Writeology

Read: The Devil You Know, Mike Carey

The first supernatural thriller starring exorcist Felix “Fix” Castor, The Devil You Know is an entertaining blend of the paranormal with the noir. Give Humphrey Bogart a tin whistle instead of a gun, swap a succubus for a femme fatale, and you’ve got a Chandler with ghosts. It’s solid work, but as the first book in the series, much of Carey’s time is spent explaining the world and its rules. Fix is clearly cut in the mold of Philip Marlowe: he can crack wise with the best of them, and behind his cynical, jaded exterior he’s got a heart of gold. I do wish there had been a little more use of Rafi—Fix’s college buddy who has ended up possessed by a powerful, dangerous demon—but I expect that to come in the next volume.