Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead

by Sara Gran Narrated by Carol Monda

Overview

Claire DeWitt is not your average private investigator. She has brilliant skills of deduction and is an ace at discovering evidence. But Claire also uses her dreams, omens, and mind-expanding herbs to help her solve mysteries, and relies on Détection-the only book published by the great and mysterious French detective Jacques Silette before his death.

The tattooed, pot-smoking Claire has just arrived in post-Katrina New Orleans, the city she's avoided since her mentor, Silette's student Constance Darling, was murdered there. Claire is investigating the disappearance of Vic Willing, a prosecutor known for winning convictions in a homicide-plagued city. Has an angry criminal enacted revenge on Vic? Or did he use the storm as means to disappear? Claire follows the clues, finding old friends and making new enemies-foremost among them Andray Fairview, a young gang member who just might hold the key to the mystery.

Editorial Reviews

JULY 2011 - AudioFile

It’s hard to come up with a fresh take on the plucky girl detective, but Claire DeWitt proves it can be done. She’s a tough, squirrelly tattooed mystic punk who, by the time we meet her, is the self-proclaimed greatest detective in the world. She’s in New Orleans 18 months after Katrina to find out what happened to a lawyer with (it turns out) some disagreeable appetites who hasn’t been seen since the storm. The city is a corrupt, crime-and-disaster-ravaged snarl, but Claire doesn’t work with anything as mundane as clues or evidence, so she’s unfazed. Carol Monda’s alto voice is perfect for Claire’s fierce implacability, and Monda’s remarkable acting range does justice to a city and a plot full of mystery and mess. B.G. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Marilyn Stasio

Claire is a charmer, but there's nothing cute about her paranormal visions of a city living in torment.
—The New York Times

Publishers Weekly - Audio

Claire DeWitt can hack into police files, discover hidden evidence, and sort the innocent from the guilty because she’s the best detective in the world. And the mix of drugs she samples helps boost her confidence as she scours New Orleans in search of Vic Willing, a district attorney gone missing during Hurricane Katrina. But mostly, this procedural is about Claire shooting off her mouth and her gun in rapid succession. Carol Monda perfectly renders Claire’s sarcastic repartee and keeps this tightly paced narrative moving quickly. However, Monda struggles with accents, particularly the distinctive Cajun and Creole dialects of New Orleans. Nonetheless, she does produce a host of voices—some more distinct than others—for the book’s many characters and provides narration that is both engaging and entertaining. A Houghton Mifflin Harcourt hardcover. (June)

Salon

delicious and addictive.”
—Salon

Philadelphia CityPaper

A high-proof Nancy Drew drawn straight from the tradition of an opiated Holmes.”
—Philadelphia CityPaper

New York Times

The dead-eyed face of post-Katrina New Orleans that stares out from Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead is every bit as raw as the battered mug [Gran] drew of 1950s Brooklyn in Dope. But hope is on the way in the exotic person of Claire DeWitt. . . Claire is a charmer, but there’s nothing cute about her paranormal visions of a city living in torment.”
—New York Times

The Atlantic

With Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead, Gran elevates the detective story as literature and brings together a sophisticated mystery, a witty, antagonistic private eye, and a city she knows too well.”
—The Atlantic

BookPage

The mystery of Vic Willing’s disappearance pulls you in, but Gran’s enticing characters will keep you hooked.”
—BookPage

Express (UK)

The most unusual, intelligent thriller I have read for a long time.”
—Express (UK)

The Times-Picayune

The mystery captures post-Katrina New Orleans like no other novel yet has . . .DeWitt’s mesmerizing character and memorable voice take your breath away.”
—The Times-Picayune

Associated Press Staff

Beautifully written in a tight, quirky style that distinguishes Gran as one of the more original writers working today.”
—Associated Press

From the Publisher

"Just when I begin to despair that the PI novel has worn out its welcome, a writer with a fresh take reminds me why I fell in love with the genre. Sara Gran has long specialized in shaking up and revitalizing other corners of the genre world, so it’s no surprise that she performs this same magic in CLAIRE DEWITT AND THE CITY OF THE DEAD. And while I confess to having very little objectivity about New Orleans and no credentials to judge its literary portrayal, this is a valuable addition to the (way too small) body of post-storm novels."—Laura Lippman

