Like whiskey, we like our hardboiled fiction neat. And the same goes for our superhero fiction too. We prefer the real thing to parody, caricature, or homage. Straight no chaser, as they say.

And that’s why we were initially wary of reading The City of Smoke and Mirrors. Despite the author’s affection for detectives and superheroes, we generally avoid arched and self-conscious genre romps like this.

No matter how well written it may be, a novel featuring a wiseass mutant armadillo detective and a parade of exotic superheroes and supervillains is susceptible to burlesque. For us, parody and caricature work best in small and clever doses.

Thankfully, The City of Smoke and Mirrors is much better than we thought it would be. Despite the absurd premise and the oftentimes overwrought language, the plot is tight, the characters are likable goofballs, and the author’s overriding sense of humor helps smooth…