Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Deus X: An August Snow Novel by Stephen Mack Jones

August Octavio Snow, the Detroit ex-cop and self-appointed protector of the Mexicantown neighborhood where he grew up, is the inspired creation of Stephen Mack Jones, who has deservedly won a number of awards for Snow’s adventures.

In Snow’s fourth appearance, Deus X (Soho, November 2023), he is visiting his long-time girlfriend in Norway. He receives a panicked call from home: one of his elderly neighbors is in ICU with a heart attack. The two older ladies have been his special project for a long time. They took in the young computer whiz from an earlier book as a boarder and the three have become a tight trio. Of course Snow returns to Detroit, where he deals with the immediate crisis and in the process learns that the Catholic priest who baptized him and who has been omnipresent in his life suddenly retired and is quietly fading away. After some prying Snow learns a secret group within the Church has targeted the good father and Snow will not stand for a threat to the people he considers his family. While Snow’s mother was a devout believer, he is not quite as convinced so he has no trouble going after the rotten apples in the Church hierarchy.

Snow is a fine addition to the roster of fictional unlicensed investigators who do favors for friends – think Rush McKenzie, Henry Malone, Tom Bethany, J. W. Jackson, and Matt Scudder. He also cooks. A lot. Plan on keeping a bag of chips and dip nearby to assuage the hunger pains that will arise as you read this one.

While the themes are nothing new, Jones imbues the plot with crackling energy and creates memorable characters. His imagination apparently knows no bounds: In Dead of Winter I thought his depiction of the afterlife was striking; in Deus X he introduces a witch who practices quietly but openly in a residential neighborhood.

The very best part of this very good book is the portrayal of the profound connections that Snow forged with his parents and that he has replicated in his growing chosen family and the deep affection they all have for each other.

One of the few series that I track these days, I am looking forward to the next title. Highly recommended.

·       Publisher: ‎Soho Crime (November 7, 2023)

·       Language: ‎English

·       Hardcover: ‎360 pages

·       ISBN-10: ‎1641294957

·       ISBN-13: ‎978-1641294959

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4cSxhpE

 

 

Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2024

 

Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.