In Plain Sight

In Plain Sight by Dan Willis

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This is a well-written, well-conceived bit of urban fantasy. The setting is a parallel 1930s New York. Alex Lockerby is a private investigator living hand to mouth by taking cases that come his way and occasionally consulting for the NYPD.

He's also a “runewright.” In this version of the world, there are two kinds of magic. One kind involves the writing of runes - which are arcane geometric drawings that when ignited can perform all kinds of useful magic. The other is sorcery whereby sorcerers control elemental power, such as electricity or cold. People who can write runes are rare, but sorcerers are even rarer and far, far more powerful because while runes fade away over time, sorcery does not.

Willis follows the standard hardboiled detective format pioneered by Hammet and Chandler by stringing together three apparently unconnected plot lines and adding a femme fatale. Except that this detective is far too nice and generous to be Sam Spade or Phillip Marlow. This story does not involve a question of existential evil, rather evil is plainly identifiable on one side, and Lockerby is on the other side, helping widows and orphans.

The plot is engaging and it works. When I thought we were done, Willis added in a wrinkle that took the story up a notch.

Obviously, this is the first installment of a series. Willis has introduced us to the main and supporting characters and did a nice job of grounding us in the setting of a 1930s that looks a lot like the one that our grandparents knew, but is wildly different.