Fogtown

Gr 12 Up—The book opens on a foggy, summer night in San Francisco, 1953. Grizzled, tough-talking Frank Grissel is a boozer and a private investigator by trade. Searching for a missing girl, he stumbles upon possible connections with the murders of local prostitutes, an evangelistic millionaire, the Chinatown drug trade, and his own haunted past. Gabrych crafts a well-written, well-paced piece of noir. Grissel's wry, cynical internal monologue appears in lettering reminiscent of a typewriter, adding to the period mood. The story is full of interesting characters and surprising twists and turns, and readers will be compelled to reread passages to see hints of the dark secrets hiding in the shadows, literally and figuratively. Emulating the comic-book art of the 1950s, Rader's black-and-white pen-and-inks finished in graytones create bleak, mesmerizing images. With its skillful use of light, shadow, and fog, the illustrations are extremely effective and easy to follow. The language reflects its time period with racial slurs and derogatory names for homosexuals and women. Artwork includes nudity, eviscerated bodies, and suggestive scenes of sodomy. Fogtown is a gritty excursion into the dark underbelly of San Francisco. The gripping crime mystery unfolds in stark panels of eye-catching artwork. This is for mature, older teens looking for a hard-boiled, hard-hitting read.—June Shimonishi, Torrance Public Library, CA