Rats in a Maze by Peter Bailey

A NY detective falls from grace into the crosshairs of a deadly conspiracy in Rats in a Maze by Peter Bailey, a disturbing and timely thriller.

Ray Fisher is the grizzled detective at the center of this story, a man bearing the immense weight of his own sins and self-doubt, until he realizes that someone is playing a dangerous game – with his mind. After a slow-burning, mood-setting first half of this novel, the true darkness of the plot comes into focus, leading to a furious, action-fueled reckoning, along with some heavy commentary on American politics and power.

While the pace remains high and the story is a swirling, conspiratorial delight, the prose is poorly edited, with obvious errors or sloppy writing found on nearly every page. The informal language of the prose adds local flavor, and helps in character development, but much of the narration is filled with clichéd idioms, and feels more like filler than essential to the story.

That said, the investigatory, procedural elements of the story are solid, evidence of thorough research, and there is a bold social critique of an American empire crumbling under the weight of its own corruption. Tugging a tangled plot line through a web of shadowy powers and sinister motives, the novel could benefit from better execution, but still remains a satisfying read for its incisive take on the current system.

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