Recommended for readers who enjoy a bit of mystery mixed with their SF (like Mary Robinette Kowal’s recent The Spare Man and Eddie Robson’s Drunk on All Your Strange New Words) and anyone who cannot resist a Sherlock Holmes pastiche.
First-time author Older's universe is fascinating, with its believable if cynical view of how politics might evolve in the information age. The pace is brisk with enough action for fans of political thrillers, but with plenty of futuristic touches for sf lovers.