Mike Carey’s latest Felix Castor novel is, surprise, a Felix Castor novel. That is to say, it is the fourth book in an established series with a predictable format and it does exactly what you would expect from it. If you liked the previous books then you will love this one too.

Stepping back a bit, the most interesting thing about the series is the way that Carey tries to balance the traditional mystery novel concept of the stand-alone, repeated-pattern mystery with the fantasy reader’s desire for a story arc. Thicker Than Water definitely progresses the story, though it does so in ways that are largely tangential to the main plot. I’m enjoying watching the process, and look forward to seeing how Carey eventually resolves matters.

There’s an interview with Carey at the back of the book, which ends with another big mystery. If there were to be a Felix Castor movie, who would play Juliet. Not me, I guess.