A review by whistberry
Rusted Lies, a Dalton Rust P.I. Novel by Jacob Klop

5.0

I found this to be a super smart and enjoyable mash up of classic noir detective fiction and speculative science fiction. Think Blade Runner but with more humor. Fantastic world building that is revealed naturally through the plot rather than info dumping so you'll need to get used to some of the language and societal concepts but the author does a great job of providing plenty of context to help you along. Dalton Rust fits squarely into the Philip Marlowe/Sam Spade mold of world weary wise guys caught up in a case with political implications far beyond what he signed up for. We're also introduced to a host of interesting side characters as his investigation unfolds that I assume will figure in future installments of this intriguing new series. The vision of a future where a handful of oligarchal families control the wealth and destiny of the rest of society is an all too relevant and believable vision of our future but half the kick here is watching Dalton mess with the snooty types who are trying to use him for their own nefarious ends. All in all, an expertly-written book that is lots of fun for fans of science fiction and noir mysteries.