Review— In Nine Kinds Of Pain by Leonard Fritz

Leonard Fritz paints a bleak portrait of the city of Detroit in his stylish debut novel In Nine Kinds Of Pain (New Pulp Press). It appears so grim in fact—over run with corruption and decay—that it’s like a complete departure of hope. And yet Fritz manages to lay all of this out with such beautifully evocative prose, in a voice that feels so completely authentic, that it’s hard to stop reading. Aspects of it remind me of a combination of Sin City and the classic movie Escape From New York City.

There’s a fascinating cast of violent, damaged and desperate characters, all trapped in the maelstrom of the city: Baby is the main character, a girl working the streets, with a degenerate boyfriend who keeps her fully ensnared in a life of crime. Father Anthony Costa is an insane alcoholic priest who has delusions of being the son of God who falls for Baby. Then there’s Dallas, a suicidal cop, completely out of control, who also has a thing for Baby. And hot on her tail is a murderous drug dealer who also wants a piece of Baby.

The story is somewhat disjointed and it’s interspersed with graphic side stories which is an interesting and odd feature that somehow works. There’s also chapters that begin with “Here Is Wisdom”, and goes into a completely captivating second person point of view narrative of the struggles, the history, and facts about Detroiters.

In Nine Kinds Of Pain is a radical, superbly written, bombshell of a novel. Dark, dirty, and delicious. Highly recommend it.

Julia Madeleine

Julia Madeleine is a thriller writer and tattoo artist living in the Toronto area with her husband and teenaged (future tattooist) daughter. For a year she lived in the country on a 30-acre property in the middle of nowhere which became the inspiration for her novel, No One To Hear You Scream. Find out more about her books at www.juliamadeleine.com

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