This book bills itself as superhero-noir, which is an accurate categorization, if a bit heavier on the noir. The primary setting is the Empire State, a shadowy alternate version of New York City where Prohibition has continued much longer than it did in our world. Rad Bradley, a private eye, is hired to solve the mysterious disappearance of a client's lover. The investigation eventually leads Rad to learn about a mysterious alternate reality: ours.
The Empire State is similar to NYC, except it's completely isolated; no one who leaves the island ever returns. A war is going on with a mysterious belligerent known only as the Enemy to citizens of the Empire State, and Wartime restrictions are in effect in the city. As the story develops, more about the Empire State becomes clear, but I will leave that to you to discover.
I admit that this book isn't for everyone. It has a very convoluted plot that honestly only became clear in the final chapter of the book, which is a little later than some people like. Up until the very end of the book, I really didn't know for sure who the good and the bad guys were. The mystery kept me interested, but I can see how it might be frustrating for some. I quite enjoyed struggling to add up the clues I had to get a clear picture, and I did piece together some of it, but not all.
The superhero aspect is there, but it's a bit understated to be one of the defining characteristics of the book. I enjoyed the superheroes, but I feel like I was led to expect something more from the way this book was advertised on the back cover. Basically, what I got was a good story, but not the story I was expecting.
All in all, this book is an intriguing mystery novel, which some science-fiction elements to give the story a unique setting. There is also action at times, which livens things up. I enjoyed the book, and I haven't really seen much about it online, so I hope this review inspires some interested readers to take a look.
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