to amphetamines, well before amphetamines will be marketed by pharmaceutical companies. By the novel’s midway point, it appears that Drummond has fully betrayed his already shaky allegiance to law and order. He certainly doesn’t seem keen on solving Hopper’s murder.

A journalist brings Barrow to the attention of the Man of the Sun, a leader in the Aztec tradition. Barrow describes the Man as “the lord high wizard to the takouma” but he seems pretty much like every other religious/political leader. The Man refers to Barrow as “Thrown-Away Boy,” a phrase from an Aztec myth that is uncomfortably descriptive of Barrow’s childhood.

The Man’s niece, Couma Hashi, presides over the House of the Moon. Barrow meets Couma in the course of his investigation and is quite taken with her, although he realizes she is out of his league. Barrow will eventually find himself in a shootout, protecting Couma from political assassins.

The word painted on Hopper’s head is popular with the Warriors, a group that uses graffiti to support Aztec independence. Barrow’s prime suspect soon becomes a Warrior who believes in the Aztec tradition of blood sacrifice, although the modern version of the sacrifice is performed on rats. On the other hand, as a takouma suggests to Barrow, Hopper’s murder might be an “attempt to whip up takata against takouma.” Barrow will wonder whether that might be the case when he is literally caught between two angry racial groups as they march toward each other.

Cahokia Jazz is a story of death and sacrifice, politics and power, but it also tells the story of Barrow’s personal journey as he struggles to give a meaningful shape to his life. Elements of an action novel keep the story moving, but a subplot of unrequited love adds depth to Barrow’s character. His love is about as realistic as my dream of being Sandra Bullock’s boyfriend, but sometimes dreams come true. Will Barrow’s love be his downfall?

Much of the novel’s tension comes from the alternate futures that Barrow can imagine for himself and the uncertainty of the choice he will make. He becomes something of a hero before the novel ends, but events tempt him to abandon law enforcement and pursue his true love — playing piano in a jazz band. The jazz performance scenes capture the creative magic of musicians at work.

I admire the research and creative reflection on “what might have been” that animates Cahokia Jazz. World-building can be essential to the credibility of speculative fiction. Francis Spufford’s city-building is masterful. Drummond knows every speakeasy and house of ill repute; Barrow knows the jazz clubs. The novel’s political background has the racially pure FBI chasing everyone suspected of being a communist sympathizer, which of course includes union organizers. Loan sharks are among the mobsters who add to the 1920s vibe.

Cahokia Jazz is an ambitious novel. To realize its ambitions, the lengthy story lags as its various elements catch up with each other. Still, Spufford always maintained my interest in the story’s multiple threads. While Cahokia Jazz has obvious parallels to modern America’s racial and political division, the novel blends politics with action and mystery. The story’s ending forces Barrow to make a difficult choice, one that involves sacrifice and the death of a friendship. The novel ultimately succeeds because of Barrow’s complicated story, the kind of story that is simultaneously sad, heartwarming, and inspirational.

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Kingpin by Mike Lawson

Published by Atlantic Monthly Press on February 6, 2024

Patrick Grady is a Washington, D.C. lobbyist. Real estate tycoon Carson Newman hired Grady to kill a bill that would protect tenants’ rights. His efforts put him in the middle of a war between Newman and House Minority Leader John Mahoney. Newman expected Mahoney to kill the bill as a reward for Newman’s campaign contributions. Mahoney, who is usually happy to grant favors in exchange for cash, saw greater value in passing the bill and showing voters that Democrats could actually accomplish something they care about. Mahoney is therefore cheesed off that Grady successfully lobbied a dozen Democrats to oppose the bill.

Mahoney assigned his intern, Brian Lewis, to investigate the Democrats who voted against the bill and figure out how they were connected to Newman. Lewis finds the connections and writes a report but dies of a drug overdose before he shows it to anyone.

Lewis’ mom raises a stink with Mahoney because she knows her son was investigating corrupt politicians and believes he was murdered. To keep Lewis’ mother from going to the press, Mahoney assigns Joe DeMarco to appease her.

