The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss (Dahlia Moss Mystery Series #1)

by Max Wirestone

Overview

Veronica Mars meets the World of Warcraft in The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss, a mystery romp with a most unexpected heroine.

If it were up to me this book would be called Hilarious Things That Happened That Were Not At All Dahlia's Fault — or HTTHTWNAADF, for short.
OK, I probably shouldn't have taken money from a mysterious eccentric to solve a theft, given that I'm not a detective, and that I am sometimes outwitted by puzzles in children's video games. I probably shouldn't have stolen bags of trash from a potential murder suspect. Arguably — just arguably, mind you — it may have been unwise to cos-play at an event where I was likely to be shot at.

But sometimes you just have to take some chances, right? And maybe things do get a little unfortunate. What of it? If you ask me, an unfortunate decision here or there can change your life. In a positive way, just so long you don't killed in the process. Admittedly, that's the tricky bit.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316385985
Publisher:	Orbit
Publication date:	02/14/2017
Series:	Dahlia Moss Mystery Series , #1
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Max Wirestone lives in Lawrence, Kansas with his husband, his son, a very old dog, and more books than a reasonable person should own. Find him @maxwires.

Editorial Reviews

"Revel in the geekery of The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss... Dahlia Moss is all of us."—B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog

"Wirestone's debut is a gem that can be summed up as 'geek chic.'"—Library Journal

"A clever mystery featuring a delightful amateur detective. Or, in online parlance: Dahlia Moss FTW!"—Kirkus

"This book is a barrel of fun."—Charlaine Harris, New York Times bestselling author

"A hilarious read sure to delight mystery lovers and gamers alike. With unforgettable characters and a stand-out heroine, Dahlia kept me guessing until the very end. A laugh-out-loud gem of a book."—N.K. Traver, author of Duplicity

"Dahlia's story is a zany, hilarious, laugh fest that made my inner geek girl sit up and search for a caper to solve! Take the clumsy sweetness of Bridget Jones, combine with the intriguing geekiness of Felicity Smoak, and you have Dahlia Moss in this delightful romp!"—Rebecca Zanetti, New York Times bestselling author

"At last, a 'geek mystery' ... entirely fresh."—New Hampshire Union Leader

"A fun novel for mystery and MMO game lovers both."—Mystery Scene

From the Publisher

08/31/2015
Wirestone’s debut features the snarky Dahlia Moss, an unemployed thirty-something woman tasked with solving a virtual mystery that escalates into an actual murder. Her wildly spontaneous roommate, Charice, introduces Dahlia to the ultra-wealthy Jonah Long, who hires Dahlia to be a detective and find “the Bejeweled Spear of Infinite Piercing” that was stolen from him in a game called Zoth, an MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game). Jonah hires Dahlia because she’s familiar with the game and briefly temped as a receptionist at a detective agency, but when Jonah is murdered with a replica of the missing virtual spear, the stakes rise for Dahlia. As Dahlia begins playing Zoth looking for clues, the book loses steam, which it continues to do as she familiarizes herself with people in Jonah’s real and virtual life to see if she can find his killer and the person who stole the spear. The convoluted plot overwhelms the author’s attempts at witty repartee and humor. This story will mainly appeal to gamers. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

10/01/2015
Librarian/author Wirestone's debut is a gem that can be summed up as "geek chic." The title character is like no other. Dahlia is initially hired to solve a mystery in a virtual online game, only to have to solve the real-life murder of the person who hired her, the intriguing Jonah Long. Dahlia's life is hilarious, ridiculous, and adventurous as she has surrounded herself with others who are even more bizarre. Though Dahlia continually makes unfortunate decisions, she just might be the right one to handle all of it and score a guy in the mix as well. VERDICT This is a fun, quick read for those interested in light crime fiction, as well as a recommended read for all fangirls and fanboys or anime lovers. May also do well as a YA crossover for older teens. One does have to suspend disbelief to embark on the adventure of this novel. If you're not into gaming or massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) better to skip altogether.—Anne M. Miskewitch, Chicago P.L.

Library Journal

Single, unemployed Dahlia Moss recounts the series of strange events that led to her being chased by a murderer dressed as a tree while she successfully solved her first case as an investigator. Narrator Lauren Fortgang delivers Dahlia’s exploits in a light, easy manner. The story is laugh-out-loud funny, and Fortgang’s comedic timing is perfect. She uses a variety of larger-than-life accents for quotes, impressions, and all the supporting characters, including characters with fake Indian accents, villains from the video game MMORPG, and hard-boiled police detectives. Her narration draws the listener in, and the fast-paced, fun-filled adventure holds one’s attention while Fortgang works her magic on the voices of this kooky cast of characters. E.N. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2015 - AudioFile

2015-07-29
A hapless 20-something is surprised to find that online gaming is good for something after all—and that something is catching a real-world murderer. Dahlia Moss has been going on hopeless job interviews for more than a year without any luck, and her life has become a boring and ramen-filled one. So she's surprised that when she finally does get a job, it finds her—she's offered $2,000 to recover a stolen virtual weapon from a massive multiplayer online role-playing game called Kingdoms of Zoth. This seems to be easy work for the former geek, but when her employer dies before he can pay her the second half of her fee, Dahlia is pulled into a murder mystery. On- and offline, an odd cast of characters floods into her life, from the former guild mates of the recently deceased to a detective who may know more than he lets on about gaming, and her life quickly goes from boring to dangerous. She may have even found love, though she suspects it may be with a murderer. Wirestone's writing is funny and quite nerdy—though while practicing geeks will find many jokes hidden in the story for them, nongeeks will not feel left out. The many clever references are a nice accompaniment for Dahlia's complex voice, which is winning even when she's being a bit of a loser. Wirestone combines the traditions of several genres to great effect here, such that a mystery reader will enjoy the book as much as an MMORPG aficionado. Though the whodunit is not particularly hard to solve, the book is more focused on the journey than the destination. Even the acknowledgments are fun to read. A clever mystery featuring a delightful amateur detective. Or, in online parlance: Dahlia Moss FTW!

Kirkus Reviews