Review for Flash Blood by Joseph Hirsch
Flash Blood by Joseph Hirsch is a crime thriller that, through the eyes of detective James Arklow, introduces a world of blood and decadence hidden away in the cracks of polite society.
The novel begins when Arklow is approached by Dan Maple, a drug counselor who is searching for his patient, Thaddeus Smith. In order to convince James to track him down, Maple offers him a sum of two hundred thousand, one hundred thousand before the investigation, and one hundred thousand after. The main reason for Maple’s obsession with Smith is because of his blood, which, when injected, was so good that it felt like pure dope. At first, Arklow is skeptical, but decides to take on the case. However, as he continues investigating Smith’s disappearance, alongside his faithful assistant/intern/friendly stalker James Bender, Arklow uncovers unlikely secrets that involve corruption, sex, and drugs.
Throughout the story, Arklow acts as the intelligent audience surrogate while he endeavors to locate Smith. The character himself is incredibly interesting in his own right. The eroding acquaintanceship with his colleagues, the distant business connections with the literary world, and the dynamic between himself and his associates, including Bender; each of these different aspects add to him as a whole. Hirsch shows that despite Arklow’s hardened exterior, he is still human; these relationships prevent him from becoming too involved with the dark world of private investigating. Ironically however, perhaps the most enlightening relationship he has is with Thaddeus Smith himself, the man who’s blood is so addictive someone had invested in locating him. It surprised me, since even with Arklow’s friendships, he’s managed to present himself as calm, cool, collected; untouchable almost. Yet in a single moment with Smith, Arklow unravels completely, overtaken by the same, sweet temptation that is Smith’s blood.
While I was reading, the book reminded me of the Affair of the Poisons, a time in history where high-ranking nobles were involved in a series of scandals that led to magic, Satanism, and murder. As Arklow delved deeper into his investigation, he finds secret after dirty little secret, almost like a trail of damnation that Smith might as well have intentionally left behind. Amoral military officials, prostitution, drug obsessions; with each new path Arklow follows an onslaught of questions raced through my mind. It’s as if I’m watching these trials, the shock unfolding before my very eyes. This adds a layer of mystery to the book, and it’s one that Hirsch establishes very well.
But despite the book’s dark, endearing qualities, there were a couple of things I’ve noticed. In the beginning, Arklow uses an almost formal tone when narrating. This tone ebbs somewhat as the plot continues, but even then, it’s hard to keep up. I’ve also caught places where the flow in a scene, as well as the punctuation, could’ve been improved. While it is a wonderful piece altogether, the ending could also have been more fleshed out. Though at this point, the reader should be able to piece together Smith’s story, I would’ve preferred to hear that story from him. Again, Hirsch leaves us with more questions than answers, and while this adds to the book’s charm, it can also leave the reader even more confused than before.
Overall, I liked the mysterious atmosphere that Hirsch established. The revelation of the scandals behind Smith’s disappearance was chilling to say the least, with the facade of polite society shattering at the seams. However, with the book’s tone, organization of specific moments, and abruptness of the ending, I would give this book a rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars. Still, this is a well thought-out novel. I would recommend this to fans of crime thrillers in general, junior detectives, and dystopian fans who love seeing the dark side of humanity every now and then.
