Absolutely brilliant!

I keep reading that this is 'comedic noir' but in this, the third Aberystwyth novel, the tone is rather more noir than previously. I have to admire how Pryce draws all the disparate strands together in a very satisfying denouement.

Either I'm getting used to the weirdness of this Aberystwyth Noir series or every next book is really better than the previous one, I'm still not sure, but I truly enjoyed this one. Malcolm Pryce's stories are still strange but after the first two books it's easier to get in. The plot is a bit tangled but it is being developed nicely, and we have no loose ends in the final part. It's just clear that there will be another book following this one because the evil genius Brainbocs is still there.
The things that made me happy were some particular episodes, really beautifully written (well, in my opinion). The more books I read the more I like the the main character here.
And yes, Aberystwyth is still a good place to escape this cruel reality.

This was the 3rd book in the Louie Knight/Aberystwyth Noir series, and to my mind it has improved. The long drawn out humour seems to have been replaced with character development. There is still plenty of wit and absurd situations, the humour has taken a darker twist, but rather than being a run of the mill Noir series of books they seem to merge into satire as well. There seems to be a lot going on in this book, and references are made to characters and exploits from the previous books. So for anyone picking this book up at random to read, I would urge you to read those other books first, they will fill in a lot of blanks which might otherwise leave you scratching your head.

Bizar en onverwacht.

Always enjoy the Aberystwyth Noir novels,but they always leave me drained!There is always so many different characters and plot lines weaving about,at times it’s difficult to keep up with what’s going on.
But definitely worth the effort.

The third book in the Pryce’s ”comic fantasy/Noir” series. In my opinion, not as good as the first 2, never-the-less a good addition to the set.

Much darker than the previous two books in the series, but just as brilliant. I can't believe what I've been missing out on for all this time!

This book provided a brief vacation during a difficult time in my life. A good, gentle relaxing read.

I loved this and I HATE crime fiction. The idea of a noir detective novel set in a magical realist town populated by a Druidic mafia is irrestistable...and beautifully realised.

From the 1,001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

Pryce just keeps getting better and better. Definitely must be read in series order, and Pryce expands on characters and themes from his earlier novels.

In the previous book, Pryce deftly spun humor and horror; here he ups the stakes. The social commentary, on class and gender relations, and on the treatment of veterans, is stepped up, and some of the story developments are truly gut-wrenchingly horrific.

And yet, the deadpan absurdist humor remains, from small observations and turns of phrase to the main plot of the amnesiac with a veteran-astronaut organ grinder monkey needing a solution to a centuries-old murder as the clock ticks, and the ending beat of just what to do when your problem demands a miracle...

Myfanwy, as much in her absences as her presence, continues to become one of the great noir dames.

Un-put-downable, great stuff.