This book is a change of pace if you think you know what to expect from picking up a book by Chad Lutzke. Typically you’re in for a tough read that gets you invested in the characters and then puts them through trials, tribulations, and emotional turmoil.

The Neon Owl: When the Shit Hits the Van keeps the top notch character development but applies it to a private investigator-type setting. Jinx is instantly likable when thrust into his brand new role of motel owner, and the maintenance man, Roddy, who helps him find his bearings is irreplaceable. The rapport that Lutzke quickly builds between these two is the foundation on which the story rests it’s success.

One of my favorite aspects of this story is that all the residents of the Neon Owl motel have a backstory, and their own unique interactions with Jinx. This just about makes the motel itself a player in the story and hopefully in future installments. One could also argue that Coltrane, Jinx’s vehicle of choice, also takes center-stage. It’s also possible that as a lifelong jazz fan, I just nerded out when my favorite composer was name-dropped.

The reader has a laugh out loud good time through some of the absurd situations that go down and it’s made even better by the seriousness with which they are treated. You really need to encounter Jinx and Roddy’s first case for yourself. The dialogue is written in a snappy Lansdale-esque fashion that keeps the pages turning and a smile on the reader’s face.

The instant I turned the last page I was left eagerly anticipating the next Los Angeles-based adventure that Jinx, Roddy, and Coltrane get themselves into.