Curses!

How it reads

Curses! is mystery (comic art mystery, specifically), and its dominant mood is funny. The humour is the point, not garnish. The pace is moderate — neither a page-turner nor a slow burn — so it holds up whether you read it in long sittings or short ones.

It's set in an international setting, in the present day, told in the third person, staying close to one character. Its central concerns are secrets, art and creativity and justice. In weight it's light and escapist — easy to fall into.

It's a later book in a series — you'll usually want to start earlier. The ending resolves happily. At 254 pages it's a quick read. It's moderately known: read by plenty of people, but not a household name.