RogerBW's Blog

2013 military SF novella, side story to Furious in the Kris Longknife series. The detective who failed to catch Kris does some investigation on her behalf.

I can see why this wasn't included as part of Furious; it's a long non-Kris section in a book that otherwise is focused on Kris. But it holds together as a separate story, as Agent Foile tracks down some key information while Kris is away on trial for her life, in time for the climax of that book.

It's dispensable, of course; we didn't need that specific part of the story. It's quite enjoyable, not leaning too hard on the tech but concentrating on interviews and people.

The only real problem for me is that Shepherd feels the need to tell us each time Foile becomes aroused by a beautiful woman, as though he were an embarrassed adolescent to whom the idea of sex was a new thing. I don't know whether this says more about Shepherd or the audience he's writing for.

Not worth seeking out on its own, unless you get a good deal. This is included in the 2017 collection Kris Longknife's Maid Goes on Strike & Other Short Stories.