The Buried Life

Starred review from June 30, 2014
With Regency-era sensibilities and Agatha Christie’s flair for the subtle conundrum, Patel’s debut novel introduces readers to a subterranean city of the future, centuries after what is dubbed “The Catastrophe,” and beautifully manages the delicate balance between entertainment and social commentary. Inspector Liesl Malone is one of Recoletta’s most stoic and determined law enforcement officers. When someone starts killing off the underground city’s elite, bureaucratic roadblocks keep Malone and her new partner from pursing the culprit. They attempt to recruit the assistance of Jane Lin, whose position as laundress to the wealthy gives her unprecedented access to the upper crust, and her neighbor, society reporter Frederick. But Jane has nothing to gain by aiding the investigation; in fact, she has everything to lose. The subtly fantastical story is resplendent with surprisingly deep villains, political corruption, and a gripping whodunit feel. Agent: Jennifer Goloboy, Red Sofa Literary Agency.

July 1, 2014

Many centuries after the Catastrophe drove humanity underground, the inhabitants of Recoletta have grown accustomed to subterranean living and travel. The knowledge of earlier ages is strictly controlled, with books heavily censored and the reading or teaching of history forbidden. When several prominent citizens associated with the directorate of preservation are killed, police inspectors Malone and Sundar take the case, only to be thrown off it when the politics grow too hot. This debut features high-concept worldbuilding, although the author should have spent a little more time on description to make the future cityscape more real. While the police inspectors could have used more fleshing out to make them compelling characters, others such as laundress Jane Lin and slippery political operative Roman Arnault leap off the page. VERDICT This is apparently the first of a new series, and it will be interesting to watch this talented new author develop.

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