Mad Gods and Englishmen by Ian Armer

Every now and then you stumble on a surprising book. Something entertaining that also makes you think. I would characterize Mad Gods and Englishmen by Ian Armer in that category. It is a fast-paced novel that almost from the first page is deliciously off-the-wall and yet takes the form of a familiar detective story set on the west coast of the USA. The hero or more likely, ant-hero, is one Tommy Storm; a down on his luck alcoholic private detective whose brains are more than likely situated in his trousers. He’s a loathsome character if the truth be told. The kind of chap I would go miles to avoid. However, there is his doppleganger, the other Tommy Storm who is the light to the other’s darkness. Right from the off,

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