"Terrific. I love this book! Absolutely love it. This is the first fresh literary voice I've heard in years. Sara Gran recombines all the elements of good, solid story-telling and lifts something original from a well-loved form."—Sue Grafton

"I just burned through Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead, and it's the first truly fantastic book I've read this year. Gran's evocation of the exposed wounds of New Orleans - before and after the storm - is a master-class in descriptive and emotive writing, and Claire is one of the most exciting new characters in years; a Raymond Chandler heroine with just enough of an off-beat vibe to tilt the whole thing enticingly off-kilter. Everything here - from the smallest touches to the grander mythology setting the tone of the series - just sings."—Drew Williams, Little Professor Book Center

"Not your mother's girl detective, Claire DeWitt is a cool blend of Nancy Drew and Sid Vicious.　 With Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead, Sara Gran has pulled the traditional female sleuth into the twenty-first century with a novel that's smart and hip, dark and funny.　 I can't wait for the next one." - Alafair Burke, author of LONG GONE

"Gran (Dope, 2006, etc.) provides...a comically self-important detective and a searing portrait of post-Katrina New Orleans."—Kirkus Reviews

"As brash and bold as Sherlock Holmes himself, Claire DeWitt arrives in still-chaotic New Orleans 18 months after Katrina. She's been hired to investigate the disappearance of Vic Willing, a local prosecutor, who's not been heard from since the hurricane. Claire surprises the local gangtsa set with her unique bravado. One of them, Andray, is compelled to help her tap into the darkness of Katrina's aftermath. From there, Claire finds her answers. Mentored and deeply inspired by a famous French detective, the I Ching, and profoundly illuminating dreams, a complex Claire leads us into her own nightmares as well. VERDICT This is not to be missed-Claire is a moody, hip, and meticulous investigator. Gran (Dope; Come Closer) builds an addictive sense of anticipation with a fantastical frame. Alternately gritty and dreamy, this would appeal to those who liked Colson Whitehead's The Intuitionist and readers of Charlie Huston (e.g., The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death). Highly recommended."—Library Journal STARRED

"Captivating"—Publishers Weekly, STARRED

"If there isn’t yet a subgenre called funky noir, this wacky PI novel could be a fragrant first...lots of fun."—Booklist

PRAISE FROM BOOKSELLERS (PRE-PUB TOUR)

"Thanks again for such a wonderful experience last week. I love how HMH and Algonquin are bringing writers to the booksellers ahead of publication date because it makes such a difference having that personal knowledge of the author. And when the authors are *awesome* like Sara is, it makes their books stand out more in my mind, and thus makes me more likely to try to handsell their books. Sure, we all try to sell the books we like and we think a customer will like, but when there's a personal connection with the author, it feels more like we're introducing new readers to not just a book, but a friend."—Emily Crowe, Odyssey Book Shop

"Sara Gran is awesome. Don’t let her small, bespectacled frame deceive you; she’s a firecracker with fascinating stories to tell, and she has an obvious, passionate love of her craft. I could have talked to her for hours. And I love her book so far; it’s terrifically different from so many other mysteries I’ve read. And with regard to New Orleans: she really knows her stuff. I DO very much like the pre-publicity dinners, and not just because of the free booze. It encourages me to read books I might not ordinarily pick up (*Sara’s being an exception, as it’s right up my alley), and talking at length with the author about why they wrote the book, their background, etc. all helps me to sell their book."—Hilary Emerson Lay, Spirit of '76 Bookstore "We had a blast with you, Carla and Sara. I think these sorts of pre-pub events are very worth it. I do believe they help generate enthusiasm for a book and an author which helps generate sales. Of course, Sara is an author that it's easy to be enthusiastic about. She's genuine, smart, fun and quick to forge connections. That is, we like her very much. Being a former bookseller, she's kin and you can feel that. In a good way. Like when you meet a cousin you barely know but like instantly. She's our cousin who has made good and we're sorry we don't get to see her more because she lives on the wrong side of the country."—Stan Hynds, Northshire Bookstore  "The novel, Gran's fourth, is difficult to categorize, offering a strangely appealing mix of the mystical and the hard-boiled. The book is beautifully written in a tight, quirky style that distinguishes Gran as one of the more original writers working today."—Bruce DeSilva, Associated Press

