Something More Than Night by Ian Tregillis.
The story makes a running start when the ashy
remains of the murdered archangel Gabriel rains down on Earth to earn the
attention of our wannabe gumshoe and voluntarily part-time exiled angel Bayliss.
Though mystified, Bayliss knows that this is the time to get cracking on
finding a replacement for old Gabby which he sets out to do... to find that not
only was Gabriel murdered but the Jericho Trumpet has gone missing, setting
Heaven on the cusp of overwhelming crisis and the victim of a con job millions
of years in the making. Somehow Bayliss knows that he's been played the fool by heavenly powers that want to make certain none other than old Bayliss himself gets fingered for the job. On top of that he fumbles the angel recruitment process
and is suddenly stuck with the hot-tempered Molly. Bayliss now needs to solve a
heavenly mystery AND act babysitter for a newborn angel whilst not getting in
the way of the more belligerent members of the Heavenly Choir or the METATRON.
I was about ready to give up on the book
soon after getting started on the first chapter. The book didn't speak to me at
all (Bayliss and I obviously don't get along - he's a sexist douche canoe), until I finally reached chapter 2 and was
properly introduced to Molly Pruett. Not only does her name sound a lot like
another fellow redhead (my favourite mother hen Molly Weasley née Prewett from
the Harry Potter books) but also, she's a lesbian whose story arc does not overuse, fetishise or stereotype her sexuality. (Without spoiling anything, the name is basically the one thing the two Molly's have in common. That, red hair and a temper.)
The narrative is split between long parts, often chapters, where Bayliss narrates and the other long parts, also often chapters, where a third party narrates Molly's
actions. I got through the book much the same way I got through A Song of Ice and Fire - I read
through the boring chapters (Bayliss or Daenerys) to get to the good bits
(Molly or Tyrion/Jon/Cersei).
I read a review of the book in passing that
explained how the cover was better than the book itself and... they're not
wrong. Sadly. Or maybe I'm just not the noir detective story type AT ALL. (I'm not, really.) And don't
get me started on the physics! I don't have a degree (not even close) but Tregillis has a
doctorate in this stuff and likes showing off a bit.
This book was not for me.
But I finished the fucker nonetheless.
