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In his second case, freelance writer and amateur detective Gardner Lyon is summoned by his boss to Burning Man, the annual desert festival aimed at celebrating self-expression. What is supposed to be a simple writing assignment turns into a murder investigation when a tech billionaire is found dead. Can Gardner and his boyfriend solve the murder without suffering the fate of a sparkle pony?
Plot/Idea: 7 out of 10
Originality: 9 out of 10
Prose: 9 out of 10
Character/Execution: 8 out of 10
Overall: 8.25 out of 10
Assessment:
PLOT: This enjoyable and wry detective story is set against the backdrop of Burning Man. Red herrings are cleverly employed, although the actual detective work is more the result of serendipity than skillful sleuthing.
PROSE: Dietzen writes with pithy humor and visceral descriptions.
ORIGINALITY: While Dietzen's descriptions of Burning Man do not entirely capture the rawness or transcendence of the event, the setting does uniquely amplify the story.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: Full of interesting characters, including the Burning Man festival itself, this mystery blends the quirky experience of the festival with the difficulty of solving a murder in a place where everyone is living a fantasy life.
Date Submitted: August 03, 2017
