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Levels
A sci-fi mystery where who is involved isn't as important as which level they are from.
Talbot Singh is a small time fixer who is happy to kick around level 29 of a massive city that reaches over a mile into the sky. It's a city where the higher you go the more riches you enjoy, and the appearance of someone from a higher level can only mean one thing—trouble. So when Talbot is hired to investigate the murder of a family friend, what seems like tragic violence tied to a simple burglary turns out to be much more when the authorities from upscale level 35 get involved.
Finding himself tossed between the authorities from the rarefied air of the upper levels and organized crime from the gritty lower levels, Singh's investigation takes him from the dangerous backwater of level 8 to the spectacular wealth of level 45. But it is the second crime targeting his client's family that tears away the facade of a city with a bottom and a top and where the only way to escape leads to murder… or worse.
“In the spirit of Asimov’s The Caves of Steel, Richards merges an oppressive dystopian city with futuristic detective work in this genre-busting page turner.”
Jake Kerr
Nebula nominated author of “The Old Equations”
Talbot Singh is a small time fixer who is happy to kick around level 29 of a massive city that reaches over a mile into the sky. It's a city where the higher you go the more riches you enjoy, and the appearance of someone from a higher level can only mean one thing—trouble. So when Talbot is hired to investigate the murder of a family friend, what seems like tragic violence tied to a simple burglary turns out to be much more when the authorities from upscale level 35 get involved.
Finding himself tossed between the authorities from the rarefied air of the upper levels and organized crime from the gritty lower levels, Singh's investigation takes him from the dangerous backwater of level 8 to the spectacular wealth of level 45. But it is the second crime targeting his client's family that tears away the facade of a city with a bottom and a top and where the only way to escape leads to murder… or worse.
“In the spirit of Asimov’s The Caves of Steel, Richards merges an oppressive dystopian city with futuristic detective work in this genre-busting page turner.”
Jake Kerr
Nebula nominated author of “The Old Equations”
168 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 3, 2015
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 5, 2017
This is a mashup of a murder mystery and a sci-fi thriller.
When a jeweller on Level 29 of a megacity is found murdered, Talbot Singh, an Assist for the family is called in. His job is to help the family look into the incident but when a protocol, a cop in this city, from Level 34 shows up, Tal realizes he may be in over his head.
This is a dystopian world of 70 or more levels. The inhabitants can climb to upper levels but it will cost. One level might cost a days wage but ten levels could cost a year's wages. It is free to go down but the lower levels are crushing and claustrophobic.
Singh is content to stay on level 29 but there are people who want to try to move up are. These are known as climbers.
The concept is very well developed but the mystery could be better thought out. The mystery kind of took a back seat to the world building.
When a jeweller on Level 29 of a megacity is found murdered, Talbot Singh, an Assist for the family is called in. His job is to help the family look into the incident but when a protocol, a cop in this city, from Level 34 shows up, Tal realizes he may be in over his head.
This is a dystopian world of 70 or more levels. The inhabitants can climb to upper levels but it will cost. One level might cost a days wage but ten levels could cost a year's wages. It is free to go down but the lower levels are crushing and claustrophobic.
Singh is content to stay on level 29 but there are people who want to try to move up are. These are known as climbers.
The concept is very well developed but the mystery could be better thought out. The mystery kind of took a back seat to the world building.
September 28, 2015
Fun and entertaining. It took me a few pages to adjust to the science fiction world of this novel but, once I did, I really enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to more books in the series.
December 12, 2016
Kind of lame. Not really a mystery more of a watch the protagonist stumble along story that doesn't engage your interest. Several typos and grammar mistakes as well.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews