Patrick Canning brings us a fun blend of classic noir detectives, humor, and emotional depth with the highly entertaining For Your Benefit! Private Eye Teddy Lint has just been brought a case that could mean the end of Los Angeles itself. A case of radioactive Agent Orange is missing, and the ever optimistic and friendly lint must wade through a cast of colorful characters like anarchist Boy Scouts and a matriarchal cult to find it. Canning’s plot is absurd, filled to the brim with characters just as quirky, but his writing captures the perfect blend of nostalgia from classic noir and a modern emotional punch! I personally love Lint and his overly friendly attitude, something that really sets him apart from other detectives and makes this novel a really fun ride. Despite its heavy dose of humor, Canning actually lands the plane with a deeper message about modern society and the kindness and love we should have for one another. If you love a good mystery with a charismatic main character that strays a bit more on the humorous and whimsical side of things, definitely grab your magnifying glass and take a gander at For Your Benefit!
