The War in the Dark

Setchfield’s clunky debut is a Cold War–era spy thriller spiced up with demons and occult powers. Christopher Winter is an assassin for British Intelligence. When one of his assigned targets, a priest, declares himself “beyond flesh” and then erupts in a shower of insects, Winter finds himself dangerously in over his head. He is guided in occult matters by a mysterious woman, Karina, who fights with deadly grace, saves his life multiple times, and introduces him to her most secret contacts for no apparent reason except to propel the plot forward. Winter’s adventures are meant to be dreamlike and horrifying, but they miss the mark, and his successes against foes more powerful and better informed seem farfetched, even when he has Karina’s assistance. As he bounces from peril to peril, it becomes obvious that Karina is the more interesting character: she acts instead of passively reacting and uses her knowledge and skill to win the day while Winter bumbles along behind her. The writing is competent, but the novel as a whole is uninspiring, dragged down by a poor choice of protagonist. (July)