There are quirky detectives and there are even quirkier sleuths, but Claire DeWitt is the most bizarre and endearing of them all. As a teenager she came across a bizarre detection manual by an apocryphal early 20th century French master detective and set herself up as a modern incarnation of Nancy Drew alongside a close friend, who later disappeared. Her whole life since has followed the enigmatic rules of the book. Following her introduction in CITY OF THE DEAD in which a case in New Orleans unfolded in the most surreal way, she is now back in San Francisco and more than ever struggling with her inner devils, drugs and the presence of the past. Colourful cohorts and a zen-like approach to investigative work characterise her progress through a devious plot with hidden treasures, thrills and surprises, but more than the actual meandering story, it is this most unique sleuthette who will stay in your mind for a long time. I can't wait for her next case and secretly hope against hope she will find some form of peace.
When Paul Casablancas, Claire DeWitt's musician ex-boyfriend, is found dead in his home in San Francisco's Mission District, the police are convinced it's a simple robbery. But, as Claire knows, nothing is ever simple. With the help of her new assistant Claude, Claire follows the clues, finding possible leads to Paul's fate in other cases - a long-ago missing girl and a modern-day miniature horse theft in Marin. As visions of the past reveal the secrets of the present, Claire begins to understand the words of the enigmatic French detective Jacques Silette: 'The detective won't know what he is capable of until he encounters a mystery that pierces his own heart'. Just as City of the Dead was acclaimed for its unique heroine and powerful atmosphere - mesmeric ...unlike any other crime novel you'll read this year . (Guardian). The most unusual , intelligent thriller I've read for years . (Sophie Hannah). Claire DeWitt and The Bohemian Highway is an extraordinarily powerful and moving mystery novel from a rare talent.
Sara Gran is the author of five critically acclaimed novels, including Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead, Come Closer and Dope. She also writes for film and TV (including TNT's 'Southland') and has published in The New York Times, The New Orleans TimesPicayune, and USA Today.
