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Book Review of Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead (Claire DeWitt, Bk 1)

Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead (Claire DeWitt, Bk 1)
esjro avatar reviewed on + 912 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2


Claire DeWitt is a PI, hired by the cousin of a DA who disappeared during Hurricane Katrina to determine the cause of his death. Claire's murder investigation takes her into the heart of a ravaged post-storm New Orleans, and its residents, some of whose lives were ruined long before the hurricane.

Judging by the divisive reviews on Amazon, readers either love Claire or loathe her. Those who pick up this book thinking it is a cozy will hate it. DeWitt is a pot-smoking, mystic, and occasionally psychotic character. Her character is more along the lines of a pulp fiction PI than Murder She Wrote. Count me among those readers who get it: I found the dialog laugh out loud funny, and Claire a sympathetic character who despite a tough exterior frequently shows kindness and deep insight.

Sara Gran is a great writer, and I'm looking forward to future installments in this series.