BLOOD FEVER

In Bell’s novel set in a vivid SF universe, a disgraced law enforcement officer tackles a new case as a private eye.

On the planet D4 Prime, Mich Janelle served time in a mental health facility after being framed for the murder of a witness. Now discharged from the institution and haunted by her reputation, she finds work as a private investigator. When her first “Watch and Report” assignment turns into a murder case, she’s teamed up with two other PIs with dark histories. One partner, Zeth Wen, is still reeling from a mistake he made on a case that caused the deaths of a space cruiser full of children; the other, Rel Charley, is the offspring of an alien invader from a bygone war who faces daily discrimination. The trio must solve the murder of a suspected arms and drug trafficker and stop a terrorist plot by one of the universe’s largest criminal organizations. Each member is effectively shown to be reeling from the effects of past trauma. For example, Mich spends considerable time investigating the organization that she believes is behind her false imprisonment and must cope with persistent flashbacks and intrusive thoughts. Rel, meanwhile, depends on alcohol as a way to cope with the death of his wife and the persistent prejudice he encounters throughout the book. Each character must also learn to trust their teammates as they work toward a common goal. Most fascinating, however, is the fictional world’s social backdrop, which is mired in postwar bureaucratic reconstruction, corruption, and deeply entrenched religious beliefs. It results in a complex narrative that’s notably expansive. Original terminology sometimes substitutes for ordinary vernacular without much explanation (as when Mich crosses a “kinked jetbridge” soon after her introduction), although the jargon and slang generally benefits from context. Also, the narrative sometimes refers to characters by their first names and other times by their last, which can be confusing at times.

A speculative narrative whose most notable elements are its meditations on mental health, war, and dirty dealing.