KOP Killer (edition 2012)

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/06/kop-killer-by-warren-hammond.html

Juno Mozambe is gonna take KOP (Koba Office of Police) back, and the first step is taking over protection of a brothel that Emil Mota (Juno’s arch enemy) has already claimed. With a motley crew of dirty cops, and an ex-prostitute/bodyguard named Maria, Juno takes a stand against the nightly riots that accompany rolling blackouts that plunge the city of Koba into darkness. When Muto gets wind of this, he’s not amused, and Juno’s intimidation tactics aren’t working against him anymore. When the men of Juno’s crew begin turning up slaughtered in the most brutal ways, Juno knows he’s up against someone, and something, bigger than Muto. Along with his former partner (and honest cop) Maggie, he vows to get to the bottom of it, before another man dies, and KOP is corrupt for good.

There were a few times when I thought I knew where Kop Killer was going. I so didn’t. Really didn’t. Kop Killer is the third in a series featuring Juno Mozambe, but if you haven’t read the first two, that’s ok, because the author does a great job on catching you up on events without info dump, although you might miss out on some of the emotional resonance gained from reading the first two. Kop Killer is a wonderful mashup of police procedural, (very) dark noir, and some of the creepiest sci fi you’ll ever read. There’s humor here too, of the blackest kind, and you may find your mouth twisting into a slow, grim smile, since it kind of creeps up on you. Koba is a humid, sticky, fly and lizard ridden, leafy green mess of a city and it’s such a part of the narrative, it’s almost its own character. As Juno gets deeper into the gruesome murderers that seem to stick to him like flies (couldn’t help it), even the jaded ex-cop can’t believe how depraved this killer is. We’re talking shape shifters (not what you thinks), a creepy doctor performing the most awful of experiments (just…ugh), and a group of cops so corrupt your mind will spin. I love my gray heroes, and Juno fits firmly in with the best of them. His heart is in the right place, even as things fall to pieces around him, and he’s fiercely loyal. It will certainly take someone like Juno to bring down KOP and make things better for the people of Koba, and I promise you’ll enjoy this dark and scary ride! ( )