Fog City by Claire M Johnson takes you back to the 1930's, It reminds you of all the great detectives like Sam Spade or Phillip Marlowe but with the female secretary taking over as the private eye. Maggie Laurent has the smarts, the looks, and the sass to take on her first case. She uses her spunky personality and Irish persistence to overcome the obstacles in her way as she investigates the murder of a prominent banker. Maggie finds her self digging deeper into not only the truth but into danger for herself and the ones she cares about.
Fog City takes place in gritty San Francisco during Prohibition. Here the criminals and police are both a little dirty. High society life style and bootlegging make for a volatile mix.
If you are a fan of The Maltese Falcon or Chinatown or The Big Sleep, this book will surely win you over. Maggie's plucky spirit and friendly, yet efficient demeanor makes for a perfect character. I would love to read more stories about Maggie.
Thanks to NetGalley, Level Best Books, and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for the advanced copy. The opinions are my own.