IQ, by Joe Ide
Genre: amateur Private Investigator mystery
Calling Isaiah Quintabe an “amateur P.I.” is a bit of a misnomer: sure, he’s not trained as an investigator (unless you can count some close brushes with the law as police training), not accredited by any organization, and his clients tend to pay with sweet potato pies or new radial tires rather than real money. Are you a professional if you’re paid in tires? I don’t know.
He’s a high school dropout. Lives in East Long Beach. Seems unassuming and mild-mannered. But don’t underestimate him: He’s not called IQ for nothing.
Summary
Isaiah’s old roommate (and former partner in crime) Dodson gets him to investigate the case of a rap star whose life is in danger. It’s a job that will pay actual money–a compelling issue for Isaiah, who’s trying to raise enough money to pay for a disabled kid’s apartment. Cal’s a rap mogul who’s lost his mojo (much to the disgust of the head of the record label) from drug abuse. He’s also been the victim of a house break-in . . . by an attack dog the size of a small horse. After Isaiah watches the surveillance video of the attack, it’s clear that a professional hit man is after Cal. But who’s after the star? There’s a long line of possible culprits. No one, including his pal Dodson, expects Isaiah to be able to solve this one. But don’t worry, IQ’s on the case.
What I didn’t like
This is one of the rare books where everything seems to work well. Ide knows what he’s doing.
What I liked
Isaiah
Let’s start with him. Though he’s a low-key, unassuming type of guy, he’s a modern Sherlock Holmes with a tech savvy and driving skills that would put James Bond to shame. He’s trained himself to see what other people don’t. When he makes an observation of a minor character, she asks, “What difference does it make?” He thinks
It made no difference at all but he couldn’t help seeing what he saw. Things different or things not right or out of place or in place when they shouldn’t be or not in sync with the words that came with them. (pg. 9)
When he analyzes the dog attack video, this training pays off: he sees what no one (not Cal, his body guards, Dodson, or anyone else) has seen.
But he’s not a one-note character, all intellect, zero emotions. He’s not condescending or arrogant, either (unlike many Sherlock Holmes-inspired characters.) Though he needs money desperately, he won’t compromise his integrity. He’s truly a hero to cheer on.
The dual timeline
When a dual timeline works, it really works; when it doesn’t, it flops miserably. Fortunately, this one works. We flip between Isaiah’s present case and eight years earlier, when his older brother died and teenage Isaiah roomed with Dodson.
On the surface, the two storylines would seem to have little to do with each other. Under the surface, though, they’re connect even when the reader doesn’t yet realize how. Maybe it’s because two of the major characters are the same, though the dynamics of their relationship have shifted and matured. Maybe it’s because the narrative voice is just as energized, the stakes just as high, the plot just as dynamic.
Whatever it is, it makes sense. I never felt jerked between past and present, nor did I find one more interesting than the other. It all worked.
The narrative voice
Newbie writers angst over developing their “writer’s voice”; they’ve heard an agent or editor talk about wanting work with a “great voice,” and they don’t understand what in tarnation that means. Here you go. Read this book. You’ll hear what a fresh, great narrative voice sounds like.
Snappy dialogue
Part of that narrative voice is the dialogue. It’s surprisingly funny. Ide has a way with dialogue: serious commentary about social issues, such as life as a poor black man in 21st century America, is packaged up and delivered as deadpan humor.
(Keep in mind that this is East Long Beach: there’s plenty of language some people would find offensive. But it sounds natural in these characters’ mouths, not like Ide is trying to be edgy.)
There’s a whole lot more I could say about this book. Lively characters. Plot twists. I’ll sum it up like this: read it.
Recommended.