The Black Swan Killer by Daniel McKay

A refreshingly unique and cerebral take on the eccentric detective archetype, The Black Swan Killer by Daniel McKay is a fast-paced crime novel with an unforgettable protagonist.

When it comes to solving heady and head-scratching cases, John Consequent is the philosophical key for any bizarre lock, and the police have once again come knocking at his door. Putting his circuitous wit and wisdom to the test, this brainy sleuth must outmaneuver a wickedly sharp intellect whose existentialism has turned to murderous nihilism.

Celebrating the beauty of that which cannot be tested empirically, this is a clever thriller, and surprisingly light, given the mixture of serial killing and philosophy. Like other idiosyncratic investigators, Consequent is most interesting when his facade is shaken, and he is forced to examine his humanity and experience raw emotion, rather than forever considering existence as an abstract thought experiment. These humanizing moments are executed well, humbling his apparent brilliant mind in a way that is endearing.

Some of the story’s rhetorical gymnastics may come across as the author showing off his own cognitive dexterity, as the wordplay can seem too polished to sound authentic, but as quirky detectives go, Consequent is quite the specimen. A few minor critiques aside, this dialogue-driven puzzle is a quick and enjoyable stretch of storytelling that takes the detective genre in new directions.

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