London still hasn’t returned to normalcy two years after a terrorist attack using a biological weapon in gas form at Waterloo Station. Ten percent of the city’s population died, with survivors (of the Black as it was called because of its symptoms) requiring constant self-monitoring and injecting of a critical and expensive serum called Boost.

Some organization is performing copycat attacks in London, and the lead scientist, Flinders Cox, of the Boost R&D company, is found murdered.

Detective Inspector Lucy Stone has a unique ability; she’s a super recognizer, which helped her, along with her investigative skills, to progress faster than some of her colleagues. Lucy is also a survivor plagued by massive amounts of guilt, nightmares and crippling anxiety. Already marked as a loose cannon thanks to reacting with anger to gaslighting by a coworker who is anti-survivor, Lucy and her new partner are assigned to the Cox murder. Lucy is extra-motivated to find the killer as there is indication that Cox had an antidote to the Black.

Their investigation takes the pair from the Cox family, to the R&D company, to a gathering of Hand of God members (who blame the victims and survivors) as they race to follow any lead to the killer, and, more critically to Lucy, the antidote.

This debut by author Jack Lutz has great elements, and a sympathetic main character. The pacing occasionally stumbled, and there were repetitive uses of phrases indicating Lucy’s state of mind that, while a good shorthand, were overused to the point that I became annoyed by the thousandth time she pulled on the ties/strings of her hoodie.

There were plenty of investigative leads, with some good red herrings along the way, and some suitably awful people making up the suspects pool.

It was impossible to not think of COVID while reading this, and some of the terrible responses to the mounting tragedy by non-believers of the severity of the real-life pandemic, giving this mystery a nice undercurrent of dread by focusing on a survivor whose physical and mental health has been compromised in multiple ways.

I think that this is, despite some of its issues, a good first novel, which is an unsettling and generally compelling read.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Pushkin Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. This was a refreshing read - a crime thriller which is set in a dystopian future. You can feel the desperation in Lucy, she's carrying a real weight on her shoulders and it shows in her speech pattern and her language. The trauma of her past weighs heavily on her and gives her strength, independence and determination. There is a clear, somewhat scary, parallel to the Covid pandemic which makes this dystopia seem more realistic. This is a breakneck thriller, barely pausing for breath. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Despite its striking artistic choices at first, London in Black is a book that really grew on me. The short phrases, as many others have mentioned, made reading a little choppy for me, but the more I read, the more I liked it. As readers, we never get to see anything from the perspective of another character since we are immersed so fully in Lucy's head. Her erratic narrative is a result of her personality, her frenetic nature, and her remorse. By the time Lutz finished writing, I had become so engrossed in the story that I didn't give a damn about sentence form. Or maybe I did as I read. I never felt the want to give up, even in the beginning when I was more uncertain about reading this book.
Lucy develops gradually as we discover more about her background, and even though I wasn't expecting it, it's wonderful to witness her epiphany at the very end. Lucy emerges as a complete favorite because she is witty, fearless, and—gasp—just plain awesome. As long as you persevere, I wholeheartedly suggest this book!


Many thanks to the publishers, Net Galley, and the author for allowing me to read this.

"London in Black" by Jason Lutz is a gripping novel that dives into a dystopian future where London is shrouded in darkness and mystery. The story follows a courageous protagonist as she navigates through the ominous streets of London, uncovering dark secrets and facing challenging moral dilemmas along the way.

The plot of "London In Black" can be quite intricate and confusing at times, with unexpected twists and turns that may leave readers feeling a bit disoriented. In a dystopic and futuristic London, terrorists deployed a lethal nerve gas at Waterloo Station, killing 10% of London's population. Detective Inspector Lucy Stone's life was changed forever because of this attack. Two years later, when London's most important scientist is brutally murdered, Lucy discovers he may have been working on an antidote to the chemical weapon. The plot of "London In Black" can be quite confusing at times, with unexpected twists and turns that may leave readers feeling a bit disoriented.

