The Demon's Dagger

I received this novella to judge for SFINCS. Opinion is my own, and does not represent that made by the team. I did also happen to purchase this on audible, as I am busy, and audiobooks are helping me keep up. The narration is very solid. 
This novella does one of my all-time favorite things: mixing genres. It is a fantasy world, with trolls, demons, elves, gods and shapeshifters. But it is also modernized, kind of like Netflix's ‘Bright', but with more of a gangster noir feel.  It's gritty and witty, exactly how noir should be. The trolls are the gang muscle, and shapeshifters thieves. It works well. 
With that being said, this is part of the author's Alexander Southerland, P.I. series, and although it is possible to read it as a standalone, it feels as if it would only be enhanced by reading the others first. I just feel like, on its own, the content is not necessarily focused on something I would typically chose to read. The use of sex work opens the story to lots of misogyny. Although it does include a very thought out, and thoughtful, content warning before the start of it. 
Personally a 3.5/5* for me. I will definitely check out the series.