Starter Villain
{4.5/5} “Your uncle is in parking garages because they fund his more important work… Which is to seek out, fund and create the sort of technologies and services that bring disruptive change to existing industrial and social paradigms, and offer them, on a confidential basis, to interested businesses and governments.”
Starter Villain by John Scalzi, published in 2023
Charlie’s uncle Jake, who he last saw when he was five and last heard from at his wedding, has died. A woman who used to work for Jake comes to see him, with an offer. If he will represent the family at the funeral then Jake’s estate will buy Charlie’s house for him plus give him a bunch of money. At the funeral, Charlie finds out Jake had some competitors, in the parking business, who disliked him — from the message they sent on their flowers.
This novel is about a moral person thrust into an immoral, and dangerous, situation.
The tone is delightfully humourous.
I’ve read all 17 of Scalzi’s novels. I previously reviewed Agent to the Stars.