Hot Lead, Cold Iron (#1)
First in the fantasy noir series featuring Mick Oberon—a hard-boiled private eye who goes where the case leads him…no matter which world it is.
Chicago, 1932. Crime and corruption rule. From the gutter to the Gold Coast, the city has more dirty dealings than a sticky-fingered card sharp. A man would have to be crazy to go up against that kind of muscle.
But PI Mick Oberon is no man. He’s a self-exiled fae prince who left the Otherworld for reasons he’d rather not go into. In the mortal realm, he’s a tough-talking, hard-hitting gumshoe packing a quick wit and a large-caliber magic wand. And, boyo, is he ever gonna need them both.
Because his newest client is the wife of a heavy-duty mob honcho. She wants Mick to find her daughter, who it turns out was pilfered and replaced with a changeling sixteen years ago. And she wants the investigation kept on the hush hush.
Which is strange, because suddenly it seems like everyone and their uncle already has their eyes on Mick’s prize. From rival gangsters to the lowest of lowlifes to their even more lethal counterparts in the Otherworld, a lot of people and non-people want Mick out of the picture before he solves the mystery. Unfortunately for all of them, Mick Oberon doesn’t know the meaning of the word “quit.”
But with this case, he might want to break out the dictionary before he gets killed…
Reviews
“In this gripping fantastical investigation, Marmell creates an engaging world and an unlikely hero […] The potent mix of gangsters, magic, Fae politics, and a strega on the warpath makes for a ride that never touches the brakes. Marmell expertly maximizes the thrills, leaving the reader with a lingering desire for a magic wand and a glass of warm milk.”
“Intriguing and sufficiently original.”
“Fantasy meets period detective-gangster drama […] Marmell provides a rollicking take […] [The voice] quickly becomes likable, full of grumpy asides and funny turns of phrase.”SFX Magazine
“Marmell does an excellent job of mixing urban fantasy and Noir […] This book is a fun ride and any reader of urban fantasy will love it. It’s also a great entry into the genre for readers of pulp fiction, mysteries and detective stories. The action is non-stop, and the glimpses of Otherworld Chicago are compelling.”
“There are enough subtle and surprising elements involved in the world to enchant readers, and Oberon is an absolutely delightful protagonist […] He has an uncanny way of paring opposing elements – a strong, fast, bold […] with stunningly subtle and incredibly well crafted world building elements […] It’s a lot of fun, and Marmell is an author I really want to hit it big. He deserves it, and this book shows a lot of his strengths.”
“An urban fantasy well-suited to lovers of historical fantasy, especially of Gangster-era Chicago […] it’s an extremely entertaining historical / urban fantasy that I read quickly and eagerly.”
“The first “Mick Oberon Job” gives the hardboiled genre a truly magical revamp […] It is populated by vividly eccentric characters, both from the world of crime and from the world of magic […] Yet it also offers a glimpse of what family is all about, a picture that is heart-warming and beautiful while at the same time touched by disturbing weirdness.”
“HOT LEAD, COLD IRON is as hard boiled a detective drama as anything written by Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler or Mickey Spillane, and Marmell captures the vernacular of the period wonderfully […] HOT LEAD, COLD IRON could easily have been published in any one of the popular pulp detective magazines of the ’30s and yet it’s pace and characterizations are undoubtedly contemporary […] Ari Marmell will soon be crowned the foremost purveyor of Macabre Noir.”Starburst Magazine
“Marmell has crafted a great detective story that really harks back to the old black and white movies starring people like Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney that some of us older readers love so much. The character of Mike Oberon is written so well and with such an authentic tint to him that you could even imagine him in one of those movies […] Oberon’s voice sings out loud and proud through the story and really creates a memorable character in amongst some really well written characters that lurk in the background of the tale […] Marmell has written an absolutely brilliant mash up novel.”
“The book does a nice job of never tipping its hand, with a climax that delivers on all aspects.”
“The world that Marmell has created for his characters is rich and full of potential […] The story is riveting, a page-turner that keeps you engaged as well as setting up this new urban fantasy with the scope for so many stories. HOT LEAD, COLD IRON is a very good book and I can’t wait for the next story in the series.”
“This is brilliant urban fantasy fiction, great fun for anyone who likes the genre and wants something a little different.”Wondrous Reads
“It brings a fantasy twist to the nit and grit of the mystery novel genre […] For those looking to venture into a new cross-genre, HOT LEAD is one series that has my recommendation.”
“HOT LEAD, COLD IRON is a wonderful book. It combines a detective story with a fantasy environment perfectly. The author captures the grit of the film noir private eye and the soul of 1930s Chicago well, without being too heavy handed with the slang of the era. The story moves at a fast pace and never gets dull. Mick Oberon is a memorable character and I look forward to the next installment in the series.“Bartleby’s Book Review
“HOT LEAD, COLD IRON is the finest urban fantasy detective novel of the past few years. Both elements work equally and Marmell gives us an exciting read that is not without an incisive look at the present day and the heart of the genre itself.”Ed Gorman, author of The Poker Club