THE AUTOMATIC DETECTIVE

This combination sci-fi/hard-boiled detective story is a hoot. The city of Empire is a pioneer in granting full citizenship to machines (as in robots), as well as to mutants. But how does one distinguish between a mutant and an alien? Narrator Marc Vietor approaches the story with a classic noir tone that is hilarious. Our hero, a 700+ pound machine, grunts at villains, smashes through walls, and engages in the ironic commentary of a Bruce Willis tough guy. Vietor’s voice is flat but nuanced. He injects tension and even emotion without seeming to. Yes, this book is a hoot. A quality hoot. D.R.W. 2012 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2011]