THE GHOST WITH A KNIFE AT HER THROAT

Set in an art colony on the Southern California coast, this series opener blends elements of urban fantasies, amateur sleuth mysteries, and magical realism.

Although Skysill Beach may seem like just another tourist trap—featuring numerous parks, art galleries, and even a psychic district—there’s a shadowy side to the secluded community of artists. For generations, the talented painters who relocate to Skysill never seem to leave. And, even stranger, many artists utilize “Higher colors” in their works that are not only undetectable to the normal eye, but can also be used to manipulate various emotions. When former wunderkind artist Asher Gale—whose ability to see the spectrum of these colors may have driven him to a mental breakdown—is tasked with investigating the apparent suicide of the daughter of a wealthy patron, he quickly discovers the motives behind the young woman’s death are not only complicated, but dangerous as well. His inquiries give him insight into the obscure origins of Skysill, and also reveal details about the mysterious disappearance of his parents years earlier. Powered by consummate worldbuilding, superb character development, and nonstop action, Hincker’s wildly original storyline—which features ghosts, murders, psychics, and even an unlikely romance—is only the beginning of a much more grand-scale narrative. Also of note is the author’s witty—and effortlessly readable—writing style. Although there are countless examples of his unique use of imagery and analogy, a few examples follow: One character is described as having “snowy skin and white hair falling taut off one shoulder, the way starlets played nuns in the 50s,” and an older woman is “stooped like a question mark.” Another character squints through her bifocals and tight lips and makes “the sound horses do, thinking about hay.”

This masterful detective tale launches what could be a transcendent hybrid series—a must-read.