For P.I. Cassie Tam, business has been slow. So, when she’s hired to investigate the death of a local VR addict named Eddie Redwood, she thinks it’ll be easy money. All she has to do is prove to the deceased’s sister Lori that the local P.D. were right to call it an accidental overdose. The more she digs though, the more things don’t seem to sit right, and soon, Cassie finds herself knee deep in a murder investigation. But that’s just the start of her problems. When the case forces Cassie to make contact with her drug dealing ex-girlfriend, Charlie Goldman, she’s left with a whole lot of long buried personal issues to deal with. Then there’s her client. Lori Redwood is a Tech Shifter, someone who uses a metal exoskeleton to roleplay as an animal. Cassie isn’t one to judge, but the Tech Shifting community has always left her a bit nervous. That wouldn’t be a problem if Lori wasn’t fast becoming the first person that she’s been genuinely attracted to since splitting with Charlie. Oh, and then there’s the small matter of the police wanting her to back off the case. Easy money, huh? Yeah, right.

I was intrigued as soon as I read the premise, and I'm really glad I picked up this book. It was like reading a Sam Spade pulp book and watching Blade Runner at the same time: atmospheric, acerbic and headed up by a fantastic character in Cassie Tam.

Caz is a hard-shelled PI with a gooey center she hides from everybody, even herself. I love the fact that her flirtation with Lori is taking a realistic progression. Totally looking forward to more. I loved the idea of Tech Shifting, and damn, do I want a Bert of my own. Caw!

#Matt #Cyberpunk #LesbianSciFi #LGBTQSpeculative #LGBTQSciFi