Series fans will know that DeMarco would rather play golf than work. He doesn’t use his law degree for anything useful. He has a basement office in the capitol and a job title, but his only duties involve cleaning up messes and running errands for Mahoney.

DeMarco’s initial plan is to placate Lewis’ mother by making it seem like he’s investigating her son’s death. She convinces him that her suspicions might have some merit, but he doesn’t know what Lewis discovered. Lewis’ laptop is in the hands of a private investigator who is working for Grady. The PI had Lewis followed by Sydney Roma, a recovering drug addict who is getting her life together with the PI’s help. At Grady’s request, the PI wipes the incriminating evidence from the laptop and has Sydney concoct an excuse that will allow the laptop to be returned to Lewis’ mother. DeMarco views the laptop’s sudden reappearance as suspicious and begins to look for Sydney as his best connection to Lewis’ killer.

DeMarco novels are fun because murders and criminal conspiracies are balanced by humor. DeMarco isn’t an exemplary individual but his compassion and sense of justice offset his many flaws. Mahoney is a corrupt alcoholic but somehow likable, in part because he sometimes uses his power to help people who deserve a break. Sidney is a great addition to the story because of her unbreakable spirit.

DeMarco uses a clever ruse to move the plot toward a desirable ending. He also defies an FBI agent because, true to form, the FBI is willing to let murderers off the hook if they can take down a more headline-worthy villain — in this case, a wealthy Albanian gangster. DeMarco doesn’t want that to happen, even at the risk of making himself a target of an FBI investigation.

DeMarco stories usually have credible plots and reasonably happy endings. Kingpin is no exception. DeMarco novels might have a bit more violence than a typical beach read, but the violence isn’t particularly graphic. Crime novel fans can spend pleasant afternoons on a beach with Kingpin and come away smiling.

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The Price You Pay by Nick Petrie

Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons on February 6, 2024

Nick Petrie continues a reliable thriller series in the latest Peter Ash novel. Trouble has a habit of finding Peter, interfering with his desire to live a quiet life with his wife June, the woman who helps still the noise of PTSD that would otherwise make it impossible for Peter to sleep indoors.

Peter’s good friend Lewis used to be the leader in a small group of thieves who specialized in stealing from criminals. The criminals who survived or the organizations for which they worked would like to get revenge, but they only know the thieves as the Ghost Killers. Cops think the Ghost Killers are an urban legend, but the underworld knows better.

After the Ghost Killers retired, one of their number needed help to recover from a brain injury. Teddy’s speech therapist told him to record every memory of his past in a journal. Teddy dutifully wrote down everything he knew about the other Ghost Killers and the crimes they committed. Unfortunately, he shared some of that information with his speech therapist (he was shagging her by that point and wanted to impress her). She turned out to be bad at keeping his secrets.

One of the criminals who lost money to the Ghost Killers learned about the journals. Lewis worries that if the journals are distributed throughout the underworld (or to the police), all of the Ghost Killers will be at risk of arrest or retribution. Yet the woman who wants the journals suffered a deeper loss than money, giving her a special motivation to find Lewis and the other Ghosts. She wants to go Keyser Soze on them. She hires a man to find the journals and to bring the Ghost Killers to her. The man is a former CIA agent. He’s good at his work but he learns that Peter and Lewis are formidable adversaries.

The Price You Pay is an intelligent action novel. Peter and Lewis stay true to the personalities they have developed in earlier novels. Peter is defined largely by his courageous efforts to battle his PTSD while Lewis is overcoming his dark past by making a relatively normal life with his new wife and her kids. Or course, life might not qualify as normal when Lewis is being chased by men with guns, as is often the case.

Petrie creates suspense by forcing Peter and Lewis to overcome obstacles as they track down the stolen journals and protect their families from the woman who seeks revenge. They use their wits in combination with their fighting skills, bringing a freshness to action scenes that go beyond improbable shootouts and tough guys hitting other tough guys in the throat. Their wives bring skills of their own to assist Peter and Lewis. The ending delivers the kind of tension that thriller fans expect. I’m pleased that after eight books, this series hasn’t gone stale. I hope Petrie can keep it going for a few more.

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