When a boy who seems more mature than his 10 years enters John Persons's office in order to solicit an adult-sized murder, the private investigator is understandably wary. But what ultimately makes Persons concede is that, in addition to being abusive, the kid's father is a literal monster.
The novella Hammers on Bone by journalist and short story author Cassandra Khaw pulls readers along on a fascinating ride, full of Lovecraftian horrors and noir motifs twisted just far enough to serve the story rather than the other way around. As Persons investigates his target, he realizes that the case is far bigger than a single monstrous intelligence, but rather an infection, spreading from the young boy's stepfather to enslave an industrial town in Britain.
Persons steps up to the challenge with courage--he is an ancient, magical being, equal to the task at hand. World-weary and bitter from centuries of battle, Persons must decide how far to take his cleansing scourge, and whom to trust along the way. The gumshoe also becomes powerfully attracted to Sasha, a local waitress who proves invaluable to his investigation.
Khaw paints a bleak yet potent alternate reality in which monsters--friend or foe--are devastatingly real. Persons strikes a perfect antihero stance that is emotionally fragile despite his supernatural power. Hammers on Bone is a brilliant blend of two venerable genres as well as a deeply affecting tale on its own. --Rob LeFebvre, freelance writer and editor