perhaps it’s just me, a stupid little american, but this was hard to read. really hard. great imagery, great concept, great story, but so so hard to read. like i had no idea what was going on, happening, or saying. it was hard to immerse myself.

Cassandra Khaw crosses Cthulhu Mythos Horror and Hard Boiled Noir Detective to make a work that is both dark and exciting. Private Investigator John Persons is approached by an unusual client. A ten year old boy has sought him out to kill his stepfather. This man is coarse, manipulative, and abusive, a real monster. John can’t leave this child in danger, but he soon determines that there is far more evil here than he expected. This novella is surprisingly different! The two genres work well together to tell a gritty and disturbing tale. It appears to be the first in series of stories featuring the cases of John Persons known as “Persons Non Grata.”