The Dead Don't Lie (The Blackstone Files #2), by Stephen Aryan

The Dead Don't Lie is the second novella in the noir fantasy series The Blackstone Files, written by Stephen Aryan. A direct follow-up to New York Minute that puts us again in the shoes of Cole Blackstone, changing the New York setting for the Wild and a small city, embracing the weirdness as a defining element of this series while maintaining the noir vibes that made the first book so enjoyable.

After having to leave New York, Cole Blackstone and his old-time friend, Bracken Hart, are on their way to the city of Byron, as three people have disappeared and the local authorities are struggling to find a link. An apparently idyllic place to live, but where tension is rising and people are looking for somebody to blame; unless Cole can solve the mystery hidden in the heart of the city, violence will burn the streets of Byron. Bracken's declining health also leaves him without many allies to rely on, forcing Cole to discern who he can trust in this city.

In comparison with the previous novella, we have a Cole that is outside of his natural element, a city boy exposed to the Wild, first, and later to how a small city works, how everybody knows almost everybody and how difficult is sometimes to penetrate that barrier that appears from being a foreigner, forcing him to trust in locals, even if he tests them before letting them join. He's also worried about how Bracken's condition is developing, and that adds an extra layer of tension, but also lets us see how he deeply cares for his people. Cole is a complex character, and even in this short format, Aryan manages to show it.

The setting change worked well for me, especially as it allows this series to embrace the weird facet of its world, introducing us to those traditions and cults that might survive outside of the big urban cores; a foreigner entering a seemingly idyllic community that hides things from the outsiders.
In terms of pacing, Aryan strikes a good balance between the own investigation, including slower scenes, creating a tension that is released in more intense, action scenes.

The Dead Don't Lie is a worthy successor to New York Minute, a perfect choice if you are looking for well-plotted noir fantasy in a bite-size format; I'm really curious to see which direction Aryan wants to take after the ending!