Clean by Alex Hughes

Yesterday I finished the science fiction/fantasy book Clean by Alex Hughes. It is labeled to be the first in a series called "Mindspace Investigations"

Alex Hughes website

On the author's website, it calls this a dystopian thriller, which I agree with. Essentially the story opens around 40 - 60 years after what is called the "Tech Wars" where either technology went amok (similar to terminator), or people hacked into technology and went crazy. Many people in North America died because of all our technology, while other countries with less technology weren't hit as bad. Extraordinary people with gifts of telepathy, telekinesis, etc. stepped up to save the world and shut down the awol technology, because somehow the telepaths/et. al have a "Mindspace" that does not function well with technology, and vice versa. Anyway, the reader finds out that the telepaths/et. al formed a Guild to police their own, train them, and find them jobs.

The book opens with the main character, a telepath, about to conduct an interview on a murder suspect. We find out that he is a high level telepath, and that he was kicked out of the Guild because of his drug habit (that he still struggles with daily). He works with a female detective, Isabella Cherabino, to help her solve crimes with his skills as a telepath. While investigating a string of murders, he finds out that they were committed by at least one member of the Guild, a telepath/teleporter, but possibly two. He and Cherabino have to find out who is committing the murders, and fast, because the next person to die is going to be the main character.

Overall I found the book pretty easy to read. It gives you enough information in the beginning to understand the differences in the world (cars that can fly, people who can read minds, etc.) and also the lack of major technology (the internet). The main character, who remains unnamed throughout most of the book, is relatable because of the trials that he does through with his drug addiction. It is an interesting, psychological view into those who struggle with drug addiction. It talks about how he deals with his addiction, meeting with his sponsor, and even how by falling off the wagon, he has lost the trust and respect of people that he works with.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy with a hint of science fiction in it. It was an easy read and made me want to continue on in the series and see how the characters develop.

Final Report:
Clean by Alex Hughes
340 pages
$7.99
Score: 8/10

Available at your local Barnes and Noble for purchase