The Manual of Detection

Berry, Jedediah. (2009). The Manual of Detection. New York, NY: Penguin.

Pages: 278

ISBN: 978-1594202117

Genre: mystery, fantasy, science fiction, steampunk

Annotation: A clerk is unhappily promoted to detective.  

Summary: Clerk Charles Unwin is a master of detail and routine. Then his life is disrupted when the greatest detective his city has goes missing. This gets him promoted to detective, but Unwin sees this as a mistake to rectify. Then he finds his boss’s boss murdered and realizes he has to take on the mantle of detective at least long enough to be able to get his own job back. This sends him on a surreal journey where who can be trusted is unclear, facts are uncertain and what the future holds is up for grabs. As he uses his knowledge of reports, the people he encounters and The Manual of Detection hints he finds truth of the past is not what he thought. Unwin’s search brings him into contact with a foe that would control the dreams of the whole city. Unwin must go from a clerk who records details to a detective who makes them if he has chance of saving the city, the detective and himself.

Evaluation: Good read

Unwin is an engaging character. The reader is drawn into his obsessed with detail view of the world. It is a trait which hinders him by making his world view narrow, but helps him to see what he needs to when applied correctly. The other characters are intriguing as the details of whom and what they are is slowly revealed. The storyline is good, but two parts keep it from being excellent. Unwin’s movement from clue to clue seemed too lucky. Also, the Agency’s purpose, the changing nature of the characters and some of the events of the book are a bit too surreal at times. The surreal vibe of the story was conveyed very well. Descriptions of the agency, the unnamed city, the carnival and the dream areas made the reader feel surreal and very aware this was another world. A good read for those wanting something out of the ordinary.

What other out of the ordinary books to read:

City of Glass by Paul Auster also involves a mystery and a reluctant hero.

The Dream of Perpetual Motion by Dexter Palmer is another surreal steampunk novel.

The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman by Angela Carter is a surreal fantasy where the nature of reality is challenged.

The Prophecy Machine (Investments #1) by Neal Barrett Jr. is a fantasy in which societal order is challenged.