Zoo City

I am a big Lauren Beukes fan. This is one of my favorite of her earlier work.

Zinzi December is offered a job she would normally refuse. She doesn't usually find lost people, but the money for this was just too good, and she needs out from under her debts to a dangerous scam artist.

Criminals suffer from a phenomena that has many names, but people usually refer to as being animalled. Their guilt manifests a spirit bound animal that they cannot remain far away from, and if it is killed or dies, Hell's Undertow comes for them. Since they have such a visible indication of criminality, the animalled are treated like pariahs, and the ones in Johannesburg live in a neighborhood everyone calls Zoo City.

The two procurers that approach her about the job are known by their animals-- a Marabou crane and a Maltese dog. They procure whatever it takes to get their client's job done--and in this case, that's Zinzi. A high profile record producer has lost half of his biggest act, who went missing few days before.

As Zinzi trawls through the music world's seedy underbelly, she learns a few things about the case that she really doesn't like. She'll have to figure out how to do the right thing and still be able to buy her freedom.

This paperback re-release of Zoo City features a distinctive new cover. Solid world building and diverse, interesting characters make this a story that's entertaining and hard to predict.

So many genres beautifully blended into this novel reminded me why I will read anything Beukes writes. Add in gritty crime, a mystery, companion animals, magic and a parallel world for the win!