Despite the complexity of the narrative, the main female character shines brightly as an example of strength and resilience. Her character development and unwavering determination add depth to the story, making her a compelling figure worth rooting for. Unfortunately, this was not enough to make me finish this book (40%), but I deeply recognize that sci-fi dystopic fans may find it exhilarating.

London in Black is one of those books that reminds me I *do* like dystopian fiction, I'm just quite particular about the kind of dystopian fiction I like.

Lucy was a brilliant character: complex and vulnerable and oh-so-real. I like how we were able to follow her thought process, even though it jumped around and some of her thoughts weren't fully formed. It worked for me, because how many of us do complete our thoughts all the time? Lutz has done a brilliant job of giving the reader a peak inside her mind and allowing us to understand and appreciate her complexity. I would love to read more stories featuring Lucy.

I also particularly liked how Lutz echoed contemporary problems of "otherness" in his near-future version on London. Has there ever been a time when groups of people were not ridiculed and hated just for being different? (Often through no fault of there own.)

A fat-moving and compelling debut: I cannot wait to read more!

"A ticking-bomb and an edgy female detective offers an explosive debut set in near-future London and a "gripping, gritty, and timely police procedural destined to be a bestseller." (Independent Ireland)

Detective Inspector Lucy Stone's life was changed forever when terrorists deployed a lethal nerve gas at Waterloo Station, killing 10% of London's population. Lucy should have died - but she didn't, all because of something she'll spend the rest of her life atoning for.

Two years later, copy-cat strikes plague the city. When London's most important scientist is brutally murdered, Lucy discovers he may have been working on an antidote to the chemical weapon. But time is running out. Will Lucy find the antidote - and catch the killer - before it's too late?"

I like the lethal nerve gas attack on London which reminds me of Bodies.

May I start the post with a despicable pun? Normally, a novel set in a near-future dystopian post-pandemic London would have me avoid it… like the Plague 😁😁! But somehow the combination of thriller and murder mystery and post-pandemic SF was intriguing enough… and proved quite addictive!

The novel is set in 2029. Two years before, terrorists have attacked London with a terrible airborne infection that left many dead in horrific circumstances and lots of others with deep scars and vulnerabilities. Lucy Stone should have died, but she survived thanks to booster medicine that still needs to be injected regularly. London is still reeling with the consequences: trauma, survivors guilt, demonstrations, struggles to live with the injured, and copycat terrorist attacks.

Lucy, a successful young detective inspector, is still in survival mode, deeply angry and not ready to work on her trauma. She hardly sleeps because of recurring, horrific nightmares and spends her days and nights with a combination of espresso and Coke. She is focused on solving a murder that might help her assuage the guilt: the inventor of the boosting medicine has just been killed.

This is a breathless thriller that will keep you turning the pages deep into the night. The clipped way of talking and the stream of consciousness take a while to get used to, it might even unsettle some readers. We’re in Lucy’s head, always on the verge of a panic attack, mixing the present with the traumatic past, constantly triggered by memories as she criss-cross London in search of a killer. On the negative side, I found the plot unnecessarily convoluted, with a number of people that I found hard to keep track of. Lucy is in a highly nervous state, so she’s jumping to conclusions: it has to be x, wait, no, it’s y, let’s run to see y, but isn’t it z? The last quarter of the book is rather exhausting in that respect, especially as stakes are getting higher.

If you are looking for adrenaline rushes this is a good choice. I hesitate to call it entertaining, because it’s grim, but it is rather believable and difficult to let go of!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. I received a free copy of this book for review consideration.