Library Journal - Audio

Part mystic, part noir PI, Claire DeWitt returns to post-Katrina New Orleans to investigate the disappearance of a wealthy district attorney. She probes, observes, and consults her beloved manual, Détection. Full of wonderful, dark, evocative descriptions of characters and places, this tale may disappoint listeners just looking for a classic puzzle mystery. Reader Carol Monda does an excellent job of evoking a difficult world. Recommended for individuals interested in the nuances of human nature, human interactions, and the new New Orleans. ["This is not to be missed—Gran builds an addictive sense of anticipation with a fantastical frame. Highly recommended," read the review of the Houghton Harcourt hc, LJ 5/1/11.—Ed.]—I. Pour-El, Des Moines Area Community Coll., Boone, IA

JULY 2011 - AudioFile

It’s hard to come up with a fresh take on the plucky girl detective, but Claire DeWitt proves it can be done. She’s a tough, squirrelly tattooed mystic punk who, by the time we meet her, is the self-proclaimed greatest detective in the world. She’s in New Orleans 18 months after Katrina to find out what happened to a lawyer with (it turns out) some disagreeable appetites who hasn’t been seen since the storm. The city is a corrupt, crime-and-disaster-ravaged snarl, but Claire doesn’t work with anything as mundane as clues or evidence, so she’s unfazed. Carol Monda’s alto voice is perfect for Claire’s fierce implacability, and Monda’s remarkable acting range does justice to a city and a plot full of mystery and mess. B.G. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171737733
Publisher:	HighBridge Company
Publication date:	06/02/2011
Series:	Claire DeWitt Mysteries , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged

Read an Excerpt

1

"It’s my uncle," the man said on the phone. "He’s lost. We lost him in the storm."

"Lost?" I said. "You mean, he drowned?"

"No," the man said, distressed. "Lost. I mean, yeah, he probably drowned. Probably dead. I haven’t heard from him or anything. I can’t imagine how he could still be alive."

"So what’s the mystery?" I said.

A crow flew overhead as we talked. I was in Northern California, near Santa Rosa. I sat at a picnic table by a clump of redwoods. A blue jay squawked nearby. Crows used to be bad omens, but now they were so common that it was hard to say.

Omens change. Signs shifts. Nothing is permanent.

That night I dreamed I was back in New Orleans. I hadn’t been there in ten years. But now, in my dream, it was during the flood. I sat on a rooftop in the cool, dark night. Moonlight reflected off the water around me. It was quiet. Everyone was gone.

Across the street a man sat on another rooftop in a straight-backed chair. The man flickered in and out of focus like an old piece of film, burned through in spots from light. He was fifty or sixty, white, pale, just on this side of short, with salt-and-pepper hair and bushy eyebrows. He wore a three-piece black suit with a high collar and a black tie. He scowled.

The man looked at me sternly.

"If I told you the truth plainly," the man said, "you would not understand." His voice was scratchy and warped, like an old record. But I could still make out the tinge of a French accent. "If life gave you answers outright, they would be meaningless. Each detective must take her clues and solve her mysteries for herself. No one can solve your mystery for you; a book cannot tell you the way."

Now I recognized the man; it was, of course, Jacques Silette, the great French detective. The words were from his one and only book, Détection.

I looked around and in the black night I saw a light shimmering in the distance. As the light got closer I saw that it was a rowboat with a lantern attached to the bow.

I thought it had come to rescue us. But it was empty.

"No one will save you," Silette said from his rooftop. "No one will come. You are alone in your search; no friend, no lover, no God from above will come to your aid. Your mysteries are yours alone."

Silette faded in and out, flickering in the moonlight.

"All I can do is leave you clues," he said. "And hope that you will not only solve your mysteries, but choose carefully the clues you leave behind. Make your choices wisely, ma’moiselle. The mysteries you leave will last for lifetimes after you are gone.

"Remember: you are the only hope for those that come after you."

I woke up coughing, spitting water out of my mouth.

That morning I talked to my doctor about the dream. Then I called the man back. I took the case.

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