Title: IQ

Author: Joe Ide

Genres: mystery, street lit

Why did you choose to read this book?

I heard an interview with the author on public radio several months ago. He sounded interesting. I hadn’t read any detective fiction in a while.

What did you like about it?

IQ is a quick, easy read: fast-paced and entertaining throughout.

The character Isaiah “IQ” Quintabe is well developed: IQ is goal-oriented, intends to lead a life helping people and is dealing with the loss of a loved one. He applies strong powers of observation and inductive reasoning in his informal work as a private investigator. 

The story takes place in Los Angeles in the summer of 2013 with flashbacks to 2005. In the flashbacks the reader learns how IQ fell into detective work and learned to navigate the world pretty much on his own.

I like the subtlety in Ide’s writing: he drops a detail in one part of the book that becomes relevant later. Sometimes this is laugh-out-loud funny: I feel like I am in on a joke.

Did it remind you of any other book, or a movie?

It reminds me of a couple of Walter Mosley novels I read in the 1990s.

Was there anything noteworthy about the book?

It is the first book in the IQ series.

What feeling did the book leave you with?

I was really cheering for the hero and the book left me eager to continue reading about the exploits of Isaiah Quintabe.

Who would you recommend the book to?

Fans of detective fiction and gritty stories set in Los Angeles will find something to enjoy in this book.

What would you pair this book with?

I’d pair this book with a problem-solving activity, like chess puzzles or math homework.