Book/Magazine Review: The City In These Pages by John Grant

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free, bite-sized book/magazine reviews.

Nothing is ever as it seems when it comes to John Grant and The City In These Pages is no exception. This novella manages to capture the atmosphere of a police procedural, complete with its own urban city and an enigmatic crime to baffle the police. Without giving too much away, this is right up the alley of PS Publishing and those who've been following Grant all this time won't be disappointed.

While the mystery is compelling, the highlight of this book are the personalities, from the smart African-American cop who has a Texan bombshell for a wife to his looming Japanese partner who's a fan of Disney cartoons. The various characters have their own voice and unique character quirks, complementing this fast-paced story with memorable protagonists.

This is one of those books where you should just take a leap of faith and simply enjoy the prose wherever it takes you. Overall, The City In These Pages was a fun read: nothing too astounding although Grant does own up to the McBain tribute and infuses it with his own unique elements.