The Feral Detective
A unique journey through mystery and human connection
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Atlantic Books
Published:5th Mar '20
Should be back in stock very soon
In The Feral Detective, a woman hires a quirky detective to find her missing friend, leading them into a dangerous and unexpected adventure.
In The Feral Detective, Jonathan Lethem introduces us to Phoebe Siegler, a determined woman searching for her missing friend's daughter, Arabella. Her journey leads her to the unconventional detective Charles Heist, who lives in a shabby trailer on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Heist, a solitary figure with a penchant for the bizarre, keeps an opossum in his desk drawer, embodying the eccentricity that defines this tale. Together, they embark on a quest that takes them through the desert's hidden enclaves, where the line between safety and danger blurs.
As Phoebe and Heist delve deeper into the search, they uncover a world of vagabonds and violence, revealing that Arabella is entangled in a perilous situation. The duo's dynamic is both humorous and tense, showcasing Lethem's signature blend of wit and suspense. The narrative unfolds with a sense of urgency, as Heist's mysterious abilities become crucial in navigating the threats they face. The desert setting serves as a backdrop for a story that is as much about personal discovery as it is about the search for a missing person.
The Feral Detective marks a return to the detective genre for Lethem, who masterfully combines elements of noir with his unique storytelling style. This novel is not just a mystery; it's a reflection on the complexities of human connection and the unexpected paths that lead us to confront our fears.
The Feral Detective investigates our haunted America in all its contemporary guises - at the edge of the city, beyond the blank desert, in the apartment next door.It's a nimble and uncanny performance, brimming with Lethem's trademark verve and wit. * Colson Whitehead, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Underground Railroad *
A rollicking detective story... The Feral Detective is the rare novel that feels like it's being typed onto the page as fast as you can read it. * New York Magazine *
The Feral Detective is one of his nimblest novels, a plucky voyage into the traumatized soul of the Trump era... It's a pleasure to see a smart writer having so much grisly fun. * Washington Post *
A highbrow mystery... Fans of Motherless Brooklyn take note * Washington Post *
One of America's finest living writers - wry, truthful and utterly original ... Startling, funny - it is captivating. * Daily Mail (Scotland) *
Lethem is a fearless kind of writer * Observer *
Packed with unusual characters, it is captivating. * Daily Mail *
A sort of psychedelic detective story... The crackling wit is there from the outset... Almost every page has a zinger. * The Scotsman *
Wild, urgent, and very funny. As always, Lethem writes knowingly and brilliantly about weird, off-the-grid, wayward America. In his ever-more-electric prose, he illuminates both the barbarity and the beauty. * Dana Spiotta, bestselling author of Innocents and Others *
Like The Crying of Lot 49 as written and directed by Elaine May, The FeralDetective is hilarious and terrifying and wrenching. Phoebe is one of the grandest, funniest heroes I've come upon in a long time. * Megan Abbott, author of You Will Know Me *
Acerbically funny, consistently twisted, truly original. * Nylon *
Lethem, a master of the genre-bending detective novel and eccentric characters, offers both in this exploration of Trump's America. * Huffington Post *
I want to read a shelf of Heist. I want to make him my new Travis McGee, and that's, seriously, the highest praise I know. * Joshua Cohen, author of Witz *
I read it with great pleasure - it's terrific stuff, and deserves lots of readers. Lethem has the gift to make serious things fun. * Benjamin Markovits, author of You Don't Have To Live Like This *
A funny but rage-fueled stunner. Utterly unique and absolutely worthwhile. * Booklist, Starred Review *
Surrealistic, genre-bending...hallucinatory. A haunting tour of the gulf between the privileged and the dispossessed. * Kirkus, starred review *
A bizarre, poignant, mind-bending journey... worth every page. * Crimereads *
ISBN: 9781786497512
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 20mm
Weight: 226g
336 pages
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