Relentless Melt

April 10, 2023
Bushnell (The Insides) skillfully blends genres in this charming supernatural mystery set in 1909 Boston. Artie Quick, a saleswoman at Filene’s department store, has her heart set on becoming a detective. To that end, she disguises herself as a man and attends an all-male night class on criminal investigation offered by the Boston YMCA. The instructor sees through Quick’s disguise immediately, but agrees to let her stay in the course, and soon she pairs up with her friend Theodore Reed, a student of the occult, to solve a slate of mysteries. First up is a series of unidentified screams near the Boston Common, followed by a woman who narrowly escaped strangulation. Quick and Reed suspect the cases may be related, but have little to go on. They hit a major setback when the YMCA cancels the crime course without explanation, leaving Quick and Reed to wonder if their investigations are being deliberately sabotaged. Quick is a hugely endearing lead, and the solution to the mystery is likely to surprise even seasoned genre fans. This is an off-kilter delight.

May 1, 2023
Bushnell's third novel blends an atmospheric supernatural mystery with an intriguing exploration of gender identity. In 1909 Boston, 17-year-old Artie Quick works as a salesgirl in Filene's Tunnel Bargain Basement, the recently opened overflow shop. But on Wednesday evenings she disguises herself as a man, slicking back her cropped black hair with pomade filched from the men's counter and wearing her estranged brother Zeb's old suit, to attend Professor Winchell's course on Criminal Investigation at the YMCA's Evening Institute for Young Men. Although Winchell, a police detective, easily outs Artie after the first class, he is impressed by her "keen investigative mind" and refuses to expel his bright student. Eager to practice what she has learned, Artie and her friend Theodore, an eccentric upper-class bachelor and student of magic, head to Boston Common to investigate a mysterious scream heard the previous evening. When they stop an attempted abduction of a young woman and Artie's class is abruptly canceled, the duo probe further into a series of unsolved kidnappings and gradually uncover a malevolent conspiracy that leads from City Hall to an abandoned subway tunnel construction site that may house an ancient evil. Bushnell keeps his fantastical elements light but believable, focusing instead on the affectionate (but not romantic or sexual) friendship between Artie and Theodore, two appealing social misfits who together "navigate the world better than either of them could alone." Also compelling is Artie's gradual recognition of her real self ("not exactly a man, but maybe something other than a girl") as she grows more comfortable in her suit and enjoys the freedom it allows. Unfortunately, the abrupt deus ex machina ending undermines Artie's budding agency and gives the impression the author didn't know how to finish his novel. An entertaining urban fantasy.

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Starred review from April 21, 2023

In the fall of 1909, shopgirl Artie Quick disguises herself in her brother's suit in order to enroll in a criminal-investigation class at the local YMCA. When her friend Theodore--who is studying magic--hears about strange happenings at a local park, the two decide to investigate. While no crime is immediately uncovered from their investigation, the two are convinced that the screams heard coming from the park are somehow connected to a recent series of kidnappings. Soon their inquiries will lead them to uncover a sinister plot involving an abandoned mass-transit tunnel, the city's magic community, and the highest levels of Boston's city government. Can the two amateur detectives possibly save their city? And why does Artie feel she needs to keep wearing her suit, even after her class ends? Artie and Theodore are complex, endearing, and relatable characters whom readers will be drawn to from the first chapter. VERDICT Bushnell (The Weirdness) seamlessly blends mystery, urban fantasy, and an exploration of gender identity into the kind of fun and fantastical ride that his readers have come to expect. Recommend to fans of TJ Klune and Kevin Wilson.--Portia Kapraun

Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 31, 2023
Artie Quick is a young shopgirl in 1908 Boston with a keen interest in criminal investigations. Given the times, though, she must disguise herself as a man in order to take a class on the subject. She has an eccentric, young male friend, Theodore, who studies magic--not stage magic, but real magic. Artie and Theodore get caught up in a mystery involving abducted girls and a conspiracy involving both the police and city hall. There is a dark menace of a supernatural evil that threatens death and mayhem. To say more would be a spoiler. The Victorian-style prose evokes a Sherlockian mystery that takes on a Lovecraftian feel as the mystical menace looms. Overall, it's an engaging story, though the plot takes far too long to get going in any meaningful way. But once it does, thing move along briskly, with suspense and plenty of moody atmosphere leading to a satisfying conclusion. Plus, there's an interesting, if unnecessary, twist at the end that sets up future sequels.

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