Short Circuit

Two plots intertwine in this playful literary mystery from Austrian crime novelist Haas (Brenner and God). Franz Escher is waiting alone in his apartment for an electrician to come and fix his power outlet. To pass the time, he works on jigsaw puzzles and reads a book about incarcerated Mafia snitch Elio Russo, who fears his cellmate Sven might kill him while he sleeps. Meanwhile, in prison, Elio reads one of Sven’s books to stay awake and alive; it’s about a man named Franz Escher who’s waiting for an electrician to fix his power outlet. Eventually, the two stories merge, and the plot expands to include a kidnapping and a ransom before a heartwarming act of selflessness redeems both men. Drawing inspiration from M.C. Escher’s mind-bending graphic art, Haas toys with literary conventions including double identities and problems of translation to dazzling effect, though knowing that the protagonists are only characters in each other’s books dulls the emotional impact. Still, this is a clever, wryly funny ride enhanced by a memorable supporting cast—especially the sympathetic Judge Falcone, who whisks Elio from his cell, and Frauke, Elio’s lively German tutor. Fans of Anthony Horowitz will find a lot to like. (Apr.)