This book was an absolute joy to read. Fans of William Gibson and Raymond Chandler will feel right at home in this twisty detective novel. With plenty of plot twists and red herrings the author keeps you on the hook as long as possible before the satisfying conclusion. I will definitely be recommending this book to my friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for supplying me with a digital copy to review.

A Great future Noir!

Set in a city effectively ruled by Titans, very rich humans who after taking a dose of a substance called T7 become younger and physically larger. Effectively making them immortal, but the process isn't without its drawbacks.

After one Titan is murdered it is up to Cal Sounder a detective consultant to find the killer, he specializes in cases involving Titans and tries to keep the peace with the general public and the Titan's dirty laundry out of the papers.

This was a fun read and while Cal does do a lot of not even questionable actions both personally and in the pursuit of the killer you feel he has a clear moral compass for the world he inhabits and you root for the broken detective.

A fast-paced and thrilling future-noir mystery with plenty of intrigue and corrupt individuals.

Overall I give Titanium Noir 4 Stars.

What a fun book. Smooth writing. Had me guessing all along the way, and the world Harkaway created is wild. The Titans and their science and its cultural effects are very well thought out. Exactly what I wanted when I read the description. William Gibson had been as good as this in a way. And having recently read The Big Sleep, any comparisons of Cal to Marlowe are justified.

If I had any complaint, it's that the mean banter gets a bit too much. Yes, I get it, Cal and no one else in this world are people persons, but after awhile the banter gets old because it's not usually not doing double duty by expressing some subtext.

Still, the book makes me want to check out Harkaway's backlist.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the copy.

I haven’t read a Noir mystery in quite some time. It took me a bit to get used to the author’s style.
It is an interesting storyline. There are humans who have been given 1-4 doses of T7 and become younger and bigger in every way - their bones are denser and they can live a very long time. There are also severe side effects - one is amnesia .Most are extremely rich and are consideredthe top of the food chain.
Unfortunately, a Titan is murdered and Private Investigator Cal Sounder is put on the case as a police consultant. He usually works cases involving Titans - in case a scapegoat is needed.
As Cal follows the clues, it is difficult to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Hopefully, Cal will survive the case.

Longtime readers of my book reviews know I appreciate both a well-executed genre mash-up and an imaginative premise. Titanium Noir, by Nick Harkaway delivers on both counts, and is a size-15 gumshoe full of fun that I tore through in just a couple days. It’s Sci-Fi Noir, over-stuffed with atmosphere, memorable characters and crackling dialogue.

This review is based on an advance copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley for that purpose. The book will be available on May 16, 2023.

Reading the book blurb gives you a good sense of the state of play. A genetic breakthrough resulted in the creation of a cadre of super humans known as Titans due to their increased size, longevity and physical power. The gene therapy is very expensive and monopolized by one family, but in truth most of the few thousand Titans were already head and shoulders above the rest of us due to their money and influence.

Cal Sounder is a private detective who serves as a consultant to the local police on all matters Titan. Cal has an in with the Titans’ founding family, a previous relationship with the daughter of the man who discovered the therapy, and that proximity gives him insight and access unavailable to average cops. When he’s called in on the death of an unusual Titan, a quiet and unassuming university professor, the case proves a classic noir mystery of twists, dead-end leads and surprise reveals.

Titanium Noir is a smart, fast-moving and utterly entertaining read.

thank you to the author, publisher, and netgalley for an advanced audio version in exchange for honest review

3.5 out of 5
the books blurbs referencing a PKD style dirty detective with super heros added is spot on. the book's worldbuilding and overall plot are fantastic and imaginative. lots of unique situations and characters with all their associated quirks fleshed out. ive enjoyed Harkaway's prior works and would have given this 5 stars but the style of literally prose, while beautiful, was too dense for me many times to the point I had to reread whole pages two or three times to fully understand the goings-on in the main character's head or the situations he finds himself in.
the actualy who dun it story line of the detective noir style story is very satisfying.

Titanium Noir was an excellent book. I mainly picked it up because the description had Philip K. Dick in it. Think Philip K Dick meets a humorous detective. The sci-fi aspect was light and simple and tied into the investigation smoothly. The book was funny and had enough twists and turns to always keep me guessing. I am excited to read more books by Nick Harkaway; hopefully they can live up to this one.

I received Titanium Noir as an ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Titanium Noir takes place in a retro-future Chicago-esque city run by Titans, genetically enhanced humans who are bigger, stronger, and tougher than normal folk. They're admired, envied, and hated, and they tend to keep to themselves, particularly after a few rounds of T7 treatment. When one is murdered, however, the cops reach out and soon Cal Sounder is on the job. He's just a regular human detective, but he's got an inside track with the Titans because he's been dating one of 'em. These Titans are a wily group with lots of infighting and interpersonal drama, however, so the case is definitely not clear cut and not everyone's who you - and Cal - think they are. Which leads to the question: Who dunnit, and why?

I had a lot of fun reading this highly entertaining, ingenious, and well-written noir detective story. Definitely recommended.

What a remarkably great book. I am a huge fan of Nick Harkaway, but even so, it's hard to overstate how much joy this novel gave me. It's about a PI in the near-future investigating the death of a Titan, a person who's been through a process that grants superhuman health and near-immortality. Harkaway has come up with a perfect metaphor for the billionaire class -- they literally take up more space than baseline humans. It's smart and funny and sharp and inventive. A look into the future that feels plausible and strange all at once.

Noir and fantastical, Harkaway's latest is a dirty detective story perfect for readers who love a good supervillain. An amazing fit for fans of "The Boys" and old-school private eyes.

Brilliant. I love this book so much. 10 stars! I was so excited to see Nick Harkaway had a new book, I love all his previous books too, and this one grandly fulfilled my hopes and expectations. I'm gushing, but it really is that fantastic. The protagonist, Cal, is highly relatable and likeable. He's a really good guy, with a very interesting and dangerous job as a private detective but also a sort of public relations liaison between humans and Titans, who are genetically improved humans. Cal is smart, and earnest, and conflicted about the superhuman Titans, who naturally are also super-wealthy and not necessarily admirable people. The near future noir murder mystery is such a great setting, with all the gritty PI ambience and the boosted intrigue of advanced technology and science. This story pulls it all together perfectly, with well drawn characters, realistic relationships, plausible plot, and an extremely satisfying ending. Definitely read it!!