New Book Alert: Hot Ash (An Angela Hardwicke Science Fiction Mystery) by Russ Colchamiro; Angela's As Awesome As Ever, But Young Partner Steals The Show

 

New Book Alert: Hot Ash (An Angela Hardwicke Science Fiction Mystery) by Russ Colchamiro; Angela's As Awesome As Ever, But Young Partner Steals The Show

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews 

Spoilers: In Hot Ash, the third installment to Russ Colchamiro's Angela Hardwicke's Science Fiction, Angela is her usual strong willed, fiery, courageous, troubled self wandering through the murkiness of Eternity, the center of the Cosmos. While she is in top form, it is actually her rookie partner, Eric Whistler, who steals the show from his cynical employer/friend.

Angela and Whistler seem to be living a surprisingly carefree existence. The Minders are together and running the Universe smoothly. Angela is still close to her son, Owen, who studies at a school to train young Patches, those who repair the tears in the Universe. He is taught by his father, who remains on amicable terms with Angela. She is also dating Darren, a drummer with a rock band.

Whistler's life has taken an upswing as well. Once Angela's sidekick and gofer, he is now her official partner. He even has a new badge which he loves to show off much to Angela's annoyance.

However, this being a mystery, the good carefree times never last for very long. Camille Engquist, the very wealthy "friend of a friend" hires Angela. Her late husband, Iggy, has died. While he had a long term illness, Camille is convinced something else must have happened to him. She also doesn't trust her stepchildren, Phil and Amara. In his original will, Iggy left his company to Camille. However, a new will has been made leaving everything to Phil and Amara. 

Camille is furious. She believes her step children may have killed Iggy and that they schemed their way into becoming CEO's. Angela and Whistler take the assignment and find themselves deep inside a case involving business corruption, drug dealing, slave trafficking, and a familial squabble in which no one comes out clean.

Unfortunately, the highlight of the previous books, the setting Eternity, is somewhat muted in this volume. It is mostly set in E-Town and the Arcasia System, a setting that is the opposite of Eternity in every way. 

Dark and somber where Eternity is mostly enlightening and wondrous. Filled with smog, the ugliness of industrialization, and a beaten hopeless slave population where Eternity has its problems but is filled with a populace from all walks of life who try to live in a cooperative existence (of course don't always succeed). The Arcasia System is the exact opposite of Eternity, perhaps the Hell to Eternity's Heaven.

What this book loses in setting, it makes up for in characterization. Many of the tropes such as families having inheritance disputes and a drug trade whose employees care more about profits than the lives lost and destroyed are nothing new. They can be found in most Earth bound murder mysteries. However, Colchamiro gives these plot angles enough of a science fiction twist to make them interesting.

However, this is where the team up of Angela Hardwicke and Eric Whistler really hits its stride. Angela starts out in a surprisingly good place considering how difficult her life was in the previous books. Since her personal problems are on the back burner, she is able to focus on her career. She has a very jaded cynical look as Whistler sees the private eye universe with newly professional eyes. She also has a bit of career envy mixed with big sisterly pride when Whistler notices a clue or gets information in a way that she did not.

Since Angela's role shifts from loner to mentor, more is expected from Whistler. He rises to the occasion by wanting to be the justice seeking idealist that the more pragmatic Angela no longer is. While investigating the Engquist murder, they come across another crime taking place. Whistler longs to help but Angela reminds him that they have a job to do and they can't save everyone.

Whistler and Angela's differing views come to a head in the Arcasia System when Whistler is more emotionally affected by the scene around them. He wants to do something permanent and long term to help stop slavery and create a better world for everyone.

 Angela, older and harder, knows that a better world does not exist. There will always be exploiters and the exploited. The only thing, the only real true thing that she can do is save the people that she is there to save.

Because of his journey from naive newbie to seasoned veteran, Whistler goes through a lot of character growth more so than in the previous books. This transformation greatly. changes his and Angela's relationship putting them on equal footing.

There could be a good chance that Colchamiro may shift the series to feature both partners (Hardwicke and Whistler Science Fiction Mysteries) or eventually give Whistler his own spin off series. It's a strong possibility.