Hollywood Noir

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Summary: An excellant new Angel novel.
Review: Angel is puzzled when Doyle's latest vision leads him to the grave of a young woman named Betty McCoy. After all, Betty seems beyond any help Angel could give her - she died in 1964, and to the best of Angel's knowledge, she wasn't turned into a vampire. Cordelia's research on the internet simply turns up dead ends. But Angel, Cordelia, and Doyle aren't the only ones looking for Betty McCoy. Mike Slade, a private detective murdered by a corrupt official in 1961, has been brought back from the dead to get his revenge - and he's also looking for Betty. Angel's not sure exactly how to handle Slade - is he an enemy or an ally? True, he's been attacking police officers left and right, but at the core it seems as if all he wants is justice. This was different from many of the other Angel novels in that it was more of a mystery story, but I would highly reccomend it to fans of the show just the same. Jeff Mariotte, author of the excellent Angel novel CLOSE TO THE GROUND, does not disappoint in this one.

Rating:
Summary: WOW what a great book
Review: I loved this book. But I have to say it wasnt my favorite out of the serious I have to say it was city of and close to the ground. But I love Angel the show. So I'll keep reading and watching.

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Summary: A Really Great Angel Novel!
Review: This Angel book was one of a different kind. It all started at a construction site of an old building where a dead body has been found dating back to around 1961. Then Doyle has a vision about [...] and when Angel goes to investigate, he finds that [...]. Meanwhile, a new PI back in town and he acts like he came from the 1960s: dressed in a baggy suit and a fedora and talks like a member of the Rat Pack. This is a great detective book and I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good Angel book.

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Summary: Full of Excitement
Review: This book brought old school detective movies into the City of Angels. As a building is being demolished, the crew finds a dead body that has been there for over 30 years. As the body is found the detective Mike Slade come back to life. He is trying to solve the murder that he was killed for so many years ago. Also at the same time Doyle has a vision having to do with the same case. This book is very good. It will have you at the edge of your seat.

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Summary: Murder in black and white
Review: This is an unusual entry in the Angel series. Although set in the first half of the first season it has all the feel of the Hollywood in 1961. The reader can imagine that they are watching an episode of Mannix or 77 Sunset Strip. Angel's new client is buried in a local cemetery. A long dead PI is hot on the heels of his killer. Kate is looking for a cop killer and Angel lands in jail. It is a well written detective story heavy with atmosphere. The only objection I have with this novel is that I would have liked to have more Angel. He often takes a back seat to the dead PI. Fans of hard boiled detective stories will enjoy this book as much as Buffy fans.

Rating:
Summary: Very, Very Good!
Review: This is one book I would have liked to go on. The nostalgic touch was excellent. What a wonderful imagination Mr Mariotte has. One of the best in the series so far. All fans of the show will enjoy this novel. I highly recommend.

Rating:
Summary: Very, Very Good!
Review: This is one book I would have liked to go on. The nostalgic touch was excellent. What a wonderful imagination Mr Mariotte has. One of the best in the series so far. All fans of the show will enjoy this novel. I highly recommend.

Rating:
Summary: Mickey Spillane Meets Topper
Review: This time Doyle's vision of provides a name and address, and little else. Unfortunately the address is to a cemetery, and Betty McCoy has been dead for 40 years. But even as Angel investigates this mystery a building is being torn down across town. Freed from a hidden grave the spirit of Mike Slade returns to complete his last case. Suddenly Angel isn't the only dead private investigator in the town of Los Angeles.

While Angel and Cordelia pursue a thin trail of clues that seem to lead nowhere, Slade begins his hunt for Harold Wechsler, the man who ordered his death while the detective was trying to help Betty McCoy. Slade's style is shoot first, shoot second, and then ask questions. Soon there is a trail of injured across the landscape that neither Angel or Kate Lockley can ignore. Nothing seems to add up as Kate tries to track down a man who has been dead for 40 years for a murder that happened this week. And Angel tries to figure out what the Powers That Be want this time.

This turns out to be a delightful tale that mixes old noir detection with modern plots and counterplots in the demon world. Each fact has to be teased out of the story, and it is only slowly that the real crimes take form for the reader. This is one of the few times where an Angel story really is a detective story, and Jeff Mariotte manages to deliver it without the descent into corniness that lurk behind a plot straight out of 60's noir.

This is one of the older Angel novels, and one that has become hard to track down, but one that is worth reading just for the fun of it. The characters are played straight this time, without the quippery that floods later Angel stories. As such, the novel manages to touch a chord in the reader without indulging in the extreme emotional turmoil of later seasons. If you get a chance, take the time to read it.