The year is 1909, and Artie Quick—an ambitious, unorthodox and inquisitive young Bostonian—wants to learn about crime.
By day she holds down a job as a salesgirl in women’s accessories at legendary department store Filene’s; by night she disguises herself as a man to pursue studies in Criminal Investigation at the YMCA's Evening Institute for Younger Men.
Eager to put theory into practice, Artie sets out in search of something to investigate. She's joined by her pal Theodore, an upper-crust young bachelor whose interest in Boston's occult counterculture has drawn him into the study of magic. Together, their journey into mystery begins on Boston Common—where the tramps and the groundskeepers swap rumours about unearthly screams and other unsettling anomalies—but soon Artie and Theodore uncover a series of violent abductions that take them on an adventure from the highest corridors of power to the depths of an abandoned mass transit tunnel, its excavation suspiciously never completed.
Will Theodore ever manage to pull off a successful spell? Is Artie just wearing that men's suit for disguise, or is there something more to it? And what chance do two mixed-up young people stand up against the greatest horror Boston has ever known, an ancient, deranged evil that feeds on society's most vulnerable?
It's such a pleasure to be hosting the blog tour for Relentless Melt by Jeremy P. Bushnell today. Many thanks to Tom Clayton at Melville House for inviting me and for ending me an advance copy of the book.
The back cover of my copy of Relentless Melt describes it as 'Stranger Things meets the Golden Age of Fiction' and I wouldn't disagree with that but Artie Quick is no Miss Marple and if I could throw another comparison into the mix, I'd add that she reminded me of Enola Holmes. The result is a cracking historical mystery/urban horror with spirited protagonists who courageously push against the constraints of the day.
Artie Quick is a shop girl at Filene's Department store in Boston in 1909 by day but she wants more and for reasons which soon become clear, she wants to understand the system of crime. As a result she signs up for a Criminal Investigation class at the Evening Institute for Young Men, wearing her brother's suit and slicking down her short hair with pomade to disguise herself. Despite her cover not fooling Professor Winchell, he is impressed enough by her abilities to encourage her to continue. Armed with her copy of the course text and eager to practise Chapter Three, 'Inspection of Localities', she is intrigued when her friend, Theodore informs her that an unsolved crime has come to his attention.
The friendship between Artie and Theodore gives the novel its heart and is stronger because there is no romantic tension. On paper, Theo could have been a caricature of privilege; he's the son of wealthy parents, doesn't have to work and collects interesting people as a sort of hobby. However, his ungainly frame, eccentric manner and sincere sense of curiosity means he is a hugely engaging character who ably aids Artie. He is attending classes of his own, having recently begun learning magic at the Boston School of Magic but isn't sure if his instructor's claim that he has enormous promise is genuine or just pretty words to prevent him from becoming discouraged since he hasn't yet accomplished anything.
With both keen to work on their skills, they begin to investigate reports of a 'sustained, distressed, wordless scream' on Boston Common. As they discover unexplainable phenomena occurring on the Common and are confronted with direct evidence of a terrifying crime, Artie and Theo are drawn into a dangerous world of conspiracies and dark magic. The disappearance of young women appears to be a conventional mystery but the motive turns out to be anything but and as they learn of the malice which lurks in an unfinished underground tunnel in the heart of the city, they have to face distressing and perilous situations which go way beyond anything either could have imagined.
Although the terror underground is almost too awful to contemplate, the true horror, of course, comes from the actions of other people. Relentless Melt never feels too heavy but it does feature some truly disturbing topics and is a shrewd portrait of the imbalances of society at that time. Magic is shown to be accepted as real and a force for both good and more nefarious deeds, and as such is woven into a plot which asks its readers to suspend their disbelief but helpfully creates a world in which all that takes place is plausible. Meanwhile the examination of gender boundaries for young women is particularly fascinating, with Artie frustrated by society's expectations and limitations of her while she gradually begins to explore her own identity.
The concluding chapters become increasingly tense with Boston's streets, alleys and wharf a fittingly sinister backdrop to this atmospheric thriller. There are some shocking moments before Artie and Theo have to risk everything to save the city. What occurs here may irritate those more used to straightforward denouements but I thoroughly enjoyed it and found this to be a fresh and entertaining genre-blending read throughout. Relentless Melt will be one of the most memorable books I read this year; I was left hoping for more and highly recommend it.
Relentless Melt is published by Melville Books and can be purchased from bookshop.org, Hive, Waterstones, Amazon, Kobo or your favourite independent bookseller.
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