Booknote: Archer Coe

Dan Christensen, Archer Coe. Portland, OR: Oni Press, 2014. ISBN:  9781620101216.

Archer Coe is a hypnotist, also known as The Mind's Arrow in a lounge act. He gets hired by a wealthy client to help hypnotize his wife and cure her of frigidity. However, that becomes the less of his concerns as people he knows start dying, and the cops see him as the prime suspect. Did he do it? What about those apparently buried memories of his coming back? And how the millionaire's wife claims to know him personally when he does not recall ever meeting her before? Is he losing his mind? And did I mention cats talk to him?

This is a pretty good noir mystery. The story reveals layers and layers of depth; it may seem a bit convoluted as it can be a bit difficult to keep track of some of the events and flashbacks. Did such and such really happen? However, I think that is all part of the mystery, a way to leave the reader wondering a bit, maybe unsettle the reader a bit as Archer is unsettled in the story. The volume offers some nice and simple art in black and white.

Overall, I am giving it four out of five stars.

Disclosure: The mandatory stuff I have to type to tell you that I read this as an e-book review copy via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. You know, so The Man is satisfied everything is kosher.