''Red Iron Nights'' is a

fantasy novel Fantasy literature is literature set in an imaginary universe, often but not always without any locations, events, or people from the real world. magic (paranormal), Magic, the supernatural and Legendary creature, magical creatures are common i ...

by American writer

Glen Cook Glen Charles Cook (born July 9, 1944) is an American writer of fantasy and science fiction, known for '' The Black Company'' and '' Garrett P.I.'' fantasy series. Biography Cook was born in New York City.Garrett P.I.'' series. The series combines elements of mystery and

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

as it follows the adventures of

private investigator A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI; also known as a private detective, an inquiry agent or informally a wikt:private eye, private eye) is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. ...

Garrett.

Plot introduction

Garrett is a

hardboiled Hardboiled (or hard-boiled) fiction is a literary genre that shares some of its characters and settings with crime fiction (especially detective fiction and noir fiction). The genre's typical protagonist is a detective who battles the violence o ...

detective A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads the ...

living in the city of Tun Faire, a melting pot of different races, cultures, religions, and species. When people have problems, they often come to Garrett for help, but trouble has a way of finding Garrett on its own, whether he likes it or not.

Plot summary

Garrett is relaxing at the Joy House with Saucerhead and Morley Dotes, when Belinda Contague, a psychotic but beautiful daughter of underworld kingpin Chodo Contague, stumbles into the bar. She is attacked by a wizened old man who spits butterflies from his mouth and tries to drag her into his black stagecoach. Garrett stops him, though the man gets away, then moves on to his next job, tailing a religious crackpot by the name of Barking Dog Amato. Then Captain Westman Block of the city Watch (the ineffectual, corrupt local police) comes knocking. Block needs Garrett's help to solve a series of grisly murders, in which upper class young ladies are being strung up and gutted in bizarre, ritualistic killings. Garrett soon realizes that the attempted kidnapping of Belinda Contague is connected to the murders. Garrett and Morley track down the coach, and in a bungled sleuthing attempt, Garrett ends up killing the serial killer. Figuring that the case is closed, Garrett finds time to spend on Barking Dog Amato, but Block later informs Garrett that there has been another murder. It seems that an ancient curse is responsible for the murders, so that killing the murderer merely sees the ingenious, complicated spell seize control of another unfortunate and turn them into a serial killer. Worse, the curse learns from its mistakes and becomes more and more powerful with each reincarnation. Meanwhile, Garrett finds out that Chodo Contague suffered a stroke during his encounter with the Serpent in the previous novel, '' Dread Brass Shadows'', and Crask and Sadler are ruling the crime world in his stead. Belinda Contague, fearing Crask and Sadler, seeks Garrett's help. When Block and Garrett, along with Relway, an up-and-coming, fanatical, uncorrupt member of the Watch, find the new bearer of the curse, he escapes yet again. Ultimately, the curse is neutralized, and Belinda Contague overthrows Crask and Sadler and takes over as ruler of the underworld, keeping her father as a figurehead. Finally, as a gag gift, Morley gives Garrett an annoying talking parrot, which plays a role in later Garrett novels.

Characters

* Garrett * The Dead Man * Dean * Morley Dotes * Saucerhead Tharpe * Belinda Contague * Barking Dog Amato * Captain Westman Block * Playmate * Crask and Sadler * Deal Relway {{Garrett P.I. Garrett P.I. 1991 American novels American fantasy novels