Dead Man in a Ditch is the follow-up to Luke Arnold’s debut novel The Last Smile in Sunder City, which was released earlier this year. Fetch Phillips is back and just as morose, guilt-ridden, and a glutton for punishment as ever. After the events of the first novel, some of the locals hope that magic may return to this fractured world, but Fetch remains unconvinced, even as the cops ask him to weigh in on their latest case where the victim appears to have been killed through magical means. As he works to unravel the confusing, contradictory elements of this murder, Fetch is drawn into a power struggle beyond imagining and the choices he makes will have grave consequences for the future of Sunder City.
“Sunder City makes a few things without fail: hunger in winter, drunks at night and trouble all year round.”
Once again, the world-building is phenomenal; we already know about the Coda from the first book, but the repercussions of its effect on magical species is explored in further detail to create morbid new storylines. The tragic fate that befell creatures like the Fae whose magic drained away, leaving cold lifeless statutes behind, was bad enough already and yet the author skilfully manages to twist the knife further and horrify the reader anew with the developments of this novel. As much as it pained me to read, I was impressed at the way the author fully mines the possibilities created by the man-made disaster that led to the broken, miserable world Fetch Phillips inhabits. It’s all too easy to have a generic event that leads to a dystopian society which merely serves as a gritty backdrop for the protagonist to perform heroics in, but the Coda is treated with the gravity it deserves and it’s fascinating to see the unexpected ways it affects people’s lives even six years on.
The writing style is as raw and grotesquely lyrical as before, capturing every grungy, tawdry detail of Sunder City and perfectly representing the cynical flawed anti-hero we are following in this series. It simultaneously engages and repulses the reader which is a remarkable feat, and I found myself bookmarking many phrases that I couldn’t help but re-read and marvel at how viscerally a couple short sentences brought this world to life.
“It smelled like an ashtray’s acid reflux. Pipes, old beer, sweaty pits and no ventilation.”
In a world without magic, it really is remarkable that Fetch’s body can take so much punishment without finally collapsing, even with his constant self-medication via painkillers and alcohol. From start to finish, Fetch goes through a gruelling routine of waking up, wandering from one fight to another before falling unconscious because the day isn’t complete without having his teeth kicked in! It does make sense to a certain extent because Fetch is depressed and suicidal, weighed under the burden of having to atone for his unforgivable betrayal, so of course he doesn’t value his personal safety. The times when he thinks he may be about to die are the most peaceful as it comes as almost a relief to him, so no wonder he recklessly careens from one person’s fist to another.
“The friendly version of Simms was getting weird. After more than a week away from home, it felt good to be back somewhere familiar: like at the end of the Detective’s steel-capped toes.”
But the character being used as a constant punching bag becomes tiresome and occasionally farcical, like when it’s meant to be humorous that his on-again, off-again ally on the police force is being nice to him and he doesn’t know how to react when the detective isn’t bashing him. It feels uncomfortable that police brutality even in this fantastical setting is treated as a running joke, and the fact that the local law enforcement go from being belligerent bullies who think nothing of casually imprisoning and torturing Fetch to the supposed heroes nobly restoring peace and order to the city in the face of violent protesters is extremely jarring and leaves an unpleasant taste in my mouth.
The moral conflict in this book is very well-written and Fetch’s indecisiveness over what the right thing to do is compelling and perfectly in character as it stems from his guilt over breaking the world six years ago. Of course he would feel like his judgment is untrustworthy and rely on the opinions of those around him to guide his choices. And it’s to the author’s credit that the two sides of the conflict are presented so believably that I waver along with Fetch over who is owed his loyalty and support. But the tone of the penultimate clash suggesting that oppressed people are wrong for rioting and the eventual outcome with the queer villain was disappointing to me.
“The world was against me and my body was broken but I had one last thing to push me on. Hate. I’ve never found a better fuel. A man might cross an ocean for love but with enough hate, he’ll try to drink it.”
With a bleak noir setting and a trainwreck of a protagonist who means well yet puts his foot wrong every single time, this is a unique, captivating, and thrilling read. The author has a talent for wringing every last drop of dread and angst from the audience, which makes the story very rough on one’s heart, but it’s impossible to read this book without being moved. A melancholy and imaginative tale that will linger with you long after you turn the last page.
Dead Man In A Ditch is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
A former soldier turned PI solves crime in a world that’s lost its magic in this brilliant sequel to actor Luke Arnold’s debut The Last Smile in Sunder City.
The name’s Fetch Phillips — what do you need?
Cover a Gnome with a crossbow while he does a dodgy deal? Sure. Find out who killed Lance Niles, the big-shot businessman who just arrived in town? I’ll give it shot. Help an old-lady Elf track down her husband’s murderer? That’s right up my alley.
What I don’t do, because it’s impossible, is search for a way to bring the goddamn magic back. Rumors got out about what happened with the Professor, so now people keep asking me to fix the world. But there’s no magic in this story. Just dead friends, twisted miracles, and a secret machine made to deliver a single shot of murder.
Welcome back to the streets of Sunder City, a darkly imagined world perfect for readers of Ben Aaronovitch and Jim Butcher.