I absolutely loved this book! One of the best ARCs I’ve read so far, I have already added it to my list of presents to buy my dad as this would be right up his street! It was fast paced and was a page turner, I couldn’t recommend this book enough!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It pulled me in from the start, giving me just enough information to know what was going on, but also withholding enough to make me want to read on to find out what really happened.
While the topic of the book may have been hard to imagine just a couple years ago, it was pretty relatable now, with the covid pandemic still fresh on our minds.
Furthermore, the way the story is fleshed out throughout the book is so good! At the beginning, we don't know that much yet about our protagonist Lucy Stone. We know that she's a Vulnerable, and we know that she lost a few people that she was very close to. However, we don't know anything about the circumstances in which she lost these people. As the book progresses and Lucy gets closer to an antidote, we learn more about her backstory, as well as her pressing need for the antidote. I think this was done really well, with the story building up captivatingly to its climax.
One thing I disliked about the book sometimes, which is the only reasons why I didn't give it five stars, is the way it was written. It's written in really short sentences, which made it quite difficult for me to get into a flow while reading it. However, this is definitely just a personal preference.

I recommend that you read this book if you are into dystopian sci-fi stories which are suspenseful!

Lucy Stone is no stranger to pain. Lucy has a debt to repay.

Lucy is a temperamental homicide detective who lived through a terrorist attack where a nerve agent gas was deployed in post-modern London. Lucy survived against all odds, where the majority did not. Now copy cat attacks are happening daily. Many are still dealing with the after effects of the attack leaving Lucy and many other people still vulnerable to the effects, living in constant fear, reliant on a daily injection to stave off the nerve agent.

When the man who is responsible for the injections keeping survivors alive is murdered Lucy knows she must solve the case. But the clues lead to a cure for the survivors, a cure which would destabilise the whole pharmaceutical industry through loss of profits by those who require the injections. Lucy has a chance to repay her debt if she can find the cure and the killer.

I LOVED London Black.
The dystopian feel in a post Modern setting felt incredibly realistic and plausible.

Lucy is a relatable character as she struggles with her own mental health while trying to maintain and prioritise her work life.

The writing unravels the clues and back stories of the characters in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat as the suspects ping pong back and forth.

I could not get enough of this story. It was gripping and suspenseful, gritty and purposeful.

If you want an urban dystopian novel that follows a determined FMC you need to add this to your list immediately.

This was a really thrilling novel to see London in the near future and dealing with an aftermath of a terrorist attack, it all felt very surreal whilst being a possible reality.

Fast paced, action thriller!
Excellent story, with thought out characters and lots of twists and turns in the plot.
The book follows Lucy, a police detective in London, 2 years on from a horrendous terrorist attack that killed lots and maimed more. The original terrorists have been found but copy cats keep striking with new attacks, in the same way as the original attack 2 years earlier.
Lucy is hell-bent on getting to the bottom of the copy cat attacks as she is personally invested - she owes a Debt.
Will be recommending this to anyone who likes fast paced thrillers, dystopian novels and strong female leads.

London in Black, while initially jarring in its stylistic choices, is definitely a book that grew on me. As many others have commented, the short sentences made my reading experience a little choppy, but the more I read, the more I enjoyed it. As readers, we are placed so deeply into Lucy's mind, never getting anything from another character's point of view. Her guilt, her frenzied character, her personality, they all lead to her rapid-fire narration. Either Lutz found his footing as he wrote, or I did as I read because, by the end, I was so hooked that I couldn't care less about sentence structure. Even in the beginning, when I felt more unsure of the read, I never had the urge to abandon it because of the great job Lutz does weaving a compelling story, and my roommate can attest that in the last 50 pages, I was reacting audibly.

As we learn more about Lucy and her past, she makes her development steadily, and it's such a treat to see her final realization at the very end, even if I didn't expect it. (As an additional note, Lutz sets this up so well--great foreshadowing, but I never saw it coming!) Sharp, brave, and (at the risk of sounding dumb) just super cool, Lucy becomes someone you root for wholeheartedly. I definitely recommend this book as long as you stick with it!

Thanks so much to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for the opportunity to read this as an eARC!

Great thriller in a near future London after a devastating series of terrorist attacks. World building is spot on - you can understand the changes that have taken place and they fit well into present understanding of London.
Some broad brush characterisation in the supporting parts; I was initially irritated by the style of giving the main character both dialogue and her unspoken thoughts, but I grew to enjoy this aspect, particularly as her thoughts were generally rather entertainingly honest!

Overall, a great thriller with some genuinely nasty impact.