Review: Pulp detectives, robots, and monsters
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 17, 2014
Colt Coltrane and the Lotus Killer is set during an alternate 1940's Los Angeles in which robots are a common part of society -- particularly the police force.  The setting is somewhat reminiscent of a "steam punk" style, although obviously a bit different.  Coltrane is a former cop turned private investigator who is hired to investigate a serial killer case that the LAPD seem to be struggling to make any headway in.  Coltrane is joined in his investigations with his robot partner, Petey, and also gets a good deal of help from a local night club owner (who also happens to be a bit of robot repair junky that dabbles in the black market).Overall, the book is quite entertaining.  The characters are well-written and developed; the plot moves nicely; and a couple of unexpected twists are thrown in to the mix; and most everything resolves nicely by the end.  The novel serves as a solid introduction to the title character and a good starting point for future books, particularly since a couple of pieces to this story are left somewhat open-ended.