In 1920s Chicago, postal employee Saul Imbierowicz is unwittingly swept up in a city-wide conflict between rival gangs, federal agents, and supernatural forces beyond his control. After striking out on his own from his overbearing Jewish family, Saul quickly becomes involved with the seductive and mysterious Moira. He soon becomes mixed up in the events of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, … Massacre, witnessing the shooting and fleeing from the scene after Moira takes a bullet and is presumed dead.
However, Moira is far from dead, and due to her influence Saul finds himself increasingly entangled in the rival factions seeking control over the city, coming face to face with Bugs Moran, Al Capone, and the federal agents pursuing both.
Everybody wants something from Saul, but will he be able to save himself and his family, and uncover the supernatural secrets of the city, before it’s too late?
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Unremarkable by Geoff Habiger and Coy Kissee could not be any less like its title. This supernatural historical fantasy is set in Chicago in February of 1929 and casts the infamous St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in an unexpected way. The novel, the first in a series, is tightly plotted, fast paced, and has plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing and engaged.
The story follows the character of Saul Imbierowicz, an ordinary man who is just starting his life away from his parents’ home. He lives an ordinary life, with a tiny apartment, no food in the ice box, and a brand-new job with a strict boss sorting mail on the night shift at the Post Office. Early in February 1929, Saul meets a woman in the Post Office diner after work—the beautiful and enigmatic Moira. Within days, Moira has turned his world upside down. Moira’s life is far different than Saul’s. She is confident, sexy, outgoing, and seems to have her finger on the heartbeat of Chicago. She is also carrying a secret and his association with Moira might just get Saul, and everyone he loves, killed.
I really enjoyed this protagonist. Unremarkable is told in first person, and so we get a close look into how Saul thinks and how the events of this novel change him. Saul is funny and self-depreciating, even when trying to shrug off the pervasive anti-Semitism of the 1920s. Habiger and Coy do not handwave these parts of the story. They have written a good glimpse into early twentieth century Chicago and do not shy away from the many casual, and sometimes not-so-casual, aggressions toward women and people of the Jewish faith in that time. But through it all, Saul’s thoughts and reactions are authentic to an ordinary man caught up in extraordinary circumstances.
I wholeheartedly recommend Unremarkable. It is a ‘read it in one sitting’ kind of book and a remarkable beginning to a series I cannot wait to read more from.
It shouldn’t work. On paper, Unremarkable is a 20’s era noir tale about gangsters and vampires with a heavy peppering of Jewish culture. Admittedly, I went into this book with an eyebrow raised. Few authors are brave enough to tackle genre blends and even fewer manage to pull them off. Much to my surprise, Unremarkable works remarkably well.
Geoff Habiger and Coy Kissee have created an rich yet grimy world that sucks you in regardless of genre allegiance. From the very first chapter, I could smell the cigarettes and envision the drab gray surroundings. The gravelly voices and smirking dames infected my psyche, as if reading a love letter to Chinatown.
Most readers will cite the big reveals as their favorite parts of the book, which are well-crafted and rewarding. However, I would be remiss not to highlight the interactions between Saul (the protagonist) and his family. The exchanges stood out as some of the most thoughtful passages I have read in a long time. Highly recommended.