cover image Reddevil 4

Reddevil 4

Eric C. Leuthardt. Forge, $25.99 (368p) ISBN 978-0-7653-3256-1

Leuthardt puts his expertise as a neurosurgeon to good use in his impressive debut, a medical thriller set in 2053. Dr. Hagan Maerici, a renowned neurosurgeon, struggles to keep his dissolving marriage together; teach his artificial intelligence avatar, Omid, how to correctly interpret proverbs; and placate his demanding boss. In the mid-21st century, most people have neuroprosthetics implanted in their brains, allowing brain-to-brain communication and a host of other supercapabilities. Three gruesome murders in St. Louis, Mo., of people with ties to Maerici, however, personally and professionally upset his routine. Two detectives, Edwin Krantz and his partner, Tara Dezner, utilize ultramodern crime-busting techniques in conjunction with Maerci’s scientific know-how to try to unravel the extremely complicated case. Readers will have to pay close attention and may have to read some passages more than once to keep track of the future science, but those who stick with it will be rewarded. Agent: Adam Chromy, Artists and Artisans. (Feb.)