Styx

September 28, 2015
Set in the Belgian seaside resort of Ostend, this intriguing, if flawed, crime novel from Flemish author Dhooge (Stiletto Libretto) features a serial killer nicknamed the Stuffer, whose victims all end up with their internal organs removed, their insides filled with sand, and posed throughout the city as if they were pieces of public art. When Raphael Styx—a gruff and corrupt cop whose personal life is in shambles—gets too close, he ends up the killer’s next victim, except he becomes one of the undead. As a quickly deteriorating zombie, the misanthrope cop sets out to catch the Stuffer while simultaneously embarking on a poignant journey of self-discovery. Though the gritty, hard-boiled tone is spot-on, the zombie aspect of the narrative—like Styx’s body—falls apart as the story progresses. Many crucial questions about Styx’s condition go unanswered, but the powerful existential undertone and strange redemptive tale make this an entertaining and moving read. Agent: Peter Riva, International Transactions.

September 1, 2015
Zombie cop returns from the grave to hunt down the serial killer who gunned him down.Belgian crime novelist Dhooge takes a seemingly straightforward concept for this genre-bender but applies an interesting surrealist patina to his detective story. The novel opens on the title character, homicide detective Raphael Styx, who is a man of many complaints, to say the least. In addition to his stressful job as a cop in Ostend, Belgium, he has a combative wife, an indifferent teenage son, and a failing hip that has him relying on painkillers and sedatives to get through the day. Styx is confronted with a series of baffling and gruesome murders of women who have been savagely mutilated and filled with sand by a serial killer dubbed "The Stuffer." Styx believes the killer imagines himself an artist of some twisted vision. "The bastard's trying to be the next Banksy," he tells his boss. One night the killer confronts Styx, calling himself Leon Spilliaert after one of Ostend's long-dead surrealist painters. "I thought you'd all forgotten about me and gone onto other playmates," he taunts. "A true artist has to make himself heard from time to time. He's got to get through to the stupid zombies who waste their lives staring at a computer screen. In this society we've created, he can't afford to lock himself up in an ivory tower." When he awakens after being shot in the chest three times, Styx is quite dead yet still motivated and determined to track The Stuffer down using his deductive powers along with the help of a young rival cop and the occasional intervention of other figures inspired by Ostend's storied surrealist movement. The result is an atmospheric, noir-tinged tale about a stubborn cop who just won't quit, even if he is dead. A very strange police procedural that could be a fun diversion for readers whose appetites for certain genres overlap.

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November 1, 2015

Rafe Styx is a disillusioned man; a crooked Belgian cop with a failing marriage and a partner he despises. His discontent is not helped by a string of grotesque murders committed by "The Stuffer," a madman who eviscerates his victims, stuffs their bodies with sand, and then poses them in public locales. Early on in the story, Styx confronts the killer and is murdered. When he awakens from the dead, his initial elation is replaced by horror as he realizes he has become a zombie. Determined to bring the killer to justice, he masks his putrid stench with cologne, and his gruesome pallor with makeup, and enlists the help of his once loathed partner. The paranormal nature of the tale expands when Styx discovers that he can travel back in time; doing so he meets the surrealist painter Paul Delvaux, who provides crucial insight in solving the case. VERDICT This attractive fusion of genres by award-winning Belgian author Dhooge (Scam Alarm) tells a captivating tale with excellent pacing and tension. Styx's rookie partner, Delacroix, is a sympathetic character with an absorbing backstory and unusual cultural perspective. The genre bending works, for the most part, but the time-travel element is an unnecessary diversion. Hand this one to lovers of detective fiction who aren't afraid to mix it up with urban fantasy.--Amy Nolan, St. Joseph, MI

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from October 15, 2015
Styx wasn't just suffering a midlife crisis. This was a life crisis. A good guy but a dirty cop, Styx lives and works in the Belgian seaside town of Ostend, once home to some of Europe's most famous surrealist painters. Both Styx and Ostend have seen better days, but when a serial killer starts murdering young women, removing their organs, stuffing them with sand, and leaving them on display all over town, Styx will do anything to stop him. Then, after the killer shoots Styx and leaves him for dead, the deceased detective reanimates, and the investigation really begins. With the point of view alternating between Styx and the killer, this is a taut, atmospheric, and suspenseful crime story. Readers can feel the fog settling in, as they learn about surrealist art, the history of Ostend, and Belgian imperialism as it pertains to race issues in the country today. These details are all seamlessly incorporated into the investigation. Rest assured, Styx's zombie situation is not a cheap trick; rather, it adds complexity to the investigation and allows Dhooge to develop both Styx' and his partner's characters more deeply. Thankfully, the door appears to be open for a sequel. Run, don't walk, to give this book to fans of Jo Nesb and Robert Galbraith. Dhooge has won multiple crime-writing awards; it's time for American readers to see why for themselves.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)