“Superior noirish PI mystery, deftly blending action, sleuthing, and prewar New York”

Booklife Reviews ( Editor’s Pick )

Available October 6, 2026

Cover Art

The Story

A fresh interpretation of noir, borrowing from the tradition of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett.

It is 1936, and the world, still in the grip of the Depression, is preparing for another war. But for Jack Kerrigan, a down-at-heel New York private investigator, things look up when Lola Deshaines walks unannounced into his office. She wants him to track down the consignment in a cargo manifest. Her story doesn’t quite add up, but Kerrigan is too broke to be choosy—he takes the case.

Going from the glamour of Gatsby territory to the slums of the Bowery, Kerrigan follows the leads while attempting to avoid perforation with his preferred ammunition: “Forty-five is a purely American caliber, our lingua franca, the ammunition of the OK Corral and the St. Valentine’s day massacre. It’s big, honest, and straightforward. It’ll penetrate anything thinner than an engine block and is cheaper than a lawyer for settling disputes.”

“Brace demonstrates a superior ability…in this accomplished mystery…compelling enough to power a long-running series…[and] gets every key element of the genre right: the world-weary mindset of his less-than-scrupulous lead…a mystery with broader implications than are first apparent…and tantalizing, accurate historical detail. While the storyline features familiar tropes…Brace makes them feel fresh, even for readers who’ve already walked down many mean city streets in the pleasurably disreputable company of a good private eye“

BOOKLIFE REVIEWS ()

“[P]rivate investigator takes on a complicated case in 1930s Manhattan…cinematic thriller…wry humor, delivered by a roll-with-the-punches narrator whose breezy tone persists even amid the worst scenarios…[d]escriptions of Depression-era New York City provide rich immersion…ample room for future installments.
An intricately constructed hardboiled caper with credible action scenes and a vividly drawn setting”

KIRKUS REVIEWS

Hardcover, paperback, and eBook, 280 pages

Available for pre-release order at good bookstores and online retailers