Review: Desolation Jones: Made in England

Desolation Jones: Made in England by Warren Ellis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Desolation Jones: Made in England is a cocktail mixing one part sunshine noir with two parts Warren Ellis gonzo-sauce. Jones, a former spook for the British MI6 turned biological experiment turned low security prisoner in LA (where all former secret service agents are put out to pasture), is tasked with tracking down the private pornography stash (Hitler's home movies) that were stolen from a retired general. Misunderstandings occur when one of the general's daughters thinks that Jones has been tasked with tracking down the middle daughter who has run away from home.

If you've read Ellis before, you have a good idea what to expect--cynical but badass protagonist who hangs out with too-cool chick, a world full of twisted people into some weird things, and an off-kilter world that erupts into violence with alarming frequency.

Ellis' take on the private dick is darkly comedic, at times touching, and utterly intriguing. Of all the crimes in this book (and there are many), the biggest, in this reader's opinion, is that Ellis never bothered to write a second volume.

A solid plot with all the right twists, an interesting cast of characters, a lead with a promise work together to make this a strong read, although an uneven final act prevents it from hitting the five star mark.

For fans of Warren Ellis and hardboiled detectives, this is highly recommended.

View all my reviews