Some of the subject matter is mature, making this more of a young adult and up read. FRIEND OF THE DEVIL gets bogged down a bit with detective procedural issues, but it's fascinating to learn how the mind of Ethan Reckless (a problem-solver and a fixer, but not a bonafide private investigator) pulls at the thinnest of threads and works his way eventually to the whole ball of yarn. Fans of the duo’s past books are in for yet another treat and newcomers will be looking up the catalog of their titles once they’re done with this book.

This book could be the blueprint for noir, crime, drama graphic novels because it’s just that good. This series just keeps getting better and better! Brubaker and Phillips have created something truly special with their Ethan Reckless character and the universe they’ve built around him. The clues he finds aren’t what he expected and bring him face-to-face with the demented leader of a sex cult known as “The Church of the Fallen.” Just what has he gotten himself into this time?! Reckless, playing the hero, offers to put his skills to use in order to track down Linh’s stepsister. One night while watching movies together at Ethan’s place, Linh spots her stepsister on the screen and shares the story of how she’s been missing for the past 7 years after moving to Hollywood to become a famous actress.

There he meets Linh Tran, a Vietnamese librarian who he’s instantly attracted to. Reckless finds himself in the Santa Monica Public Library, hot on the trail of the scummy husband of a client who’s faked his death in order to ghost his current family for another. Former FBI agent turned private detective, Ethan Reckless is back! And this time he’s in the 80s in search of a missing b-list Hollywood actress who happens to be the stepsister of his current love interest, who happens to be a librarian! “Friend of the Devil” is the newest volume in the best-selling series by award winning creators, Brubaker and Phillips.

Friend of the Devil by Ed Brubaker