Styx

Set in the Belgian seaside resort of Ostend, this intriguing, if flawed, crime novel from Flemish author Dhooge (Stiletto Libretto) features a serial killer nicknamed the Stuffer, whose victims all end up with their internal organs removed, their insides filled with sand, and posed throughout the city as if they were pieces of public art. When Raphael Styx—a gruff and corrupt cop whose personal life is in shambles—gets too close, he ends up the killer’s next victim, except he becomes one of the undead. As a quickly deteriorating zombie, the misanthrope cop sets out to catch the Stuffer while simultaneously embarking on a poignant journey of self-discovery. Though the gritty, hard-boiled tone is spot-on, the zombie aspect of the narrative—like Styx’s body—falls apart as the story progresses. Many crucial questions about Styx’s condition go unanswered, but the powerful existential undertone and strange redemptive tale make this an entertaining and moving read. Agent: Peter Riva, International Transactions. (Nov.)