Mystery Review: Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead is an unusual and original mystery story, mainly because of the titular character, a crusty detective with a heart of gold. She's 35 (but says she's 42: "no one trusts a woman under forty"), cranky, sarcastic -- and not afraid to break the law when it comes to drugs, guns, murder, or detective work. Sara Gran attempts to introduce some bits of the mystical into the story with mixed results and happenstance is usual. If you can perform that mental prestidigitation known as suspension of disbelief, it's a fun ride. If you warm up to the singular Claire DeWitt, you'll enjoy the story despite continuity problems and improbability. Gran provides complex characters while messing with the usual detective story tropes in Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead. My only other problem was that the ending was just a little too safe, tidy, and politically correct for me, especially after the magical mushroom mystery tour that came before. But obviously I can put all that aside, because I'm looking for the sequel. [3½★]
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