I'm not a big crime novel fan beyond my favorites from the 19th century till the 1950s (Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes, American noir etc.), but I do occasionally dive into the newer stuff if I come across something that has a fresh and interesting premise.

Falling Angel definitely has that, times ten. The story first came into my radar when I watched the movie Angel Heart (1987) a couple of years ago (re-watched it today, still as good as ever), and although I have to admit that the intense, almost surreal, noir atmosphere with occasional sounds of a beating heart adds a lot of value, the story being filled with voodoo, black magic, murder, and realistic 50s New York ambiance ensures that the novel doesn't pale in comparison.

Of course, the events finally spiral into the famous mind-boggling ending that both comes as a complete surprise (unlike Louis Cyphre's role; if you didn't already guess why, try repeating his name out loud multiple times in succession) and makes total sense while pushing genre limits.