Oh boy, does Gabino Iglesias know how to start a book with a bang. Fernando, our main character, is jumped, beaten, and tossed into the trunk of a car. From there, he witnesses the graphic demise of his friend. It’s almost like Gabino’s trying to weed out the people who aren’t ready for it. Admittedly, I haven’t read a ton of books that fall under the umbrella of supernatural crime, but I’d like to remedy that. It’s a terrific genre.

It doesn’t start supernatural, of course. The reader is led to believe they’re embarking on a tale of revenge, following the underdog. When Iglesias has you on the hook, he begins toying with the reader, pulling them in a multitude of unexpected directions reminiscent of urban fantasy with the flavor of the Texas/Mexico border front and center. We’re introduced to some fascinating and unforgettable characters. I couldn’t help comparing Fernando’s journey to John Boden’s Spungunion as far as the colorful cast of characters is concerned.

When writing about Coyote Songs, I mentioned that Iglesias’ prose is fast-paced with great dialogue, and a very immersive feel. While a very different book, Zero Saints puts on full display the elements of Gabino’s voice that caught my attention in the first place. The intermingling of spanish and english dialogue is on display, providing an air of authenticity, and even offering insight into the spiritual aspect of Santa Muerte.

If I had one complaint, the ending had an element of deus ex machina to it. The payoff was entertaining and blood-soaked, the reader rooting for Fernando, and rooting against embodied evil. The novel as a whole feels like it transcends the cliches and traps that action movies tend to fall into. Frankly, it’s what provides a great deal of the interest and excitement on display. The climax simply felt like it borrowed one element that would have been more at home in a blockbuster, sprinkled on top of an otherwise successful piece of storytelling.

Iglesias has quickly cemented himself as a must-read author in my book. The way his stories flow and move is engaging in a way you just don’t see in many authors. Zero Saints is a fast-paced crime story with enough genre-bending twists and turns to keep any reader at the edge of their seat for the whole ride.